Archangel's Viper: Book 10 (The Guild Hunter, #10)

by Nalini Singh

Enter New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh's breathtakingly passionate Guild Hunter world with the story of a woman who isn't a vampire or an angel . . . or human . . .

Once a broken girl known as Sorrow, Holly Chang now prowls the shadowy grey underground of the city for the angels. But it's not her winged allies who make her a wanted woman - it's the unknown power coursing through her veins. Brutalised by an insane archangel, she was left with the bloodlust of a vampire, the ability to mesmerise her prey, and a poisonous bite.

Now, someone has put a bounty on her head . . .

Venom is one of the Seven, Archangel Raphael's private guard, and he's as infuriating as he is seductive. A centuries-old vampire, his fangs dispense a poison deadlier than Holly's. But even if Venom can protect Holly from those hunting her, he might not be able to save himself - because the strange, violent power inside Holly is awakening . . .

No one is safe.

• ISBN10: 1473217512
• ISBN13: 9781473217515
• Publish Date: 28 September 2017 (first published 26 September 2017)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Imprint: Gollancz
• Format: Paperback (B-Format (198x129 mm))
• Pages: 368
• Language: English

Reviews

[FranJessca @ A Book Lovin' Mama's Blog]

Archangel’s Viper is the tenth book in the Guild Hunter series by Nalini Singh. This time Venom, one of Raphael’s Seven, is getting his book. I’ve wanted to read his book since he was first introduced in the series. His viper like eyes and vampirism had me fascinated. He ends up with Holly Chang to watch out for her since someone has a bounty on her. They’re not sure why someone would want Holly. 

Holly was once known as Sorrow since she was one of Uram’s victims in the series’s first book. She gave herself that name after realizing she was no longer human. She was never the same and is still going through changes after Uram attacked her. Now she thinks she’s becoming something worst. 

Something is awakening in her, and she thinks it may be Uram. It’s up to Venom and Holly to find out what is happening. 

Be prepared in the beginning to realize that Venom and Holly are not friendly with each other. It’s more of a hate-to-love relationship. There is a reason behind it, though. I could feel for Holly from the beginning of the series, but I felt more for her in this book. The poor girl wants a normal life but knows she’ll never get one now. 

Venom is not a softy, so readers should get that out of their heads. He’s not about romance. I did like getting to know his character.

I’m happy though that these two characters find each other because they need each other. 

Overall, this book gets four stars, and I recommend it to PNR/UF fans. 

I will be diving into the next book soon since I need to finish catching up before Nalini releases the next book in the series this Autumn. 

[Melanie]

My review and an extended sample of the audiobook are posted at Hotlistens.com.

Viper has been an interesting character since the very beginning of this series. He is a vampire and a member of Raphael’s Seven. Viper isn’t like any other vampire. There is absolutely not anyone else like him. He was turned by Neha, the Queen of poisons and snakes. None of the other vampires she turned, ended up like him. He has slitted eyes, poison in his blood and he can entrance people with his eyes. He is also the youngest of the Seven, but that doesn’t make him any less deadly. All of the Seven respect him, even if he is only 350 years old.

Holly was kidnapped a few books ago by the archangel Uram. He was in a mad rage and forced her to drink an awful lot of his blood. It changed her. She isn’t a vampire. She still needs regular food to survive, but she also needs blood. Holly fights this other side of her nature. She doesn’t want to drink blood. She doesn’t want to be this thing that she’s become. It has been a few years since this happened to her. She is getting control of herself. She lives in the tower and is working with Janvier and Ashwini. Venom has always been a part of her training, because they are very similar in that Holly has some reptile tendencies too, but that has always been from afar since Venom was out of the territory on a mission. Now he is back in New York, they have to work together in person.

This was a fun story. I really enjoyed getting to spend this time with Holly and Venom. I loved seeing them come together. I really enjoyed learning more about the mysterious Venom and his past.

So this story overlaps with Archangel’s Heart. Dimitri is running the territory because Raphael and Elena are at a meeting with the other archangels. So we don’t see much of them in this book. There aren’t a large cast of characters in this book. It is mostly Holly and Venom as they track someone who has put a bounty on Holly’s head. Janvier, Ashwini and Dimitri all make appearances. Blue Bell, of course, has some page time (I think Singh would have a revolt on her hands if she didn’t include him some LOL).

Overall, this is a great addition to the series. Not only is the story of Venom and Holly nice, it moves the overall story arc forward. I would’ve liked to have more time with some of the other characters in the series, but then I will probably always say that. I just love the characters in this series so much.

Narration
I just love Angela Dawe’s narration of this series so much. I’ve been listening to this series for a long time now (I can’t remember when I first started listening), but I haven’t gone back to reading since then. I think she does a great job with the male and female characters. I feel like she brings all the characters to life. I would highly recommend her.

**I like to thank the publisher for providing me with a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

[littleread1]

I didn't want it to be over. *cries*

[thebookdisciple]

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.

 

• POV: 3rd


• Tears: no


• Trope: angels/demons, vampires


• Triggers: none


• Series/Standalone: series


• Cliffhanger: no


• HEA: spoiler

books by Ilona Andrews, Danika Dark, Lyndsay Sands, Christine Feehan ...then you will probably like Archangel's Viper!

 

Archangel's Viper

See full review on The Book Disciple

[Linda]

This review was originally posted on (un)Conventional Bookviews
Archangel's Viper was a whirlwind of plot, action and feels! Fast paced, with a lot at stake, I was taken for a trip I won't soon forget.

Story:

Archangel's Viper is about Holly and Venom, and the attraction between them. It's also about the voice Holly hears in her mind, and how she's grown extremely strong and fast in a short time. She needs discipline, which Venom has in spades. But she needs more than being a fighter, too.

Venom and Holly go on a dangerous trip to figure out what is happening to her, and not one, but two Archangels are needed to deal with some of the things that come up on that trip.

I loved getting to know these characters better, they worked well together. They also had chemistry in spades, which hellped the strange case they were working on. Finding clues in unlikely places, they helped more than one broken person on their way.

The overall plot of the series moved forward while still being Holly and Venom's story.

Characters:

Holly had been mostly in the background in former Guild Hunter books, and I enjoyed seeing more of her in Archangel's Viper. Venom has always intrigued me. His eyes. The mystery behind what he is, exactly. And the strength of his loyalty towards Raphael and Elena, and the Seven.
Other characters from the series were present, even if they weren't among the main characters in this story.

Writing style :

Third person pas tense narration, with a lot of very humorous dialogues. The pace was fast in the action scene, and more sedate in other places.

Feels :

As always, all the feels! Singh knows how to bring it!



Holly squeezed the steering wheel and tried to think of the calming exercise Honor had taught her in an effort to foster mental and emotional discipline at a time when Holly had been tearing herself apart. She hadn't needed that exercises for a while, Venom hadn't been in the city for a while.

Venom prowled closer, causing Kenasha to scramble back until he was a hairsbreadth from the edge and a fall that shouldn't be deadly to an anger of his age - except that Kenasha had made himself so weak that it was highly probably he'd turn to red paste intermingled with rivers of fat when he hit the ground.

[EBookObsessed]

This story takes a left turn about three quarters of the way through but it was so entertaining that you don't realize it until you are finished.

I saw several thumbs down for the cover of this book, but to me, it was the perfect Venom. He was always presented as very slick and always very dangerous. He was always stylishly dressed with the dark glasses and the slight smug smile giving off the "just try me" vibe.

Venom was made by Neha, the Archangel of India, also known as the queen of snakes and poison. We learn more about Venom, how and why he was changed and how he was subsequently shunned by his family even though he ageed to be made to save them from their own follies.

Holly is the perfect match for Venom although I did do an eye-roll that like venom, her bite was toxic.  Of course the only two characters with a poisonous bite fall in love.

In case you don't recognize the name, Holly spent part of the series know by the name Sorrow. She is the human from the first story who was tortured and feed blood by Uram, the crazed Archangel.   They still don't know Holly's full potential or what she truly is since she eats rather than drinks blood. She's not a full vampire nor has she become an angel.

She has emerged from the depression which engulfed her after Uram changed her and killed her friends and has also tossed off the name Sorrow.  Holly now works for the Tower and has become sort of a ward of Demitri.  She spends time in the poorer and more run down sections of the city and has many contacts among those living in the shadows which includes many broken vamps after their century in the "care" to some of the more brutal and twisted angels.

My biggest issue with this story was that we were working on a plot of kidnapping for 75% of the story, then we are sent off on archangel business.  Then I realized I am more than 90 percent done and WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE KIDNAPPING?  It gets wrapped up but left me feeling WAIT! WHAT HAPPENED HERE??? at the very end. This kind of screwed with my feelings about the story as a whole. We were investigating. Important things were happening. We had to go handle this other thing. That was interesting too. Then we forgot all about what we spent most of the book being concerned about.   There were a few little dangly story bits since we really didn't get back into the whole kidnapping storyline but like I said, it was all interesting enough that you forgot what you were doing to begin with.

It's like after you clicked on 20 different pop ups on Facebook and then realized, "Hey, wait. I came over here to check my bank balance.  Why I am now reading Unknown facts about Llamas?"

This was a good story and you will race through it.  I really like how Venom and Holly compliment each other.  Holly doesn't fade into the background next to such a vibrant personality like Venom.  It was a good pairing, and I like how Holly had reclaimed her life after years of depression.  I just feel a bit weird about the whole change of storyline at the end.

**This review was supposed to post last June. I have no idea why it showed as scheduled but then they sometimes never post.**

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