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ckjaer88's review against another edition
2.0
I was actually pleasently surprised by this book, do to the cover I had VERY low expectations! That said, this book is nowhere near a masterpiece; the writing is shabby and repetative, all the main characters are two-dimensional and predictable, I can't really remember what the plot was about - eventhough I just finished the bloody thing. And I really don't understand why Christina made her leading 32 year old lady act like a freakin' 15 year old!
And seriously, that whole soulmate-I-want-you-so-much-but-can't-have-you-loveaffair-ish thing she got goin' on, is in no way believable when they've only known each other for four days!
That said, it was actually gripping enough for me to finish reading it, so it has some entertainment value. But if you do read it, don't think to much about what's actually goin' on, just read it for the fun of reading.
And seriously, that whole soulmate-I-want-you-so-much-but-can't-have-you-loveaffair-ish thing she got goin' on, is in no way believable when they've only known each other for four days!
That said, it was actually gripping enough for me to finish reading it, so it has some entertainment value. But if you do read it, don't think to much about what's actually goin' on, just read it for the fun of reading.
vikingwolf's review against another edition
5.0
Eek! I read this years ago and now I'm just getting round to writing my review of it due to a massive backlog of review notes to turn into finished reviews! Still, better late than never I guess!
Maddy is the person who turns up when someone is scheduled to die to help the confused soul find their way onwards, a job handed down through each woman in a family. So she has no choice but to do her duty, just as her mother did until her death. Things seem to be looking up with the arrival of a new tenant Gabriel at the building she owns but it turns out that he is a bodyguard sent to protect Maddy from a demon that is eating souls before they can be moved on-the demon that killed her mother and best friend Patrick. Finding out that a demon is hunting you down is bad enough without being told your dad is Lord Azazel, one of Lucifer's fallen angels and that he wants you to marry a useless berk at his court called Nathaniel, when you really love your bodyguard.
The first thing I liked about the book was Maddy. She doesn't really have a social life, is irritated frequently by her boss, doesn't really want to do the job that she has and overall is finding things pretty dull. A lot of people could relate to that part of her life. Her only friends are co-worker Patrick and her popcorn addicted gargoyle Beezle, who is snarky, rude and funny! I would have liked to have seen more of Patrick in the story but with him dying early in it, it didn't really seem likely. Beezle, however, was just brilliant and I loved him! I want a Beezle of my own!!! I liked the characters that appear in the book like the boss JB and I personally want to slap slimy Nathaniel. Ugh! Who'd want to be engaged to that prat!
I am not a fan of any kind of romance in my urban fantasy as those who follow my reviews know. It takes well written stories by authors like Kelley Armstrong, Patricia Briggs and Jeaniene Frost for me to actually enjoy romance plots and root for the couples involved. I mean who doesn't love Clay and Elena, Mercy and Adam, Cat and Bones? This was one of the books where I actually liked the romance between Maddy and Gabriel and hoped that there could be a way for them to be together. For me it was an example of a love story adding to, instead of overshadowing the book plot so in this case I was ok with it.
I also am not a great fan of Courts in my urban fantasy-I avoid books with Fae Courts like the plague as I just find that kind of thing a bit dull. In this book Maddy does visit the Court of her father but it is a short plotline and didn't affect my enjoyment of the book. I just hope that the rest of the series doesn't revolve too much around the Court side of things.
There was enough action to keep me happy with lots of battles against various demons and civilians being under attack. There was the snark and humour which came from Beezle and JB. There was a bit of sadness about the somewhat doomed love affair between Maddy and Gabriel. There is the desire to punch Nathaniel. I think the book had a lot of interesting things to offer the urban fantasy fan. I found that I was quite engrossed in the plot and read it with few interruptions which is a sign that I'm enjoying it.
Overall I thought this was a good urban fantasy read with interesting characters. I look forward to seeing what happens in the rest of the series.
Maddy is the person who turns up when someone is scheduled to die to help the confused soul find their way onwards, a job handed down through each woman in a family. So she has no choice but to do her duty, just as her mother did until her death. Things seem to be looking up with the arrival of a new tenant Gabriel at the building she owns but it turns out that he is a bodyguard sent to protect Maddy from a demon that is eating souls before they can be moved on-the demon that killed her mother and best friend Patrick. Finding out that a demon is hunting you down is bad enough without being told your dad is Lord Azazel, one of Lucifer's fallen angels and that he wants you to marry a useless berk at his court called Nathaniel, when you really love your bodyguard.
The first thing I liked about the book was Maddy. She doesn't really have a social life, is irritated frequently by her boss, doesn't really want to do the job that she has and overall is finding things pretty dull. A lot of people could relate to that part of her life. Her only friends are co-worker Patrick and her popcorn addicted gargoyle Beezle, who is snarky, rude and funny! I would have liked to have seen more of Patrick in the story but with him dying early in it, it didn't really seem likely. Beezle, however, was just brilliant and I loved him! I want a Beezle of my own!!! I liked the characters that appear in the book like the boss JB and I personally want to slap slimy Nathaniel. Ugh! Who'd want to be engaged to that prat!
I am not a fan of any kind of romance in my urban fantasy as those who follow my reviews know. It takes well written stories by authors like Kelley Armstrong, Patricia Briggs and Jeaniene Frost for me to actually enjoy romance plots and root for the couples involved. I mean who doesn't love Clay and Elena, Mercy and Adam, Cat and Bones? This was one of the books where I actually liked the romance between Maddy and Gabriel and hoped that there could be a way for them to be together. For me it was an example of a love story adding to, instead of overshadowing the book plot so in this case I was ok with it.
I also am not a great fan of Courts in my urban fantasy-I avoid books with Fae Courts like the plague as I just find that kind of thing a bit dull. In this book Maddy does visit the Court of her father but it is a short plotline and didn't affect my enjoyment of the book. I just hope that the rest of the series doesn't revolve too much around the Court side of things.
There was enough action to keep me happy with lots of battles against various demons and civilians being under attack. There was the snark and humour which came from Beezle and JB. There was a bit of sadness about the somewhat doomed love affair between Maddy and Gabriel. There is the desire to punch Nathaniel. I think the book had a lot of interesting things to offer the urban fantasy fan. I found that I was quite engrossed in the plot and read it with few interruptions which is a sign that I'm enjoying it.
Overall I thought this was a good urban fantasy read with interesting characters. I look forward to seeing what happens in the rest of the series.
blodeuedd's review against another edition
4.0
review at Alternative.read.com
This is another good new urban fantasy series. There may be many out there, and because of that there is sure something for everyone to enjoy.
What I liked about Christina Henry's Black Wings is that it took a hold of me at once and would not let go. I wanted to know what happened, I needed to knew what the secrets were and it was just such an enjoyable ride while it lasted. There was one thing though that was not that good, but in the end it did not matter since I truly liked this book. But for the record, it was something about the writing sometimes, the way she wrote conversations. They did not feel genuine a few times. But I did not let that bother me because the story won me over.
Maddie is an agent collecting souls. She does not have much time for anything else, I can understand that. Her friend (if you can call it that, more like a pet ;) is a gargoyle who I absolutely loved. A great comic relief for sure. And then a mystery man moves into the building and here is where the book starts to get good. Who is this guy, what is he? And why are demons trying to kill her? The questions are many but we do get the answer we want and more comes as the book ends. And there were some very good answers.
The pages kind of just fly by and since there is always something it makes it a book that I did not want to put down. Which makes this a recommended urban fantasy series and I will sure read book 2. Because even if it ends all good and nice there are still many things that needs to be set straight, and who knows, maybe we will get some romance too.
This is another good new urban fantasy series. There may be many out there, and because of that there is sure something for everyone to enjoy.
What I liked about Christina Henry's Black Wings is that it took a hold of me at once and would not let go. I wanted to know what happened, I needed to knew what the secrets were and it was just such an enjoyable ride while it lasted. There was one thing though that was not that good, but in the end it did not matter since I truly liked this book. But for the record, it was something about the writing sometimes, the way she wrote conversations. They did not feel genuine a few times. But I did not let that bother me because the story won me over.
Maddie is an agent collecting souls. She does not have much time for anything else, I can understand that. Her friend (if you can call it that, more like a pet ;) is a gargoyle who I absolutely loved. A great comic relief for sure. And then a mystery man moves into the building and here is where the book starts to get good. Who is this guy, what is he? And why are demons trying to kill her? The questions are many but we do get the answer we want and more comes as the book ends. And there were some very good answers.
The pages kind of just fly by and since there is always something it makes it a book that I did not want to put down. Which makes this a recommended urban fantasy series and I will sure read book 2. Because even if it ends all good and nice there are still many things that needs to be set straight, and who knows, maybe we will get some romance too.
someonetookit's review against another edition
5.0
Solid 4.5. This one is from that era whereby everyone was pumping out solid urban fantasy ala Laurell K Hamilton and Rachel Caine. Somehow it flew under my radar until last year where I met Christina at a con event.
Was it worth me jumping in and buying all 7 at once just so I had the whole series signed? All signs point to yes so far
Was it worth me jumping in and buying all 7 at once just so I had the whole series signed? All signs point to yes so far
maferg01's review against another edition
3.0
This was an excellent start to a new series but it had at times a little to be desired. I felt at times the dialogue was a little stiff and that instead of being drawn into the story I felt like I was reading. This sense went away after the first half of the book and the ending was full of action and the pacing was excellent. Christina Henry definitely made me want to read her next book when I got to the end.
git_r_read's review against another edition
5.0
Below is the review I did back in 2011 for the handheld print version I read. The review stands. I was not as fond of the narrator for this BOCD version, some mispronunciations and an odd soft voice for some of the characters bugged me. But the story still rocks and I let myself get over the buggy narration.
******************
BLACK WINGS has been on the WWBL since I read the first glowing review on Dark Faerie Tales (http://darkfaerietales.com/review-black-wings-christina-henry.html)
Then many more glowing reviews after that confirmed that I needed to highlight it as a soonest get. But I didn't get it until a few weeks ago at the now defunct Orchard Books (dadgum economy)
I made up for my slow pace of purchasing it by mowing through it pretty much as soon as it got home with me.
What I love about urban fantasy is the myriad of premises that are out there to explore and BLACK WINGS series has to be one of the coolest storyline and set of characters.
Madeline's career path took a swerve when she inherited her position as an escort for souls of the newly deceased to the Door, which apparently leads to the Afterlife.
One of the funny (to me) aspects of Maddy's life as an Agent of Death was that Death as an organization is as red-tapey as any other bureaucracy. There's paperwork to file, a Hall of Records to keep track of departed souls and their decision to either go through the Door or be stubborn for whatever reason and remain on Earth as a ghost. There are Agents and Supervisors with quotas to fill. See? Red-tapey like other bureaucracies.
Maddy's buddy, Beezle, is a gargoyle after my own heart. His two favorite foods are popcorn and chocolate. He's ornery, a wee bit grumpy, and cares for Maddy. I want a gargoyle like Beezle.
There are quite a few twists and turns and holey crappe moments throughout the story. Read this highly recommended book and find out for yourself. And I really can't wait to read the next in series, BLACK NIGHT. I feel a shopping trip coming on.....
Five sparkly Agent of Death diamonds.....
******************
BLACK WINGS has been on the WWBL since I read the first glowing review on Dark Faerie Tales (http://darkfaerietales.com/review-black-wings-christina-henry.html)
Then many more glowing reviews after that confirmed that I needed to highlight it as a soonest get. But I didn't get it until a few weeks ago at the now defunct Orchard Books (dadgum economy)
I made up for my slow pace of purchasing it by mowing through it pretty much as soon as it got home with me.
What I love about urban fantasy is the myriad of premises that are out there to explore and BLACK WINGS series has to be one of the coolest storyline and set of characters.
Madeline's career path took a swerve when she inherited her position as an escort for souls of the newly deceased to the Door, which apparently leads to the Afterlife.
One of the funny (to me) aspects of Maddy's life as an Agent of Death was that Death as an organization is as red-tapey as any other bureaucracy. There's paperwork to file, a Hall of Records to keep track of departed souls and their decision to either go through the Door or be stubborn for whatever reason and remain on Earth as a ghost. There are Agents and Supervisors with quotas to fill. See? Red-tapey like other bureaucracies.
Maddy's buddy, Beezle, is a gargoyle after my own heart. His two favorite foods are popcorn and chocolate. He's ornery, a wee bit grumpy, and cares for Maddy. I want a gargoyle like Beezle.
There are quite a few twists and turns and holey crappe moments throughout the story. Read this highly recommended book and find out for yourself. And I really can't wait to read the next in series, BLACK NIGHT. I feel a shopping trip coming on.....
Five sparkly Agent of Death diamonds.....
veronica87's review against another edition
1.0
A little before halfway through I started to skim this book and a little past the halfway mark I gave up altogether. The premise was promising but the execution was just too ridiculous to me. I felt no connection or warmth towards any of the characters, which almost never happens to me when I'm reading a book. As for the romance, it felt rushed, forced, and there was no chemistry at all as far as I'm concerned. I won't be reading anymore of this series and I wish I had my $7.99 back.
hgranger's review against another edition
3.0
Pretty good first book of a series; it’s UF written well and the protagonist is spunky, interesting, and fun to read. Not crazy about the insta-emotions but I liked pretty much everything else and look forward to reading more.