Book Review: Darker Angels

Darker Angels

By:  M.L.N. Hanover

Publisher:  Pocket Books, Simon & Schuster, Inc.

Publish Date:  October 2009

Genre:  Fantasy

Format:  Paperback; 360 pgs, pocket book size

Series:  Second in The Black Sun's Daughter, Quick Review of Book 1 ~ Unclean Spirits

Recommendation:  Sure, if you are looking for a quick relaxing Urban Fantasy read.  Not really one to knock the doors in for, but a decent read.

Book Synopsis:
In the battle between good and evil, there's no such thing as a fair fight.

When Jayne Heller's uncle Eric died, she inherited a fortune beyond all her expectations - and a dangerous mission in a world she never knew existed. Reining in demons and supernatural foes is a formidable task, but thankfully Jayne has vast resources and loyal allies to rely on. She'll need both to tackle a body switching serial killer who's taken up residence in New Orleans, a city rich in voodoo lore and dark magic.

Working alongside Karen Black, a highly confident and enigmatic ex-FBI agent, Jayne races to track down the demon's next intended host. But the closer she gets, the more convinced she becomes that nothing in this beautiful, wounded city is exactly as it seems. When shocking secrets come to light, and jealousy and betrayal turn trusted friends into adversaries, Jayne will soon come face-to-face with an enemy that knows her all too well, and wont rest until it has destroyed everything she loves most...

First Sentence:
"Hey," my dead uncle said. "You've got a call."

My Review and Summary:
Karen Black is at a school where most of the children will probably not graduate, or will end up in loads of trouble, to meet with Daria ~ the bright young girl in fourth grade who's now telling outlandish lies, such as her sister got ate by a snake.  Karen seems to think Daria is in trouble... big trouble.

Jayne and the guys have been traveling at rushed speed for months to inventory her deceased Uncle's many, many homes and stocks.  While in Athens, Jayne receives a call from Karen asking for Eric, Jayne's deceased Uncle, for help.  Jayne and the guys decide even though they are exhausted from the pace they have been keeping to go help Karen.  So, they head off to New Orleans, to help Karen with her case of ten years in the works... To help save the next expected victim of a voodoo demon...

This was a quick easy read for me.  I just let myself enjoy the book and go with the flow of the characters.  The crew members; Jayne, Aubrey, Ex, and Chogyi Jack.  Jayne brought these characters together in the first book Unclean Spirits.  They still are new to working closely together with each other and it sounds like they are still trying to find their places in the group.  The characters are all so different from each other, yet they compliment each other nicely.

Jayne is the main character, and in a way the leader of the group - yet Jayne is new to the whole world of the demon Riders and magic.  She still feels out of her league with taking charge of cases or situations and lets her self be lead to thoughts a little bit.  But this is believable in the world that is built here.  But I like how Jayne is not as weak as she may think she is in this area.  And I still have questions on Jayne, such as why she is able to do a few things she does (like being able to cross into the Crossroad of the demon path).  There is much more to Jayne than even Jayne knows.  I am wondering how her Uncle set her up so well with magic and protections, without her knowing.

The first third to half of the book was a little relaxed for me.  There was a lot of setting up here; for the plot, characters, and religious beliefs.  Then about half way through the book it started to accelerate.  I could see what was coming and the clues where set for me to find them, but I still enjoyed letting the story unfold in itself.  There where a few moments where I wasn't sure of what was being said in the way of Voodoo, but I enjoyed the voodoo spin on this book.  The demon riders that mixed with the believes of the New Orleans Voodoo.  This book didn't hit me like a book to drop everything you have and dart out to get it, I still liked the read.  It was a quick, relaxing read for me as I got through it in record timing.

I had seen that the third book of this series will be released in November.  I will eventually pick it up, as I have enjoyed Jayne and the crew.  And curious to see where Jayne goes next along with the growth of the characters.


I purchased this book for my own reading and enjoyment.


This book qualifies for my challenge Speculative Fiction hosted by Book Chick City.