Demon Angel - Meljean Brook

Finally got back into my TBR. It's still frighteningly large (adding faster than removing!). Thanks to RWA literacy signing I've added another 10+ books to it. But enough about the TBR. Here's something I finished over the weekend.

Title: Demon Angel

Author: Meljean Brook

Published: January 2007

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Stand Alone/Series: The Guardians, Book 2. Book 1 is the Novella in Hot Spell anthology with Emma Holly, Lora Leigh, and Shiloh Walker

From the Author Site: For two thousand years, Lilith wrought vengeance upon the evil and the damned, gathering souls for her father's armies Below and proving her fealty to her Underworld liege. Bound by a bargain with the devil and forbidden to feel pleasure, she draws upon her dark powers and serpentine grace to lead men into temptation. That is, until she faces her greatest temptation—Heaven's own Sir Hugh Castleford...

Once a knight and now a Guardian, Hugh spent centuries battling demons—and the cursed, blood-drinking nosferatu. His purpose has always been to thwart the demon Lilith, even as he battles his treacherous hunger for her. But when a deadly alliance unleashes a threat to both humans and Guardians in modern-day San Francisco, angel and demon must fight together against unholy evil—and against a desire that has been too long denied...

Review: Totally loved this story. Now I know what all those other people (DIK ladies) have been talking about. It is truly a wonderfully crafted and narrated tale. I was a bit wary of reading it since I read the short story in the Hot Spells anthology (Falling for Anthony) and didn't think much of it. But this was fantastic!

So there is Hugh Castleford - the adorable brooding hero. He is a fallen Guardian who spent the over 800 years of his Guardianship trying to figure out a way to free the Demon Lilith, whom he was in love with and used all his powers to resist, from the evil clutches of the Morning Star aka Lucifer. Once he is fallen he become a literature professor and believes Lilith to be out of his reach until his students start disappearing and she comes back in his life. He definitely has the brood part perfected, spending much of his time analyzing his feelings and plans of attack. But not overly brooding, he was also about action since he must save Lilith and his students and perhaps the world before Lucifer can win.

Lilith is so totally cool and kick-ass. Delightfully evil but in a good way. For a demon she certainly did a lot of good. Definitely not one of Lucifer's favorites since she has a habit of disappointing him and continuously failed in her attacks on Hugh as a Guardian and now also as a human. The demon with a heart of gold when it come to Hugh and a wicked sense of humor about her job. I am usually a cat person but after being introduced to Sir Pup, I want a hellhound too! It hard not to say too much so as not to give the story away.

The world was wonderfully crafted. Meljean didn't spend all her time building the world as some author's do, but instead made you see her world as a story that continually flows and grows. Loved the reference to real historical and literary facts/people. The shear amount of research that must have gone into writing this leaves me breathless.

Keeper?: Yes

Recommendation: Oh definitely. I've already pimp the book to a friend.

Rating: 4.75 of 5