Wicked Nights: A Fantasy Romance Novel (Angels of the Dark Book 1)

When I first read the blurb I has the thought "Oh no, are we reading another Lothaire?" The similarities in the blurb with the female who didn't commit the crime and was locked up in an institute and the cold SOB hero were a little too close for comfort. I should have had more faith in Gena Showalter, where as the blubs may have been a bit similar the stories were completely different. Gena Showalter definitely has a writing style that is all her own and it was in full effect with this book.Although, the characters Zacharel and Annabelle are not my favorite characters from Gena Showalter or other titles out this year they can definitely hold their own. Zacharel, is gruff and tuff but has a strong protective streak when it comes to Annabelle, almost from the start he goes into protective mode. Little by little Annabelle thaws Zacharel's icy core. In this story we find where this cold attitude comes from, long ago Zacharel suffered a loss that affected him so badly he had to shut down emotionally before he self destructed. To this day he is still tormented by this heart breaking loss. Zacharel definitely embarks on an emotional as well as spiritual journey; in helping Annabelle find faith I think he rediscovers it for himself as well. What I also liked about Zacharel was that he was never perfect through this book, yes he is an angel and one of the highest ranking ones at that, but he made mistakes through the end, it made him a bit more human and not as lofty. I enjoyed watching Zacharel take this journey with Annabelle, he was a strong character that I think anyone would enjoy.Annabelle, I enjoyed as a character for the most part, despite the difficulties of the last four years she has maintained a youthful enthusiasm and a strength that not many would still hold on to after all that she had been through especially at the young age of 22, but she was still fighting with everything in her. She never gave up! She battered away at Zacharel's defenses until she had him eating out of her hand and thawing out little by little. I did somewhat get whiplash in that one minute she was wiser and acted older then her years due to circumstances and then the next minute very much her 22 years, when she was acting her 22 years it was hard to picture her with an angel as ancient and jaded as Zacharel, youthful enthusiasm and just plain young can be completely different especially when hooking up with an ancient. I enjoyed Annabelle, but she's not my favorite.The warrior rejects were some of my favorite parts, four of the 20 are featured more than others. We see a lot of Thane which I think is going to very quickly steal hearts, with his two cohorts that make up their bromance. Then there is Koldo who is an integral part towards the end of the book. Personally, I think Koldo is going to be my book BF for this series, strong, silent tortured type! At first this rag tag group were such smart a$$es and just didn't give an ish. They had my cracking up with all the "titles" they were giving Zacharel. I would have liked this to have continued a bit longer because it was so damn funny, but alas, for the story to move along they had to get in line I guess. Although the G. Showalter humor did continue throughout the book, it seemed to be heavier and more engaging in the beginning. Oh and you do get a cameo from several of the Lords!Overall, this was a great start to this new series, I will definitely be continuing on with it to see how it develops and for each warrior to battle their inner demons.

~* 3.5 Stars *~I'm a Showalter fan from way back, and consider myself a LotU fan even though the last couple of them didn't quite rock my world. Still, I was happy to hear about this spinoff series, and think there's much in this kick-starter to like. The world is comfortingly familiar, and the sometimes conflicted relationship between Zacharel and Annabelle had moments that were rife with humor and a lot of fun to read.But there were rough spots for me, too.As much as I love winged romance heroes, those that are angelic in nature are either loved or hated based on the level of Christianity-based mythology included in the story. I try to keep religion as far away from my reading entertainment as possible, and I'm leery of having those lines crossed whenever angels are included. Doesn't make for the most relaxing read, even when my lines aren't crossed.I was fine with the angel warriors as seen in LotU, but here they're the main characters, so their mythos will get a much broader focus with greater detail in this series. Thankfully, in this book things were mostly okay, but it could go still go either way. There were a couple of things that didn't thrill me, especially the Zacharel-touted concept that faith defines reality, but I didn't feel like I was being proselytized at the whole time, or hit over the head with the religion stick.I'm going with tentative acceptance at this point.I was slightly...not disappointed, really, so much as underwhelmed by the plot of the book, though. I've been alternately amused and intrigued by the emotionally bereft Zacharel since his introduction in LotU, so I was hoping for a bit more depth of character and story than the plot provided. It wasn't bad, but it was a bit two dimensional, and I found myself paying more attention to some of Zacharel's warriors and their backstory than I was to his emotional thaw and the demon trouble with Annabelle.I liked Annabelle as a character. She was a fighter, a survivor. I liked that about her very much. I just wasn't crazy about her as the romantic heroine for Zacharel. Anabelle was only eighteen when her world exploded, just twenty-two when Zacharel gets her out of the institution, and that seemed painfully young and inexperienced compared to Zacharel's long life and jaded demeanor. It sort of messed with my comfort level with the romance in places.The conflict with the demon who killed Anabelle's parents was, again, not horrible but didn't really wow me, either. It did provide plenty of action in the story, which I liked, but I thought the Bad Guy's identity was painfully obvious from the very beginning. That robbed the big reveal in the climax of the book of a lot of the impact it could have had, and it completely stripped one pivotal scene of the intended emotional angst, making what should have been a gut-wrenching choice feel more like a dull no-brainer.As a spinoff series debut, this book got the job done thanks to the continuity with the LotU world and some of its characters. My favorite parts of the read, though, introduced and featured the angels serving (grudgingly as that may be) under Zacharel. They are so fabulously flawed and deeply disturbed. I look forward to catching up with them again soon.Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.

I love gena I really do she is such a talented writer first Lord's of the underworld and know we have angels of the dark I think the name of the series is but both are just as amazing. One quick thing I want to ask but I have read all of the Lord's of the underworld books bar the last two coz I'm saving them coz I'm a big geek lol 😀 but why has lysander and Bianca not got their own book they've just always seemed to be together and I feel like I'm missing out unless they do have their own story I've not noticed yet but if not why oh why don't they because i think they deserve one plus I love the harpies they should get a series all by themselves as well lol but any way back to the matter at hand. Zach ( I don't know how to spell his name so it's Zach lol) is so lovely and sweet with such a heartbreaking background poor poor Zach but then he meets Annabelle his love interest who's feisty and loveable all in a oner they are a match made in heaven they help heal each other through out their rocky story. Wicked night is a must read especially if you love the Lord's books and if you've not read them then go, go, go what are you waiting for, plus you kind of have to read them as characters pop in and out for it which I just love 😊 anyways I'm getting of track Zach and Annabelles story a beautiful story for beginning to end a definite good fast paced page turner not one to miss. The next book sounds just as brilliant and I expect nothing less from the very talented gena showalter. I have heard that the fourth one won't be published for quite a while which is pretty devastating but definitely worth the wait but until then I have two more fab book to read 😀. Buy this book you won't regret it and ohhh before I go I got a bit confused if this book need to be read before or after certain book's of the lords of the underworld book but this book happens after paris's book I'm sure please bear this in mind it slightly relevant. I hope you enjoy this steamy, breathtakingly beautiful book as much as I did what more can you want demons and angels and a human damsel in distress ready to be rescued. A big fat five stars here not a bad word to say about it if I could give more stars I would.

I loved all the Lords of the Underworld books and this book did not dissappoint me.Right from the off i knew i was going to love this story about Zacharel and Annabelle, there was sparks between the pair when they first met,but Annabelle's strong character along with Zacharel's ment they did not get along together at first and there was lots of demons standing in there way of true happiness.Loved that she was kickass, fighting all the Demons that she thought only she could see until she met Zacharel and he was fighting the demons also.He was grumpy,serious and had never felt any emotions in his life but all that was about to change when these pair got together.There was sexual tension between the pair until they realized that they was made for each other,and had to make lots of hard choices to be together.There was lots of hot alpha males in this book so i am hoping the other Angels get there storys as well,looking forward to the next book in this fab series.

It seems there are mixed reviews about this book and whilst I really did love it, it's not the best Gena book I've read but as I've said I still really really enjoyed it. I've been wondering when Zacharel would be getting his own book as he has been mentioned in a few of The Lords of the Underworld books and quite heavily in the last book The Darkest Seduction (Paris') and it obviously transpires that the Angel's are getting their own series which I look forward to reading the rest of.The book is about Zacharel who we discovered in The Darkest Seduction now has snow falling from his wings and we find out in this book that it is to show the Deity's displeasure in his actions as he has not been valuing human life when that human happens to be possessed by a Demon. Zacharel has been put in charge of his own army of Angels all of whom have been in the Deity's bad books for one reason or another and all who have one year to prove that they are in fact worth saving and keeping as Angels rather than letting them fall and lose their wings. We then meet the love interest of Zacharel in the form of Annabelle who witnessed her parents brutal murder at the hands of a Demon and who then was imprisoned for the crime as no-one believed that a Demon killed them. Annabelle has been locked up in an insane asylum and has regular visits from Demons there who have been sent to try and hurt her but that no-one else (human) can see and therefore she is obviously deemed as more nuts than ever. Zacharel and his army are sent to find out why a whole load of Demons are permanently based outside the insane asylum trying to get in and after slaughtering them all Zacharel discovers the reason is Annabelle and that she is marked as a Demon's consort. Zacharel for some reason is intrigued in her and rescues her from the asylum and so starts Annabelle's battle to find out what Demon ruined her life and why and Zacharel finding himself more and more drawn to Annabelle decides to help her.I must admit I did sort of guess the end result of the Demon and why etc he had marked Annabelle as his consort from reasonably early on in the book but that having been said I really enjoyed this book and Gena has opened the series up for the other Angels which I assume will have their own staring role in their own books in due course and as a avid Gena fan I will definitely be reading them. If you like Gena then I think you will like this new offering from her despite what some of the other reviews may say but then again every one is entitled to their own opinion and I'll leave you to decide for yourself but I really enjoyed it.

I love reading a Gena Showalter book, The Lords of the Underworld are one of my top ten favourite series, if you like those books and J.R Ward BDB series this is the new series for you!Wicked Night's is the first book in the ANGELS OF THE DARK series, a spin-off of the LORDS OF THE UNDERWORLD, Where we 1st met Zacharel (angel), the hero of this book, he starts off in this a little cold-hearted and ruthless, Zacharel is in danger of losing his wings and falling to earth. As punishment, his Deity (boss) has made him lead a group of misfit outcast angels who are also in danger of falling, They are made to protect humanity against demons. If one of the Angels kills a human during the battle, Zacharel is punished for it. If Zacharel can't get his army to listen and follow him, they are all could end up falling. the problam is none of the angels think much of us humans that is untill Zacharel finds Annabelle Miller tied to a gurney in the mental asylum he and his Angels are told to go and protect from the demons attacking it, Annabelle, saw her parents killed on her 18th birthday by a demon and no one belived her so she was locked up for their murder and has been at the asylum for the last four years, being abused by the doctor there, and constant attacks by other demons, but she fights them and the doctors and never gives up hope she will get free.Zacharel and Annabelle are great together there is some funny one-liners from Annabelle to Zacharel as he has never felt emotion or desire before meeting Annabelle, Zacahrel makes Annabelle feel safe and protected which is what she wants more than anything. because Annabelle was sexualy abused in the asylum, the sex scences were slower and not as much to them as some of Gena Showalters other books, but the chemistry and the story was great so it is not missed and given Annabelles past and Zacharel's lack of emotions it was totaly understandable .I loved the other angels in Zacharel's army. Koldo's book is next in February 2013. and I am dying to know what happend to the three tortured Angles.also a great big bonus for this book is Paris and a few of the other Lords and thier ladies make a short appearance to help Zacharel and the book is better for them as it was great to see them all doing their lord thing!this had a great twist at the end too, so great story great characters and a great start to what is looking like a great series cant wait for book 2 .

As a huge fan of Showalter, I was more than excited to get my hands on this book. I'm quite taken with the whole angels craze lately, and enjoy both young adult and adult versions of angel oriented stories. Showalter's take was more than pleasing for me! We'd been introduced to her angels in the previous Lords of the Underworld series as they've begun to take a more prominent role there. Anyone who read Showalter's Dark Beginning's collection of short stories was introduced to Zacharel's boss, Lysander. I particularly enjoyed Lysander's story, and the prospect of a story about Zacharel intrigued me. Overall, I'm happy to report that Wicked Nights is an exceptional book that earns its place among Showalter's popular series. Zacharel is a character who is both complex and simple in how he is written. I enjoyed the ability to portray emotion and yet still remain almost emotionless (an oxymoron, I know). He came across as a true angel warrior and I enjoyed this immensely. His leading lady was well characterised as well. Her origins story was quite traumatic, and the complexity of how she became to be what she is was intriguing. I always enjoy reading about the angels, and reading about Zacharel's band of ragtag angels who break angel law was a refreshing take on the whole angel phenomenon. The bad guy of this book really took me by surprise. I have to admit, I did not see it coming and applaud Showalter for her excellent storytelling abilities in that she managed to keep that a surprise from me, where I normally figure stuff like that out well beforehand. To end, a really enjoyable story with excellent characterization and a fantastic, twisting plotline. I can't wait for the next book of Showalter's!