I have been DYING for another Raphael and Elena book for years and Nalini Singh delivered and more. The plot was classic to Ms. Singh's beautiful writing and complete with a swoon-worthy romance, danger, mystery, apocalyptic-ness, new characters, and the importance of family. This novel is the sixteenth book in the Guild Hunter series and is also one of my favorite series EVER.

In this novel, we pick up with Raphael and Elena after Lijuan's reign of terror with a whole new problem: the Refuge (where baby angels grow up) is falling apart. I was on the edge of my seat the whole book just praying that everything would work out. I loved reading about Raphael and Elena's dynamic again and it felt like coming home. I also adored the small glimpses into some of the side relationships developed in other books. I loved how the author delved into Elena's relationship with her father and Elena's personal history. I definitely felt that plot-wise, the writing was fast-paced and I was never bored. This book was amazing and it felt good to finally be back in the guild hunter world after so long. 10/10 recommend reading this!!!

Raphael and Elena are experiencing their first year of peace after years of horrors. However, the earth beneath the Refuge is starting to suffer from earthquakes and the Mantle which protects if from being seen by humans is fading.

As the quakes get more pervasive and more world-wide, none of the extensive archives of the angels provide any answers. It takes the awakening of one of the ancients who has been sleeping almost since the start of time to provide a solution.

Meanwhile, Elena is dealing with her father's major heart attack and the fear that she will lose him before they can ever reconcile. As she is going through emotional trials, Raphel is dealing with one of the Cadre going into sleep and leaving his territory unsupervised which is very destabilizing in a world that is already teetering on the edge of collapse.

This story was a very emotional one and very fast-paced. The Cadre are racing to deal with a crisis that could cause the destruction of all living things on Earth while Elena deals with her emotional trauma.

Fans of the series won't want to miss this one.

Now, let’s be clear…this is a five star read with Z E R O of the other books read in the series. It is such a beautifully written book and the characters in this specific book were just so relatable (even if they were all powerful angels, lol).

This story gave you family heartbreak and rebuild, love that spans across millennia, angels, power, mystery, I mean really the list goes on.

I personally don’t feel that you have to start at book one to enjoy this, or likely others , in this series but as always it is your choice. I did not have any issues understanding the events in this story without prior knowledge of what happened before.

A solid 4.5 stars. I've been of fan of Nalini Singh for a long time. I've read everything this woman has ever written. Her paranormal romance and urban fantasy series are both so good! Continuing on with the Guild Hunter series, we have a time skip of 20 years or so. I thought this was a great move. After 20 years of waiting for the other shoe to drop, everybody is burnt out and in need of a party. Too bad! The Refuge experiences violent earthquakes for the first time in...forever. This obviously freaks out Angelkind and the urgency to find out what's going on is palatable. To throw in more issues, Jeffrey has a near-fatal heart attack. With Elena and her mortal heart, she perceives the mortality of her friends and family differently. She is both involved in their lives and somewhat looking at it as a bystander. In this book, she finally deals with her longstanding trauma with Jeffrey. Nothing like a near-death experience to get the ball rolling. Raphael has his own problems to deal with as the Archangel of New York. I loved Archangel's Lineage. There were new, interesting characters, some old and familiar faces, and peeks into the lives of the children (now, no longer children) of Elena's friends and family. By using a time skip plot device, Nalini Singh has material to work with, if she ever wants to write a spin-off Guild Hunter series, featuring Eve or Zoe Elena or any of the other Guild Hunter kiddos. One new character, in particular, gives me hints about the next book in the Guild Hunter series that does not feature the main couple. I am excited! There was a notable lack of Ransom, though it is understandable that he was left out. Nalini Singh had a lot of people to "update" us about. The overarching plot was tied up nicely by the end with the addition of a new character.

It takes a village to save the world. Of course, in this case, it is a village of archangels and other immortals. Elena and Rafael may be at the heart of the story, but they are nothing alone. We see from the very beginning that 2 can not stand alone against an ancient darkness. From nearly the first page, our team is assailed by death and destruction and boiling waters and must come together in their party best to save lives. The alternate earth the angles inhabit in our siege in a string of natural disasters. Even with all the angelic power, our team, the Cadre, is at a loss on how to fix what is broken. We will see characters from past books coming together and understand their commitments and relationship. It begins to feel like all the relationships are solid and most of our stars are paired off. Could it be an ending.
One thing that is important when reading this story is know if you have gotten to this story then you have read all the others in the series and know all the players. There are a lot of archangels and second and warriors and consorts and reading the other stories make this people make sense. With that said, Nalini Singh’s books are all worth the read so it is no hardship to have read the first 15 books in this series.
As I side note, Elena’s history and pain from a young age is once again laid bare in this story as she works to repair bridges with her family. Her story is emotional. She may be immortal, but her family is not, so she must repair the broken feelings before it is too late. Elena may finally get closure to a painful chapter in her life, and she must navigate it alone as Rafeal must honor his commitment to the world. It almost feels like a parallel between the worlds at large and Elena’s family. As the angels learn from the ancient past, they must restore order. For Elena, she must move past the “ancient” pain with her family and find stable ground. This is another good book in this series. While I am partial to Nailin’s Psy series, these books are enjoyable as well. If you have only followed the archangels check out the Psy series and Nalin’s suspense books. She is an author that goes to the top of my paranormal list.
If I had one tiny complaint it is that sometimes we get a bit of redundancy the makes the book a skosh long.
Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I loved the newest entry in this series! It felt like this book answered a lot of questions I didn’t even know I had about the history of the angels. I will never get enough of this series and these characters!

Archangel’s Lineage by Nalini Singh is the 16th book in her wonderful Guild Hunter series. Nalini Singh continues to amaze us with another fantastic addition to this series. It has been ten years since Lijuan died, with the destruction having been rebuilt, and peace around the world. But now all over the world, the land begins to quake under the refuge, with buildings being destroyed, and other violent natural disasters. Jessamy and Vivek work together to uncover what is happening, as they find an old ancient language that might give them answers.

When an Ancient ancestor seems to be awakening from his sleep, Raphael will meet an archangel older than any of them; Marduk. He will explain his thoughts on why the world is falling apart. Marduk will warn Rapheal and all of the Cadre of a darkness that needs to be fixed, or the future may not survive. All the archangels must work together to find the clues left behind by the old angelic ancestors and how to fix it.

The other part of this story revolves around Elena, whose father has a major heart attack, and may not survive. She rushes to his bedside, spending time with her stepmother, and their kids, including her own sister, Beth. Elena begins to see signs, such as Beth’s hair turning grey, and the other kids growing up, and realizes that she will outlive all her mortal family and friends. She is in the middle of keeping an eye on her father, but also dealing with Marduk and his suggestions to stop the destruction.

I love seeing Raphael and Elena together, as I loved their spicy scenes; as well as the love they have for each other. It was also great to see many of our favorites, such as Illium,Aodhan, Dmitri, Jessamy, Keir, Sharine, Titus, just to name a few; not to mention all the archangels (Cadre) who must work together to save the world. Vivek, who is working with Jessamy, seems to play a big part in finding information on the destruction, as he also has help from a very old female vampire underworld leader, Katrina. Where will this lead in future books?

All of the Cadre, including Elena will need to find the clues for each of them that was once used all those many years before. Marduk only knows so much, but they all will need to bring the parts together, and then Elena with help from Keir to hope that they all will survive. I will not give spoilers, so not to ruin it for you.

What follows was an exciting, intense and emotional last third of the book, with everyone pulling together. As in just about every book I read from Nalini Singh, I could not put this book down. I loved having so much time with Elena, with her family, as well as the love between her and Raphael. As always, Archangel’s Lineage was so very well written by Nalini. If you are new to the series, you should start where it all began. Nalini Singh is one of my top favorite authors, and if you are not reading her books, you need to start now.

I was so happy to get back to where it all started–with Elena and Raphael. I still vividly remember the first book, where they met, fell in love, and that scene when Raphael fell with Elena in his arms. Giving her a renewed life, one as consort at his side.

A decade has passed since the great upheaval and war with the evil archangel who will not be named. The world is at peace… until the mantle that surrounds the Refuge begins to crumble and then the world around it begins to experience a cascade of natural disasters. The Cadre is filled with both old and new archangels, but even they don’t know how to fix what’s broken. Then an ancient archangel rises and to fill the void and tell them what must be done.

This feels like a goodbye of sorts. All of those little plot threads left dangling are sewn up. Even Elena’s relationship with her father and sister’s gets some closure. While not my favorite part of the story, I completely understand why Elena needed to find peace in that area of her life. Bluebell and Sparkle are shown in a committed relationship and doing well. Even Bluebell’s power problem is resolved in a way. Readers will see glimpses of the rest of the Seven, and the entirety of the Cadre.

The only thread I still see dangling is maybe Vivek and Katrina. There is a hint at a forming relationship and it’s enticing. But for now, I see Elena and Raphael living in New York in peace, and rebuilding. Titus and Sharine eventually becoming consorts. Bluebell and Sparkle loving each other and remaining part of the Seven. Vivek learning from Jason. Jessamy finally getting her hands on that ancient book and learning an even older language. Alexander and Zanaya repairing their territories and building on their great love. And peace across the Guild Hunter world. For now, at least.

I really love this series. Here’s to hoping there will be more in the future. I find myself already missing this world, even after just finishing the newest release.

Angels and vampires and mortals, oh my!

This series is set on an alternate Earth populated by angels, vampires and humans, and ruled by a Cadre of immortal Archangels. In Archangel’s Lineage the world has recovered from the terrifying Cascade and evils of war. So of course it’s time for something to go wrong, and as natural disasters begin occurring all over the globe they must race against time to discover the cause before a cataclysm destroys the world. But this is not the first time the world has faced this darkness, and one of the Ancients themselves begins to awaken in response.

Romantasy fans will definitely appreciate this series. The relationship between Archangel Raphael and his consort Elena usually takes (a spicy) center stage, with other books featuring developing romances between other characters. My main issue with this series is that Singh has a strong tendency to tell rather than show, and in repetitive ways. I don’t know how many times Raphael waxes poetic about his strong, brave, loyal, and true warrior consort, etc. Don’t tell me, show me! It’s a shame because the author DOES show us these things, and I think she should trust in her writing and story to get them across. Also in this book we had several small “Interludes” but they didn’t add anything new, just repeated information we already have, and didn’t seem to directly relate to the plot. If they were meant to emphasize something, it went over my head.

Despite that I keep coming back to this series because it’s just FUN. I enjoy the world and the expansive cast of characters, and we get more depth with each book. In a series this long (this is #16!) it can be hard to keep upping the stakes without jumping the shark, but so far it hasn’t failed, and I keep tuning in because I want to know what crazy thing is going to happen next. Every book adds a new and interesting element that keeps it fresh and exciting.

I think fans of Anne Bishop will really like this. The worlds are entirely different but the writing styles and power dynamics seem alike to me.

I have my quibbles but I’ll never put this series down. It’s like eating oreos, it may not be a full meal but I’ll always love it for dessert.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

This book felt like a series ender, wrapping up a lot of storylines and ending on a note of peace. They figured out how to fix all the things that were going wrong and it was really nice to revisit Elena and Raphael. This book also takes place a decade after the last time we caught up with them which was the book before the last one and by all accounts, Illium and Aodhan are in a committed relationship and I would have loved a book that was more about them actually being in that relationship (I know we got a book with them but that book felt like it was really skimming the surface and I need more for them lol).

The stuff with Elena and her dad and the grief really hit me hard. I'm glad there was some resolution there.

If there's one loose thread left, it's the teaser of things to come between Vivek and Katrina - I don't know if they'll get their own book or not but I'd like to read more with them.

Elena and Raphael are one of my favorite couple. I really have enjoyed reading their journey as they grow as a couple.,
This book was a great addition to the series. I liked that it wasn’t back to back fighting. There is danger and a mystery to solve and they have to figure it out before it’s to later. The title makes perfect sense and I didn’t connect the dots right away because I was so focus on what Elena was going through.
I did get emotional a few times and I did cry so this book gets a 5 out of 5 for me.
Well worth reading.

I receive a free ARC from NetGallery for my honest review.

Nalini Singh will forever be incredible. I gave this four stars but it’s a higher scale because NALINI SINGH but I loved it and can’t believe I’m gonna have to wait again for the next book but I’m so excited.

Archangel’s Lineage is the latest installment in Nalini Singh’s Guild Hunter series. It sees Elena’s relationship with her father progress, and everyone grow up a lot. It was definitely a heart-touching installment to the series, but with everyone’s immortality as the focus in this one, it shows that the series might never conclude.

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for the pre-release copy of Archangel's Lineage. Below is my honest review.

Another excellent entry into the long-running Angel and Vampire series by Nalini Singh. I love how each book has a strong central plot but also weaves in threads building the main storyline, all while following different couples from the world throughout the installments. This one was another Elena and Raphael story. Things have started to settle down after the Cascade and the fallout from Lijuan's betrayal that left the world devastated in many ways. Of course, that means something has to happen, right? Well, that something is the Refuge becoming unstable, which could have massive ramifications for angelkind and their balance with the rest of the world.

With ties to the ancient past and hints of the future, this one really delved into some of the key aspects of angel history, leaving some breadcrumbs towards some potential story lines that could be the next phase of the series.

Just a warning, the way this book goes almost feels like an ending and ties up quite a few things, so you can imagine my relief when I checked Singh's website and found "Guild Hunter 17 coming 2025." I would have been very upset had another favorite series ended and I didn't go into it prepared for that!

Highly recommended, with the warning that this series build on itself exponentially, so not starting from the beginning might dampen your enjoyment.

The Guikd Hunter series is epic in a way that totally envelops me within their world. The Archangel’s, Angels, Vampires literally come to life. The bone deep love Raphael has for Elena is storied. I loved this, so emotional and family driven.

I love this series and always look forward to the stories of Elena and her Archangel. One thing I love about this series is that they all build on each other the characters the drama. I love the growth of everyone. Although this one was very neatly finished and I wonder if we will get a book about a few new characters introduced soon... and maybe the redemption of another?



3.5 stars.

thank you to Net Galley for this copy All opinions are my own.

I don't know if this is the last book in the series, but it kind of felt like the last book in the series. I enjoy the books about Elena and Raphael more than any of the others (though I do enjoy the others), so it was nice to get back to a book focusing on them and their relationship. It was also nice to have a book that wasn't back to back to back war/violence. While there are certainly catastrophes in the book, it wasn't constant battle which is a nice change from several of the recent books in the series. A lot of this book is about Elena coming to terms with what it means to be an immortal while all of her family and friends (okay, most of her family and friends) are mortal and aging. I was a little disappointed in the Jeffrey/Elena storyline as the timing seemed a little off to me - why when Jeffrey almost died rather than the two times Elena was basically comatose? It just seemed a little odd to me.

This book felt so much like an end to the series for me! It made me really sad, but at the same time it had the same flair that every single nalini singh book has! It was a great read despite the sadness!

3.25 stars. I more than liked this book, because visiting with old friends is always great, but there was definitely the bittersweet feel of a well deserved peace after far too long fighting. I'm glad we got a lot of final bits, but also glad that we were left with the feeling that life will go on with its regular ups and downs - not the recently catastrophic ones that had almost become Elena and Company's normal. While I felt this series could have been brought to a close several books back, this is a good place to stop for now. Or to shift focus to another area in the world and other characters.

I absolutely loved reading this book! I just love this series so much, and this is book 16 in the series-and it's a tipping point. I loved how this book looked back on the fact that she was a mortal, and what it means to now be immortal-and those that she loves are getting older, and facing the fact that they won't be in her life, someday soon.

Things are going well. Healing from the events of this series has finally finished up, and it's time to relax. But really, it's not, because there's a threat to the Refuge, of where the young are raised-and it's mentioned multiple times what would happen if the young were harmed. We definitely didn't want anything to happen to them regardless, but even more so!

This book really took a look at long-lived individuals, basically immortal, from both perspectives. Of Elena, whose mortal friends and family are getting older, and she's faced with the idea of losing them after being confronted by her father's heart attack. And it was saddening, the thought of that loss-but that just means that what they have is precious.

It also takes a look at it from another perspective-that they are so long-lived, that they have all this history. Not that they know it all, or the beginnings, the Ancients are supposed to be made up. But when the defense of the Refuge starts to fail, the past gets examined more thoroughly. And I loved watching the story unfold!

Loved reading this book, and if we get low stakes, romances, for other couples, like the one I hope was introduced in this book, yeah, I'd be thrilled!