Undoubtedly, Illium is one of my favorite characters in the series. But did anyone ever stop to think about his mom - the Hummingbird? This book, Archangel's Sun explores her character in detail, and I couldn't love Nalini Singh more for doing so!

The world is still recovering from the devastation left by the Archangels Lijuan and Chrisemnon. All of the Cadre have their hands full attempting to get their own territories right. Archangel Titus in particular has a harder task to accomplish, dealing with the reborn that continues to affect the continent. As a favor to Raphael and the rest of the Cadre, Sharine is sent to assist Titus.

Sharine is known in the series for being Illium mom's and an amazing artist. Here, she is portrayed as so much more. As a matter of fact, her artistry is not much in the forefront in this story, it's her war savviness, her courage, and her intelligence that is in full display. I love how her character complimented Titus in so many ways.

Thirteen books in, I still cannot get enough of the world that Naili Singh has built. Every single one of the characters compliments Elena and Raphael perfectly. Love the series and cannot wait to read this next!

As always Nailing Singh writes an amazing story that keeps you invested and wanting to keep turning the pages to find out what happens next.

Archangel's Sun could have been a great book. The Hummingbird, Titus, zombies, the aftermath of a global war, the African continent as a backdrop, are all solid elements for the creation of an amazing instalment in the Guild Hunter universe. Unfortunately, it didn't quite work.

This novel did not disappoint. As usual, I looked forward to the interactions between the Archangels and their servants. I was particularly impressed at how much Elena has come into her own over the course of the series. I would highly recommend the latest entry and will add it to our l ibrary shelves for patrons to enjoy.

Archangel’s Sun begins where Archangel’s War left off. The war with Lijuan finally came to an end in a rather spectacular fashion. Now the Archangel’s are trying to rebuild their territories. Titus is fighting to defend his territory in Africa from the reborn. The reborn are creatures that Lijuan created and Charisemnon helped change into bigger abominations than they already were. When the Cadre sends him the Hummingbird, he wonders how exactly such a fragile creature could help him. Chaos ensues.

Casee: I honestly wasn’t sure of this book when I first saw the blurb. Although the Hummingbird has been an interesting character in this series, I always thought of her in the abstract. I wasn’t really interested in her or her story. Ironically, she turned out to be one of my favorite characters in this series.

Holly: I was really intrigued by The Hummingbird in the previous books, and I was glad she was featured in this one. I really loved her personal journey in this book.

Casee: I feel like this was more about Sharine’s personal journey than it was about the romance between her and Titus. I thought the romance was really sweet, but I was more fascinated by Sharine herself. What did you think of Titus?

Holly: I really liked Titus. He made me laugh early on with his whole neanderthal attitudes, but honestly he was a big marshmallow underneath it all. I think he was a good fit for Sharine. I agree the romance took a back seat to her personal journey. I’m okay with that. I liked how things progressed as she came out of her shell and learned more about herself. I’d have liked to see more of her realizing her skills, but I’m hopeful we’ll see more of her in the future.

Casee: I really liked Titus, too. I liked how he interacted with his sisters. He never thought that he was superior to Sharine, which I really appreciated. I thought this really captured what the Hummingbird represented to the angels.

“Everyone loved the Hummingbird. Even Titus loved her—in a distant kind of way. He didn’t know her as a person. He knew of her. That she was a gift to angelkind, that her kindness was legendary, that she had never had an enemy in her life. And of course, that she had given birth to Illium, a young angel Titus greatly liked.”

I adored Sharine’s relationship with Illium. Aodhan too.

Holly: I loved that the entirety of angelkind had Sharine on a pedestal, but she was so sassy Titus couldn’t believe she was the same woman everyone went on about. It cracked me up every time she got miffed at him and he was baffled.

I really liked Sharine’s relationship with Ilium and Aodhan, too. It was good seeing her slide back into a more maternal role and taking back some of that responsibility from him. Her guilt over what she perceived as her weakness really tugged at my heartstrings.

Casee: I also loved how Sharine baffled Titus. He just couldn’t reconcile Sharine with the Hummingbird that everyone adores. I also enjoyed the progression of their relationship. It was a relationship that was built over months, not days. It was a very believable love story.

Holly: It was, except for the end. View Spoiler ».

Casee: I can understand that. Usually I’m not happy with HFN endings, but this one worked wonderfully. Sharine knew that she still had healing to do and while she loved Titus, she wanted to find herself on her own. I admired that.

I forgot another thing I loved. Raphael and Sharine. Sigh. So sweet.

Holly: To clarify, I’m totally good with the HFN, I actually wanted them to be LESS committed than they were. Which is a weird thing for me to say. lol

Oh, I really liked Raphael and Sharine, too. They’re relationship is so sweet.

Casee: That is weird. Lol

Where does it fall in the series for you? It’s not one of my favorites, but I did enjoy it. I would give it a 3.75 out of 5.

Holly: It wasn’t a favorite for me, either. I really liked Sharine’s personal growth and I enjoyed Titus, but the romance wasn’t my favorite. 3.5 out of 5 from me.

After the insane intensity of the prior book, I had wondered how ARCHANGEL'S SUN could possibly top that epic showdown. Well after reading this book, I can tell you it didn't "top" it, it didn't need to, and I'm so glad the author went this direction. After all the insane nailing biting intensity the series had been building to, and then came to fruition, afterwards this installment was the perfect palate cleanser and perfect beginning of a new world. It read like a new hope, and a new direction for the series, and I loved every bit of it.

Now onto the romance pairing, if you had of asked me a few books ago if I would have predicted Titus and the Hummingbird pairing up, I probably would have laughed. And yet now after finishing ARCHANGEL'S SUN, I can't picture any other pairing for these two. Sharine seemed so fragile, and Titus so brutish, but there's so much more than meets the eye for both of them. Beneath Sharine's frail exterior lies an iron core will. I absolutely adored her and how she of all people didn't back down to Titus' booming roughness. For an Archangel being so used to his way or the highway, it was more than entertaining seeing her defy him and ultimately bring him to his knees.

ARCHAGEL'S SUN was everything I could have hoped for an then some. This series only gets better with each new installment, and I can't wait to see what comes next!

Another great book from Nalini Singh. Nalini Singh's Archangel books are light easy reads that are great for a vacation book. I find her books fun and entertaining and I always look forward to her books.

Nalini Singh made my heart so happy with this book. The romance is slow and sweet, which is the perfect pace for Titus and Sharine. I always love returning to this world, and it's a nice change of pace when we get a romance besides Elena and Raphael's (even though I do love them). It's the first time we get a story about another Archangel, the Archangel of Africa, who is dealing with the aftermath of war and destruction from ARCHANGEL'S WAR. The romance is a bit of an opposites-attract kind, with the loud, brutish Titus and the once-broken, now healing Sharine. These are two characters who have been in the periphery of the GH series and I loved getting to know more of them.

This newest installment in the GH series isn't quite as exciting or action filled as the last book, but I will say it was a great follow-up to all the chaos from book 12. We get a heartwarming romance filled with banter between two endearing characters and I honestly couldn't have asked for more!

I wasn’t sure what my expectations were when entering this book, but Nalini Singh pens a great story for The Hummingbird and Titus. I wasn’t sure how I would like these two together, but the story ended up being quite sweet. That’s the thing about Singh’s writing style and with this series in particular, you may have some particularly cold characters, but when their story comes, there’s a sweetness to them that Singh is always able to deliver.

Although it’s not my favorite book in the series, I enjoyed many aspects of this book, especially the writing style. Far more detailed and eloquent, Singh pens poetry with this series and it’s one of my favorite things about it. You still get to see a lot of the other main characters in the series and see how they interact with the couple. I definitely think Illium’s books is in order though. It’s been far too long a wait and I’m dying to read about my favorite character of the series already!

<b>3.75 Stars</b>

After reading the last book in the series, I wasn't all that excited to read this one, honestly. Which is crazy, because this is one of my all-time favorite series and I usually devour each installment the minute it hits my kindle. I liked Titus well enough...however, "The Hummingbird" was kind of always presented as this ethereal, damaged character, whom...well, whom I simply thought of as Illium's emotionally unstable mother.

Also, as I mentioned in <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2928158111">my review</a> for the last book, the world-building and the rules of the world, i.e., the Cascade, the war, the Reborn, etc., had become very convoluted and ever-changing and I found it somewhat frustrating.

Thus the reason this ARC sat on my kindle for far too long.

All that said...

I am happy to say I enjoyed this one a lot more. Things are still somewhat ever-changing, but this book felt more grounded to me. There was also less rehashing of things we've already gone over a million times, which has become a habit for Singh in some of the recent books in this series.

I also really liked Sharine. It was interesting to get a little more of her backstory and see her grow and change, especially since she is an Ancient.

But what I was really here for?

TITUS.

I loved him. I could have read about him forever.

So why not five stars?

Whelp...while I did enjoy this, it was also very <i>heavily</i> focused on the aftermath of the Cascade and the war. And by "heavily focused," I mean, we basically spend the whole book cleaning up after the Reborn and strategizing how to eradicate them.

There <i>is</i> some romance, but this book is definitely not overly romance-driven.

Regardless, I still love Singh's writing and the amazing world and characters she has created here. I feel like I am with old friends when I read these books. And, while that feeling might not have been as strong here since we weren't with Raphael and his Seven, I still enjoyed Titus and Sharine together and I was enjoying their interactions with the Cadre.

Oddly, I felt like this book was a lot shorter than previous books and I would have been fine with it being a bit longer, which says a lot right there.

***ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

I’ve always had a fascination with the Cadre and Titus is hands down one of my fav heroes. I love his VOICE. lol

I wasn’t sure about Sharine/Hummingbird being a lead character but she freaking shines! Anyone that had a reservation is going to have their socks knocked off!

Nalini writes the beauty of foreign lands and multicultural people so, so vividly and with a reverence that is palatable. I love her SO much. I told her this last year and it is still true today!

I was so excited for this story! The Hummingbird has been a mysterious character throughout the series. I couldn't believe she was going to be brought out and given her own story!

The Hummingbird has always been in the background, with mentions of her paintings and her love of her son. But the times she has appeared in the stories, she has always been described as so fragile, with a broken mind. So I was so confused when Raphael calls on her to join with Titus in the war against the reborn on his continent. I couldn't see what characteristics she had that would help Titus. Apparently he sees what others cannot, because even Titus was confused about his new partner.

Archangel' Sun brought us the beautiful and sad story of the Hummingbird's life. But she is ready to build a new life and she totally blossoms in this story. Titus has to learn to adjust his idea of the Hummingbird to match what she is today. The romance that built while each dealt with their own issues was so sweet.

The war against the reborn and now the crazy vampires takes a terrible turn when they realize the reborn they are fighting are special. The fighting is ongoing and the troops are getting tired. These things just keep popping up.

The build up to the big reveal at the end was tense. The duo find out more and more and my mind was just thinking "what ARE these things???" Every little tidbit they find takes them down a road that could mean great danger to all angels. The ending was a shocker and I am so interested to see how the new knowledge is going to work going forward.

I wasn’t sure what my expectations were when entering this book, but Nalini Singh pens a great story for The Hummingbird and Titus. I wasn’t sure how I would like these two together, but the story ended up being quite sweet. That’s the thing about Singh’s writing style and with this series in particular, you may have some particularly cold characters, but when their story comes, there’s a sweetness to them that Singh is always able to deliver.

Although it’s not my favorite book in the series, I enjoyed many aspects of this book, especially the writing style. Far more detailed and eloquent, Singh pens poetry with this series and it’s one of my favorite things about it. You still get to see a lot of the other main characters in the series and see how they interact with the couple. I definitely think Illium’s books is in order though. It’s been far too long a wait and I’m dying to read about my favorite character of the series already!

Archangel’s Sun (Guild Hunter #13). By Nalini Singh. 2020. Berkley (ARC eBook).

The Guild Hunter series is one of my favorites across all genres. And Singh is an author I’ll try to read/listen to every release from, regardless of genre. And the slow-burn, but oh so powerful romance of Archangel’s Sun did not disappoint.

With the Cascade over, Lady Sharine, aka the Hummingbird and Illium’s mother, travels to the African territory of Archangel Titus to help with rebuilding and clearing away the remaining reborn. Titus is surprised by Archangel Rafael's choice in aid, as the Hummingbird is a renowned artist, not a warrior. And it is widely-known that her mental fitness has been delicate for centuries. But he soon discovers that she is a strong asset in unraveling deadly secrets and does not cower under his booming voice and alpha presence. As an unlikely a couple as they may seem, Titus is determined to make the beautiful Sharine his.

This was a great transitional story; giving Sharine recognition as she regains her strength and awareness—while readers learn her tragic background; as well as Titus’s unexpectedly fun family background. Incredible characters, emotional depth, sexiness, fun banter, twists and turns, and awesome world-building; I can’t wait for more!

Archangel’s Sun is the thirteenth installment of Nalini Singh’s popular Guild Hunter series. If you’re not familiar with this series, this is a good starting point. The prior book concluded a long arc. Archangel’s Sun picks up in the aftermath of that and contains enough information about the prior storyline to allow readers to follow the action in this book without confusion.
That said, Singh does a great job through the series of developing arcs and exploring relationships in depth. The Archangel of New York, Raphael, and his Guild hunter, Elena, met in the first book, Angels’ Blood. Many of the subsequent books, though not all, explore the evolution of their relationship against the backdrop of an extended arc that slowly builds to a dark crisis point.

Just so we’re all on the same page, archangels in this world are the most powerful members of the angelic race who inhabit the earth. They are not heavenly angels, and the series doesn’t involve religion. The world is ruled by a Cadre of (ideally) 10 archangels. The world also includes angels, vampires, and humans. The Guild is an organization of human hunters. They track down vampires who have gone rogue and started killing indiscriminately or who have skipped out on their service contracts, which they agree to as payment to the angel who turns them into vampires.

Singh also excels at including future heroes and heroines as minor characters often enough to have readers interested by the time those characters step to the fore. So it is with the hero and heroine of Archangel’s Sun. Titus is the Archangel of Africa. He played a big role in the war that just ended. Sharine is the mother of one of the world’s most popular angels and a renowned artist. The prior books contain numerous references to her. As a result of the seeding Singh did along the way, picking up the book is like giving acquaintances a chance to become friends.

When the current story opens, Titus is trying to clean up the mess made of Africa in the last war, which involved zombies. Known as reborn, they can infect others with their bites and turn them into zombies too. The war ravaged the land, and the reborn infest it, killing anyone who comes within range.

Titus has his hands full, so Rafael sends him Sharine to help. Because of a series of traumatic shocks, she has been living mostly in her own mind, her memories fractured, for centuries. When we meet her here, however, she has made great strides in returning to herself. She is no longer the fragile, ethereal artist angelkind considers a treasure to be protected. Instead, she’s intelligent, competent, and assertive.

Singh does a great job of playing off the reality of Sharine with Titus’s expectations. When he learns Sharine is coming, he wants to curse. He thinks Raphael has sent him an additional responsibility, a famous but delicate creature he’ll need to coddle and protect. The reality is very different and offers several wonderfully humorous episodes as expectations and reality clash. Singh also draws humor from technology. Neither Sharine nor Titus has adapted to modern tech, and their unfamiliarity with it offers occasional amusement as they learn how it can benefit their tasks.

Sharine knows Titus by reputation only. He’s considered to be a fierce warrior but a ladies’ man. He has also, thanks to his booming voice, scared away many of the angels sent to help him. Sharine also had to learn to see past the surface impressions to the dedicated, complex, and loyal angel underneath.

As they work together to clear the reborn from his lands, each discovers unsuspected qualities in the other that lead first to respect, then to friendship, and then to much more. Along the way, however, they learn that the former lord of northern Africa, a specialist in creating diseases, had more nasty surprises in store when he died in the war that has just ended. Dealing with the situations they discover raise ethical concerns and new fears.

Sharine’s efforts to pull her true self out of the fragile, ethereal Hummingbird are admirable and relatable. She grows into her true self throughout the book, but it isn’t always easy. Titus learns to deal with someone who, despite his superior rank, isn’t impressed and always says what she thinks. They grow as individuals and then together in an engaging and sympathetic way.

The story moves at a good pace, and the worldbuilding, as always, is layered and original. Singh has created a world sufficiently complex to let her add to it without jarring the reader. The action scenes are clearly depicted and gripping.

With sympathetic characters, an original plot, and a great mix of action and emotion, Archangel’s Sun is highly recommended.

4.5

Singh latest Guild Hunter story is a true opposite attract romance that brings together a couple whose unexpected romance delights and intrigues as it unfolds before our eyes., Picking up where Archangel's Waar ended, Singh not only gives hints of what's to come but also divulges into the history of two beloved archangels-Titus and the Hummingbird. Entertaining with much humor and passion, I look forward to seeing where this couple goes in the future.

Everything you want in Paranormal Romance…
Archangel’s Sun by Nalini Singh is book 13 in her Guild Hunter series. After the decimating war against the Archangel of Death and the Archangel of Disease, the remaining heavenly hosts and their vampire allies are struggling to rebuild and heal the nations only to realize that a much deadlier scourge is growing in the heart of the African territory controlled by the Archangel Titus. Skilled yet brusque, Titus is stretched thin in his effort to clear and secure the combat zones. When he is told he is being sent assistance in the form of Sharine, better known as The Hummingbird, an ancient and enigmatic gift to the angelic world, he is less than thrilled at the prospect of a fragile and broken angel under his protection. Little does he realize that even though Sharine has spent years healing from her fractured mind, she is anything but fragile and broken, and will be the one to complete him and help restore their broken world.



Nalini Singh is a master craftsperson when it comes to the creation and construction of stories that check every box in a list of what makes a great book. The premise of her tales are always interesting; with a compelling plot and fascinating characters that defy stereotypes because of her beautiful style of writing. She is a wordsmith who paints vivid pictures that capture your imagination and who creates authentic dynamics between characters that engage your emotions as their relationships develop. Even paranormal angelic beings take on a human like quality under Nalini’s penmanship.

While Archangel’s Sun is part of a series it can easily be read as a stand alone. This is the first novel in The Guild Hunter series that I have read and I had no problem piecing together the events leading up to it. Even though there is a continuation of the global dynamics, the story of Titus and Sharine is unique to this book and is introduced and built accordingly. I have had the pleasure of reading Nalini’s contemporary fiction works and am a big fan. I believe it says something about an author who can write great stories across multiple genres (you need to read all of her books!!). I am definitely intrigued by The Guild Hunter series and plan on going back and reading the rest of the books.

This series honestly just keeps getting better and better with each volume! I can’t get enough. The twists, turns, and hot as heavenly fire romance keeps bringing me back for more!

Titus and the Hummingbird, wow!

I know I’ve said it before, but it is worth saying again IF NALINI SINGH IS WRITING IT, I’M READING IT.

This is the story of two not so well know characters. Sharine, who is Blue Bell’s mother and had lost herself in her artistic world, for quite some time. And Titus, an Archangel with his own territory, Africa, to protect from the reborn.

Sharine, also known as Hummingbird, is sent to assist Titus. Titus treats her just like everyone else, a fragile being to protect. But little does he know that the Hummingbird has been healing and evolving in her own right and is ready to face the ugly the Archangel of Death and the Archangel of Disease have brought on the world.

Titus soon discovers that together they can accomplish much and that the Hummingbird might just be a match to perfectly complement his powers.

Watching the Hummingbird’s evolve and her relationship with her son, Blue Bell, expand was something I’ve been rooting for since she was introduced. To say I was excited about this book would be an understatement.

The relationship with Titus is slow-growing and gave Sharine the ability to spread her wings and face some that hurt her the worst.

I received this ARC copy of Archangel's Sun from Berkley Publishing Group. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Love, Love, Love! I was so excited to that this was Titus' book. Lijuan has been the focus for Raphael but Charisemnon has been the focus for Titus. So Yay!

With the end of the Angels of Death and Disease, the Cadre of Archangels are busy working to right the world. Titus, Archangel of South Africa, now is responsible for the whole continent and it is littered with the reborn. Highly contagious animated dead that are ravenous for flesh and growing smarter by digging burrows and hunting in packs. It is a dangerous situation and Titus' troops are spread thing. When Raphael asks the Hummingbird, a revered artist of angel kind and current caretaker of Lumia, to assist Titus, the archangel is not sure he can handle a delicate flower at the moment. Instead he gets a smart, powerful woman who is not afraid to disagree with him.

I adore Sharine. From the moment I met the Hummingbird I wanted her to find a way to repair her kaleidoscope. I was absolutely wonderful so see her start to remember things she had forgotten and to find her way back to herself. Titus has many strong women in his life, he just didn't know that he needed Sharine to make it complete. The learning of the phone may have been one of my favorite running jokes.

This was such a wonderful book. I cannot wait for more and wonder who we will see next.