Romancing the Dark Side

Angel Kin by Tricia Skinner 
Series: Angel Assassins #1 
Genre: Urban Fantasy 
Published by Entangled Edge on April 28, 2014 
Format: eARC 
Pages: 183 
Source: Author

Purchase: Amazon • Barnes & Noble

*This book may be unsuitable for readers under 18 years of age due to one or more of the following: strong sexual content, language, drug and alcohol use, and/or violence.

An exciting new series with some bad ass angels!

ANGEL KIN weaves a paranormal world with angel mythology to create one of the most engrossing stories I’ve read in a while. I was instantly hooked and did not want to put this book down! With Angels, Nephilim and Renegade Angels in a battle, things quickly get exciting. I love a story of good vs. evil and Ms. Skinner delivers that and so much more in this series debut.

When the story begins, Katie Logan is back to her old tricks and stealing from a not-so honest politician, in order to save her friends from vampires. She gets more than she bargained for when she’s forced to hide when said politician unexpectedly returns to his home with a mysterious stranger. What starts off as a plain ol’ robbery soon turns into witnessing a supernatural murder for Katie and she’s forced to turn to her brother for help instead of trusting the police. With no where to turn, Katie is brought to The Bound Ones, a group of half-human half-angel warriors (known as Nephilim) who protect the innocent, by her brother. Katie is not thrilled about meeting The Bound Ones but when she’s introduced to Cain, things take a turn for the worse when she realizes he resembles the very man who murdered the politician. In an attempt to clear his name, Cain will have to face a part of his past he thought was long gone and buried.

I must admit, Angels are not my go to paranormal creatures because I’ve only really been captivated by a few books, but I’ve always been fascinated by them. What I love about Tricia’s world is the subdued religious connotations that can sometimes lead me astray while reading. There are slight mentions of religious text but only in reference to the characters’ biblical names, it kind of comes with the territory when you name your hero Cain and his brother Abel. I love the different factions created, The Bound Ones and The Renegades are both intriguing and it was great to see how each operates within this supernatural world that inhabits other paranormals as well.

If I had to describe The Bound Ones to readers, in relation to character development, I’d say they’re like the Black Dagger Brotherhood without fangs! Now before I go any further…let me explain myself, I’m not exactly comparing them to BDB, I just think the dynamics of their group is similar. The Bound Ones are a group of fierce warriors bound together by fate and loyalty just like BDB and it’s clear that each member has a story to tell. These angels are not your fluffy winged kind, they’re dark, brooding and don’t mind getting their hands dirty. Their “dark side” is what I found most endearing, what can I say? I love bad boys! I know this story’s main character is Cain, but I found myself wanting to learn more of the rest of the group. Tanis, Kas, Jarrid and Nesty each leave their mark and I hope to see more of them in future installments.

Onto the hero…Cain, his brother Abel and the heroine.

Cain is undoubtedly a tortured soul, my favorite kind of hero. Yes, he’s an assassin, but he’s managed to keep goodness in his soul, deep down he’s a good man. The guilt he feels for his brother’s “death” has been a weight he has carried for years and his world is turned upside down when he learns the truth about Abel. Saying Cain and Abel’s relationship is complicated is an understatement, the two have a dark past that is told in flashbacks which was a great addition to the plot without being too much.

Most would say Abel is a villain but I would disagree, there’s definitely more than meets the eye with him. These two brothers were separated by fate but I hope they can be reunited by love as the series progresses. Skinner spared no detail in Cain’s character development which is refreshing. Katie held her own as a heroine, especially among this group of opinionated males. She’s not exactly your alpha heroine (did I just make a new term up?) but she’s strong willed and a fighter in her own right. Her character was not as fleshed out as Cain which might be the reason I wasn’t completely smitten with her but I wouldn’t mind learning more about her. Their relationship starts off as one of necessity with plenty of banter and blossoms into romance which was quite sweet. My OMG…WTF? moment came in the revelation that Cain was a VIRGIN…yes, that’s what I said…a centuries old VIRGIN ladies! This was a first for me, it was not only hard to believe that in all his years he hadn’t experienced sex but also that he was such an amazing lover his first time, come on! I don’t care how much porn you’re watching Cain…you’re not going to get that good without some practice!

My introduction to the Angel Assassins series was an action packed thrill ride with a hint of romance and unpredictability. Skinner delivers a Supernatural-esque relationship of brother vs. brother that is sure to end in a climactic showdown. I strongly believe ANGEL KIN is the foundation for what is sure to become a phenomenal series. The dark undertones, snarky humor and strong group of alphas really make it a winning combination!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.