Wicked Nights

By Gena Showalter

Leader of the most powerful army in the heavens, dark angel Zacharel has been deemed too dangerous, too ruthless – and if he isn’t careful, he’ll lose his wings.

But this warrior will not be deterred…until vulnerable mortal Annabelle tempts him. Accused of a crime she did not commit, Annabelle has been imprisoned for four years.

Demons track her every move. Zacharel is her only hope for survival, but is the brutal angel with a touch as hot as hell her salvation – or her ultimate damnation?

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins UK
• Release date: Jun 26, 2012
• ISBN: 9781408969953

Gena Showalter

Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of over seventy books, including the acclaimed Lords of the Underworld series, the Gods of War series, the White Rabbit Chronicles, and the Forest of Good and Evil series. She writes sizzling paranormal romance, heartwarming contemporary romance, and unputdownable young adult novels, and lives in Oklahoma City with her family and menagerie of dogs. Visit her at GenaShowalter.com.

Reviews for Wicked Nights

[pnrlist · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Well, that's it. Between this and Once Burned, this was the best week for PNR this year. And now I've read both. I'm doomed to suffer the torturous wait for the new Dori Basarab book and Iced (OMG NEW FEVER BOOK!!!!) that don't come out for MONTHS. AHHHHHHHHHHH. Why can't there be more summer releases?!

[lacello · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book was fairly decent read. I was very absorbed in the first part of the book but about halfway through it started falling really flat. The tone was a little weird through out the book, it stayed relatively consistent however there were parts where one of the characters says something flippant, or it's worded flippantly and it kind of jarred. There's one section where she uses the word 'laved' waaaay too much The sex scenes were not very engaging, I skimmed over most of them, I just didn't really feel the heat between "Zachie" (I kid you not, she calls him this at one point) and Annabelle. Overall I'm giving it 3 stars because I was really engaged in the beginning. This book had a lot of promise , but for me it fell short of expectations.

[rosetyper9 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have been a fan of Ms. Showalter for a very long time, especially her early paranormal romances and then her Lords of the Underworld Series. I was so excited when I found out about this series...SO EXCITED! I had my eye on Zacharel for awhile, he always had hard sheen in his eyes that I couldn't wait for some willful heroine to break. When I was asked to participate in the blog tour for this novel I it made my day...anyway...this is a spin off from the Lords of the Underworld series. We have been seeing angels in and out of the Lord's lives for a few books now.

I will start out this review by saying Ms. Showalter has no problem torturing her characters in whatever inhuman way that can be thought of. She holds no bars and it adds a layer of authenticity to a paranormal tale. I love Zacharel and Annabelle together, they compliment each other perfectly and they balance out each other's issues...which are many for both of them individually.

The plot is fast paced and sexy. There are reasons the sensuality goes sort of slow (see torture above) and I found it to be believable and authentic. I loved seeing some new characters and getting to know more about Zacharel. I enjoyed this book immensely and it will be the first in (hopefully) a very long new series.

I also need you to drool over the cover of this book. It is sexy and beautifully done! Just like this book.

[aliterarylion · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I had already fallen in love with this character in the previous book he was in and it was nice to see him get paired up with his perfect foil. I am excited for this new series and see all the different characters fall in love. I can already tell this series is going to be as wonderful as the Lords of the Underworld series

[author_andrialarge · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Amazing, amazing book! I could not put it down. It kept me engaged the whole time. Loved the characters. The twist was something I didn't expect, which is good, that's the whole point of a twist. The writing was awesome and I am definitely adding this to my favorites!

[tivonut · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Really on the fence of whether to give this a 3 or 4. It did engage me and I read it somewhat through. (Read Dream Warrior in the middle) Took me a couple of days.

What I liked
Good world building, good characters that you want to read more about in their own books. The two main characters have great background stories that you want to know more about. The main characters have a relationship that is quite sweet and slowly builds. Their sex scenes are not masterful or intensely erotica but then neither has any real experience. I really like that the romance was centered around the amazing sex and instead was a slow burn.

I felt he did the right thing in the end. Although it was a hard decision, the past a choices of another have to be considered. You have to get over your guilt.

The end had some surprises but was predictable too, I don't know how to explain that better.

What I didn't like
It was a little slow in points. I felt like I would forget the main characters after a little while.

Over all a good read and a good start to a new series. I probably will avoid the Lords when the next comes out but I probably will pick the next one in the Angels.

**********spoilers, I try to make them vague but still ************
Never understood how the demon understood this was the girl for Zacharel. I did understand how Zacharel's essentia was introduced to her but couldn't he have done that with any girl and then have Zacharel react to her? It never was explained well and seem very coincidental that the demon was called out so close to her after millenia.

How the demon was created didn't make enough sense. I don't want to go into it or I'll really spoil it but... is there a nothing death? It sounds like the author is confused about this herself.

The description of the Spirit, Body, and Soul made no sense... the spirit is the essence, the soul the outlet that plugs the spirit into the body. Really that is just idiotic. She has got to get a better description to the the meaning of spirit and soul, I think we have body figured out.

[mlsimmons-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

3.5 stars

I liked this story, but it had a hard time keeping my interest at times. If you likes LOTU, you'll like this story. You will also see some of them and their wives. I am very interested in seeing where the stories go from here. I want to know more about Koldo and the three friends.

[judycroome_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The second star is because of an unexpected twist at the end of the story which was quite clever.

[jorgeousjotts · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a good one. I liked the balance in the angel hero, not a fallen angel, but not entirely a goody-two-shoes either. And the heroine was damaged, but tough as well. They went on an interesting journey together, and seemed to be well matched and good for each other. I enjoyed it and am quite pleased with the end result.

[eomalley_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In Wicked Nights, paranormal romance author Gena Showalter begins a new series entitled “Angels of the Dark.” She starts with the story of Zacharel, an angel who has been deemed a bit of a menace by his Deity. In order to teach him control and compassion, the Deity has placed him in charge of the toughest, most dangerous angels in the heavens with instructions to shape them up or pay the price – the loss of his wings. But it will take more than punishment from his Deity to turn this angel around; it will take the love of a woman marked by a demon lord!

I love Gena Showalter’s adult paranormal “Lords of the Underworld” series, so when I learned she was spinning off LOTU and focusing on the angels who had appeared in the series I was thrilled. Zacharel had made a bit of an impression with his cold, pragmatic presence in The Darkest Secret so I was happy to learn his would be the first story out of the gate. It turned out to be not quite what I was anticipating, but definitely a solid start to the series.

Showalter starts the story with a prologue that introduces a young Annabelle and the violent death of her parents by a demon. Accused and convicted of her parents’ murders, Annabelle ends up in a hospital for the criminally insane for the next four years struggling to hold her own against the staff and her fellow inmates while repelling attacks by demons that only she can see. When Zacharel is ordered by his Deity to take his army of rogue angels to the hospital to destroy the demon hordes that keep appearing there, he discovers Annabelle is the draw. Struck with the unfamiliar urge to help a human, he takes her from the hospital and agrees to assist her in tracking down the demon lord who killed her parents and marked her as his own. Soon Zacharel finds himself falling for Annabelle, and is flooded with all the emotions he has kept at bay for so long. But when the demon lord who marked Annabelle years before finally appears to claim her, will Zacharel risk everything to save her?

I really enjoyed the storyline and the characters that were introduced in this book, but found myself put off a little bit by the narrative style through the first half of the story. The phrasing and composition at the beginning felt immature and simplistic, almost like Showalter was writing for a less mature audience. Since this is a spin-off of her adult paranormal LOTU I was surprised by the style. As the story progressed, however, the issue seemed to straighten itself out, the style matured, and I felt like I was back in the LOTU universe. And an interesting universe it is. Showalter has separated the heavens into various levels and pantheons, with the Titans and Greeks (who are the focus of LOTU), the angels and their Deity (Angels of Darkness), and an even higher power, the Most High, over them all. The angels we are most familiar with apparently belong to the Most High, while the angels belonging to the Deity are basically immortals with wings who fight demons, drink, have sex, etc. It is definitely an interesting way around the normal angel expectations!

Zacharel and Annabelle were a wonderful couple. Zacharel is thousands of years old and never been with a woman, while Annabelle is in her early twenties and only had one boyfriend before her life fell apart. I liked the slow and steady pace Showalter took with their romance. Zacharel is attracted to Annabelle relatively quickly, but since he has no use for humans and has never been in love he doesn’t really recognize the attraction at first. Annabelle has been going through her own personal hell for the past four years, so she is in no hurry for a relationship either. When they do start to tentatively get more intimate, Zacharel ends up losing control and scaring Annabelle. Basically it becomes a “one step forward, two steps back” situation that isn’t fully consummated until over half way through the story. I like that Showalter took the time for the characters to get to know each other and didn’t just have them leap into bed by Chapter Three.

While Zacharel and Annabelle were great, I found myself even more intrigued by four of Zacharel’s angels – Thane, Bjorn, Xerxes and Koldo. The first three were imprisoned and tortured by demons together long ago, while Koldo is an angel whose wings were ripped out and who now seeks vengeance against the one who maimed him. All of them are broken in some way, and while the first three love and support each other, Koldo is a loner. I’m really looking forward to learning more about each of them as the series progresses because they are going to have to overcome some pretty severe obstacles when each of them finds love. In the meantime, it was interesting to see how the relationships between these angels and Zacharel grew from flippancy to respect on all sides.

Overall, Wicked Nights turned out to be a very solid start to Gena Showalter’s “Angels of the Dark” series. While I found the initial style of the narrative off-putting, it did eventually settle into a comfortable groove that let the story flow. The romance between Zacharel and Annabelle was nicely paced and never felt rushed, and the secondary characters that were introduced were intriguing enough that I’m looking forward to their individual stories. I definitely recommend this book to those who love Gena Showalter’s “Lords of the Underworld” series, and to anyone who likes their angels to be more earthy than heavenly.

[the_literary_jedi · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I haven’t read much of Gena Showalter’s work and I was super pleased with this one. The premise is very cool with demons and angels as a more fundamental species than we typically see them in stories. There’s more to them than pretty wings and being ‘good’ I guess is what I’d say. If you’re a reader who has trouble reading about mental health, mental health institutions, or sexual assault, parts of this story will be touchy for you. It isn’t so graphic as to create a barrier to enjoyment but it blends and lends to the story as a whole.

The characters are good - they could have some more development as the series continues and that would only add to what was written in this book. The female protagonist isn’t a DID and I appreciate it, she simply needs a little more help to accomplish the goal she’s already set. She proves her capability often and with gusto. Having an FP who can handle herself and make smart decisions with limited resources or limited information is refreshing. The male protagonist isn’t the unreachable traumatic bad boy she has to ‘turn good’ either. Yeah, he’s got issues for an angelic entity but it is reasonable once it’s revealed. I appreciated the issues the female protagonist went through and how she’s survived them. This shows readers that these sorts of life events, as bad or traumatic as they are, can be processed. Understandably, this is fiction and the way they are processed isn’t available to all. The MP has responsibilities related to his job and position which lend to his attitude, the way he interacts with the FP or others, and creates something for him to overcome himself rather than relying on the FP to be the only catalyst. He must reach a certain conclusion from his experiences and though the FP is central to that, it is clear he could have come to the realization without her as well; it didn’t hinge on them meeting. The chemistry between the two is dynamic. Showalter makes it clear the MP is interested and wants the FP from the meet cute. The relationship comes together like clockwork in the story as readers expect.

The story, again, was good. There was a catastrophic opening event that put the female protagonist in a deplorable situation she learned to survive and was dealing with the best her limited resources allowed her to. The male protagonist is set up clearly with stakes already in place that aren’t so over the top you roll your eyes. The relationship between the two isn’t exactly frenemies to lovers but it also is in a way; I wouldn’t call it enemies to lovers at all because they aren’t on the opposite sides of a situation or pitted against each other in the same situation even. They develop over the course of the book [which you know will be a HEA] through scenarios logical to the rest of the plot itself. Is the sex good? The scenes are not what I’d call overly steamy. They are sexy and Showalter does a good job of providing enough description to give the reader a clear picture of what’s happening and the basic feelings of each character as they experience it. These are not scenes with lots of graphic description but are well written.

The writing was also very good. I can see why so many people enjoy and recommend Gena Showalter’s books. There are very creative intricacies added to make the story escapist and romantic but also some very real and believable instances so the reader will find a bit of themselves in the story. It is all fantastical, clearly with angels and demons acting in the particular way they do, but still it makes sense. The pacing was even for me. I didn’t find it was moving slowly or quickly at any point. I would have liked more action or more investigation to add to when knowledge was attained by outside sources as it might have added even more to the story.

Overall, I liked this book and will continue with the series.

*All thoughts and opinions are my own. This book was read using my own KU subscription.*

[darkfaerietales_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.Quick & Dirty: A story of Angels versus demons to see who can posses one human woman. This is a story of good versus evil and love conquering all.Opening Sentence: The morning of her eighteenth birthday, Annabelle Miller woke from the most amazing dream feeling as if her eyes had been ripped out, dripped in acid and shoved back into her sockets.The Review:This is the story of Zacharel, a fierce warrior angel, who is about to become a fallen angel if he does not shape himself into submission and also the band of warriors he leads. Most of the angels in his army have been captured by demons and tortured or know of someone who was and it has changed them. Since they have been changed they have no regard for who they hurt while hunting demons and have actually killed humans while fighting demons. This all changes when they are sent to fight demons at a institution for the criminally insane. Inside the institute is Annabelle Miller who was convicted of killing her parents because no one believed that a demon had done it. Zacharel saves Annabelle from the institute and right away unwanted sparks start flying. Now that Zacharel has saved her he must keep her safe from the demon that killed her parents and wants her back.I felt really bad for both main characters. Both Annabelle and Zacharel have suffered some very hard times and lost people they loved dearly. This is all they have in common though. Zacharel is a warrior angel who leads an army of dangerous warriors. When Zacharel lost his brother he bottled up all his feelings inside. This is why he is part of an army of angels about to lose their wings and become fallen angels. He does not care whether he hurts or even kills humans while hunting demons. As the story progresses and he gets closer to Annabelle, this changes him and he starts to open up not only to her but also to those under his command and he turns out not to be a bad guy. Annabelle is the opposite of Zacharel. She is a human who everyone thinks is a psychotic killer who murdered her parents and then blamed it on a demon. Instead of giving in to those who would hurt her or hurting herself, she is a strong woman who does what she can to protect herself. She is skeptical of people but when she likes someone she is a great friend. She was abused in the institute so she has trust issues when it comes to guys, but she can take care of herself. I liked how their relationship develops. It does not happen quickly or too slowly. Even though they are meant to be they take their time to get into a relationship.The storyline was very well written. You felt close together and when they were hurting you could almost feel their pain. Such as when Annabelle watched her parents being killed, I wanted to be able to help her save them. The story was a little graphic at times. When Annabelle watched her parents get killed Showalter was very descriptive when describing what the demon had done to them. The story is very fast paced and worth reading. It is probably one of the better angel stories I have come across.Notable Scene:“What- How-” Crystalline eyes found him and widened. Her teeth began chattering. “A- am I dreaming? The drugs… I have to be tripping. Or dreaming, maybe. Yes that makes sense.” It does not, for you are not.”“Are you sure? You look like the prince I once… uh, never mind.” She once… what? “I am positive.” “Then wh-who are you? What are you? How did you get in here?”Despite her questions she seemed to know that he was not like the creature he had just defeated. Demons did their best to evoke fear. Angels did their best to evoke a sense of calm. Or rather, they were supposed to.FTC Advisory: Harlequin provided me with a copy of Wicked Nights. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

[allandanybooks · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Another amazing series by Gena Showalter. I've read a lot of books about angels and demons and fallen angels and I think this one falls into the top 3. I've always been obsessed with angels and all supernatural beings and this was a dream come true for me. Also the romance and love between Annabel and Zacharel was beautiful and made me once again dream of my prince charming. I also like how the series are interwinding with the Lord of the Underworld series as it is one of my favourite series. All in all, I loved this book and I cannot wait to start reading the next installation to the series.

[fishgirl182 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Wicked Nights is the first book from Angels of the Dark, a spin off series of the very popular Lords of the Underworld series. I am not very familiar with Showalter’s work, having only read the first book from Lords of the Underworld a couple of years ago. I recall enjoying that book but obviously, I was in no rush to read the rest of the series. However, I decided to give this book a go based on all of the positive reviews and that smoking hot cover.I devoured the first half of the book very quickly. I was really intrigued by Zacharel and his army of misfit angels. They’re all big, bad alpha males with dark secrets and I wanted to know more about them. Annabelle, too, was a really compelling character. Witnessing her parents’ murder is traumatic enough, but being blamed for it and then thrown it a psych ward just adds insult to injury. I admired her determination and strength in the face of adversity. However, after the initial rush and fun of diving into a new world, the story started to fizzle.I didn’t really understand why Zacharel and Annabelle fell for each other. I read a lot of romances so I am usually OK with characters falling in love pretty quickly. However, I just wasn’t sure why these two were drawn together. They had some good chemistry, especially in the beginning, but it did not seem like a relationship that would warrant waiting over a thousand years for, as Zacharel had. The whole matter of Zacharel’s essentia being on Annabelle was also never explained. I know it’s a marker that they’re meant to be together but I would have liked a more detailed explanation on what it was and meant and if it had ever happened to anyone else before. Maybe I am missing something since I am not familiar with the Lords of the Underworld mythology, but I would have liked a little more insight.While I liked Annabelle in the beginning, she started to get on my nerves after a while. She went from sassy and independent to annoying love struck teenager really fast. Her inner monologue and teen vernacular, especially, started to grate on me and I cringed every time she called Zacharel “Zachie.” Zacharel is your typical sexy, alpha male. I didn’t have any problem with him but he wasn’t particularly memorable either. The love scenes between the two were also somewhat lackluster. They felt rushed and were not nearly as hot as I was hoping for.While I think this world has a lot of potential, the book lacked some spark and Annabelle and Zacharel did not do it for me. I didn’t feel a deep connection between the two and wasn’t as invested in their relationship as I should have been. I started getting bored halfway through and I found myself struggling to finish it. There is a bit of a twist at the end that surprised me, but the final confrontation is anti-climactic. Fans of Gena Showalter and the Lords of the Underworld series will probably really like Wicked Nights. I don’t think Showalter’s writing is for me and I doubt I will be continuing on with the series, which is a shame since I love the covers.

[girlmisanthrope · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I picked this up based on the glowing reviews and was surprised by what a great story this is. I think of Harlequins as quick and trashy, hot and sleazy.BUT...this is a genre I will call Urban Horror Fanterotica. You may be familiar with J.R. Ward's series and Kresley Cole's series that fall into this same genre. Showalter really surprised me here.First, the prologue itself contains absolute shock and horror that sucks you in, makes you gasp. I was hooked. The strength, guts, and bravado of the female protagonist makes her one of my favorite characters--and, yeah, she is bi-racial instead being yet another blonde white girl in jeopardy---. The only gripe I have with this book (and Ward and Cole are relentless with this trope as well) is the utopian dream that Annabelle and Zacharel are destined (LITERALLY) to be together and that this is the only woman Zach has ever been interested in in his 1000's of years in existence. Riiiight. This book is part of a large series for Showalter and each book involves the destiny of one male character with a specific female character. Even so, their scenes together are HOT and well-written. They have great episodes of banter and Annabelle is damn funny at times. To cap if off, there is a great twist at the end that had me gasping with shock just as much as the prologue did. I will try the next in the series in hopes that I enjoy those characters just as much. Overall, a nice surprise.

[shelleyraec · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Since Gena Showalter’s Lords of the Underworld series has lingered on my TBR pile seemingly forever, when Wicked Nights was sent to me for review I was looking forward to finally reading something by this popular paranormal romance author. Angels of The Dark is a new series featuring a group of warrior angels on the brink of being banished from heaven. I understand that Zacharel, who is featured in this book, has briefly appeared in the LOTU series. In Wicked Nights, Zacharel, the leader of a powerful warrior unit made up of miscreant angels, rescues Annabelle, a human marked by a demon, from an institution for the criminally insane in which she has been incarcerated for four years. Together the pair battle to stay alive under an onslaught of demons at the command of Unforgiveness.The strength for me in this book lay in the characterisation of not only Zacharel and Annabelle but also the minor characters like Thane, Bjorn, Xerxes and Koldo, despite their brief appearances. Zacharel is tormented by the death of his twin brother at his hands and has affected a careless attitude that threatens to see him expelled from heaven. Leading a battle unit of equally troublesome angels is his punishment and last chance to redeem himself in the eyes of his Deity. Gorgeous, troubled and tough, Zacharel is the ideal alpha hero.Annabelle is tormented by the murders of her parents at the hands of a demon and her conviction for their murder. Sentenced to life in an asylum she has spent four long years fighting off attacks by demons and at the mercy of the perverts on staff. She has however never given up and I liked her determined, feisty attitude.There is an element of ‘fated mate’ to the romance between Zacharel and Annabelle but it isn’t dominant and surprisingly both are a lot less subservient to their attraction than I expected. There is nice balance of tenderness and heat though I did expect something a little more explicit for some reason.For me though the plot was too thin, relying heavily on the romance to provide conflict though I did enjoy the twist near the end. Some sections drag and feel repetitive and overall I felt the page count overreached the storyline.I am sure LOTU fans will be delighted with this new series (and some of the boys and their mates have a cameo scene or two) but it wasn’t strong enough for me to be anything other than mildly entertained.

[thebooknerd · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

With Showalter's previous books, I didn't have much interest in the angels and didn't care too much about their stories. But I should have known better than to doubt. "Wicked Nights" introduces a lively new group to Showalter's fabulously entertaining "Lords" crowd and lives up to what I look for from this author: extraordinary characters, well-developed storylines, cheeky humor, and a glorious dash of sex and violence. And, yes, the Lords make an appearance. Talk about a party!

[bishhy · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Annabelle Miller has been locked away, drugged, and violated all within a four year span for a crime she did not commit. Seeing monsters that are trying to hurt her, Annabelle fights back even when the doctors think shes making everything up. That is, up until Zacharel, an angel with not a care in the world, (when it comes to fighting demons) swoops in to save her. (though that would be pushing it for the cold, ruthless warrior) Annabelle soon discovers that the thing that killed her parents and claimed her as his own was in fact a demon and this rare smiling, snow-falling-from-wings man standing before her is going to help her find him. Even if it means his cold, frozen heart warms with just the thought of being near her.Okaaaay, let me just say that Gena Showalter has a new fan! And I will be fangirling from this day forward! My laaaawd. It took me a while to warm up to Zacharel and it didn't help that he was as far from warm as Santa Claus is to being real! Albeit, I gotta say, when I finished reading the book I was half in love with him and ready to push Annabelle out of the picture! I'm a bit hesitant when it comes to angels and demons, but I'm glad I picked this book up, because yeah.. no longer hesitant! Annabelle is one tough chick. Having lost her parents in a very disturbing way and then being thrown into an institution for the criminally insane? Wow.. Just...yeah one tough chick. Having been through all that, she's strong (compared to normal people and not the hulking mass of angels that surround her) and brave. She's witty to no ends and is so dang lucky to have a man like Zacharel.What I liked... The whole book? The cover? The characters? EVERYTHING!? hehe. Despite the fact that I couldn't stand Zacharel in the beginning, I liked that I warmed up to him as he began to change. Because, me and rude men just don't work well together! Zacharel was cold and heartless, so to speak, when it came to humans & fighting demons. But, as the book progressed he started to feel and understand just why he's in the position he's in. I absolutely loved the banter between the characters. Especially between Thane & Zacharel, it was like Zacharel didn't have an ounce of funny in him! Not a sarcastic bone in his body! He was so straightforward and brooding in a way. And Thane would sling insult after insult. I'm a Thane lover! I can't say there's anything that I disliked about this book. Other then not knowing when the next book in the series comes out! *sigh* I guess I can wait... impatiently.I would definitely recommend this book! If you're a lover anything PNR then get your toosh up and go buy this ASAP! This is a series, though I don't know when the next book will be out. But it is going to be Koldo's story. Impatiently waiting...

[capnrandm · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy.allthingsuf.comWith just the right mix of humor, chemistry, and mayhem, WICKED NIGHTS kicks off a series that promises any number of Happily-Ever-Afters still to come. Though several familiar faces appear, this new playing field was accessible and well paced, meaning readers new to Showalter’s worlds can jump in without a problem.And it is the world that dominated my interest in this story. Angels and demons, magical clouds and celestial wars, Showalter’s world is complex without tipping over into chaos. The leading couple both had their strengths, but neither one won my full attention. A cold angel with snow falling from his wings, Zacharel is the prototypical Alpha hero with a novel twist, he’s untouched by either lust or love. Annabelle channels Buffy-esque badassery as she kicks demonic butt, even when heavily sedated in a mental institution. Showalter did a good job of tempering artificial relationship roadblocks with meaningful discussion, but neither character really defined themselves for me beyond their past traumas or present passions. Though I’ll be interested to read more of the Angels of the Dark series, I doubt I’ll have any reason to remember Annabelle and Zacharel in particular.Of course, the beauty of the romance genre is that there’s always another Happily-Ever-After on the horizon. WICKED NIGHTS is particularly well paced, with a satisfying adventure, a few novel character twists, and a celestial mythology that promises fertile ground for future passion and conflict. These virtues ultimately outweighed a charming if forgettable leading couple. For a romantic adventure with an angelic twist, WICKED NIGHTS delivers.Sexual Content: References to rape, sex scenes.

[dhaupt_8 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Four years ago Annabelle Miller was sent to an institution for the criminally insane for the murder of her parents, she was an unwilling witness to the crime, but did not commit it. They were killed by a demon who’s existence until then was never known by Annabelle and since then they won’t leave her alone, they attack and brutalize her even inside the walls of her prison. The only good thing about this is it’s brought about the notice of a group of warrior angels wondering about the constant flow of these demonic beings to the institution.Zacharel is a warrior angel, he’s not good at following orders, sparing humans while killing demons and is in so much trouble with his deity that his orders to fall are imminent. His last chance is to lead this band of equally troubled and in trouble angels in the fight for good, which has brought him to this asylum and to Annabelle Miller. There is a certain pull that makes Zacharel rescue her, but even after the rescue she’s still a demon magnet and they must solve this puzzle of which demon wants her and why. But as they search for the truth they also discover the feelings they have for each other are anything but benevolent in fact they’re carnal, and there is no room for love when there are demons to fight in fact survival is not guaranteed and carnal thoughts will only lead them to Wicked Nights.Gena Showalter begins her new affront in the battle of good versus evil by bringing in the big guns, the guys in white wings, the angels. In this her debut to her brand new series, a spin off of her Lords of The Underworld series, who make cameo appearances in this novel where we meet Zacharel again and his less than angelic angel warriors. She took me in a different direction in the ultimate war of the heavens and earth by getting me battle ready with another improbable love story. This time it’s between an angel and a human where the human is definitely more angelic than the angel. She took me straight down to hell to show me where the evil reigns and she gives me more details about her upcoming stars by hinting at the next story too. She uses her customary no holds barred narrative where the angels may need a little mouth washed out with soap action but it totally fits with her storyline. Her hero and heroine are an unlikely pair and I liked watching how she brought them together and kept them there. So if you’re up for a great summer read , vacation distraction and you don’t mind a little soot on angel wings pick up a copy of “Wicked Nights” and let those enormously beautiful wings cool you off.Ms. Showalter you have taken me down some wicked paths but this one takes the cake and makes me yearn for more.

[literaladdiction · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Our Review, by Michelle L. Olson, LITERAL ADDICTION's Pack Alpha:I am a huge fan of Gena’s. Her books are always on auto-buy for me, and getting an ARC of Wicked Nights was a real treat.Wicked Nights is the first installment of the ANGELS OF THE DARK series, a LORDS OF THE UNDERWORLD spinoff.Our hero, Zacharel, is a warrior angel and commander to a group of misfit angels that the Deity is punishing for their ‘devil may care’ attitude toward humanity. They’re sent on some pretty intense missions against demons and taught harsh lessons when they don’t show care towards the humans their supposed to be protecting. Mr cool and collected suddenly finds himself confronted with a woman who just might turn his world on its ear and break some of the ice he keeps around his heart.Annabelle is a tortured heroine. She’s spent a large chunk of her life in an asylum after a demon brutally murdered her parents in front of her, but because nobody believed her, she was accused of the crime herself. Taken advantage of at every turn and rejected by those tasked with taking care of her and her family she’s becomed hardened but is thrown into a world of feeling when she meets Zacharel and his flock.The two together are magnetic. Zacharel is an angel who has never felt much of any emotion, let alone desire. When he meets strong willed Annabelle and is faced with her instense survival instinct, he can’t help but warm to her. Not to mention the passion that is undeniable between the two.LORDS OF THE UNDERWORLD fans will rejoice in a cameo by our favorite demon infected alpha males and a few of their feisty females, and have no fear… while this series doesn’t have the light moments that LOTU has (at least not yet), you will still get your sexy alpha males, strong females, steamy romance, and all of the intrigue we’ve come to expect and love from Gena. You’ll also encounter a multitude of other secondary characters that you will want to know more about instantly, which is brilliant for a serial author, because it just makes us want the next installment that much more.The world is dark, engaging, open for intense growth, and steeped in deep philosophical undertones that I found utterly fascinating.LITERAL ADDICTION gives “Wicked Nights” 4 ½ Skulls. I can’t wait to see which angel we’ll learn more about next. There’s a trio that I’m dying to delve into pronto. ;-)