Book Review: Black Wings by Christina Henry
Black Wings by Christina Henry. © 2010 Ace/Penguin. ISBN 9780441019632. Mass Market Paperback. Urban Fantasy. 295 pages. Source: finished copy provided by the publisher
Synopsis: Escorting souls into the afterlife leaves Maddy little time for socializing—until devilishly handsome Gabriel Angeloscurro agrees to rent the empty apartment in her building. But when demons start appearing on Maddy’s front lawn, she realizes there’s more to her new tenant than meets the eye.
Review: It’s sad that I want to do nothing in this review but go “ZOMG! I.LOVE.THIS.BOOK!” (lol) but it’s true: Black Wings is amazing! Here we are introduced to Madeline “Maddy” Black, an Agent of Death living in Chicago with her best friend, a snarky gargoyle named Beezle. Her job is to help souls to cross over to the Door. This is unfortunately not a stable job and even combined with her freelance recipe writing, Maddy is still having trouble making ends meet and is desperate for a tenant.
However, things begin changing when the new tenant—Gabriel—proves to be a lot more than she bargained for. When the gates to a world of demons, angels and nephilim that she never knew existed are thrown open and she’s shoved in, it’s sink or swim for Maddy as she struggles with newfound powers and an unknown family legacy. I don’t want to speak to much on the plot, because there’s just so many twists and surprises but Henry’s pacing is incredible and keeps you absorbed, plus the characterization is fantastic! Maddy is a very relatable person, and I absolutely adore her.
The ending is satisfying, but I was still left wanting more (and I’m a little let down that there’s a long wait for the next installment of Maddy’s tale—Black Night will be released Autumn 2011 *sadface*). All in all, I think I’ve found a new series to love, and Black Wings has earned a place on my “faves shelf” right next to Kitty Norville. I strongly urge all you UF fans to get this book!
Black Wings is due out November 30, 2010
Pre-Order Online from Amazon
