Gabriel (The Styclar Saga #2)
Nikki Kelly
Feiwel & Friends
October 27, 2015
384 pages
add to Goodreads/purchase links below review
-- Lailah (#1) review --
The handsome Angel from Lailah gets center stage in this continuation of Wattpad sensation Nikki Kelly’s romantic and action-packed series about mortals, vampires, and angels.
Gabriel is an Angel Descendant. He's also an ally to a generation of vampires who want to break away from the demon who controls them. His faith in the power of good over evil wavers, however, when he discovers that Lailah, the woman he considers his only true love, may be both angel and demon. Is their love enough to overcome the dark forces who are ready to go to war with Gabriel, the vampire Jonah, and the angel and vampire forces? And can Gabriel compete with Jonah, who is also in love with Lailah?
Once again, Nikki Kelly looks deeply into the heart and soul of good and evil to create a romantic, action-packed reading adventure.
The start of Gabriel was different than I was expecting. Lailah's return from her 'death' presents a whole new set of questions, concerns and circumstances. If you do not remember everything that happened in Lailah (really, you should read it first), Gabriel isn't going to remind you.
At least not of all of it - and not right away.
There were times when it bugged me - knowing that I knew something about a character or event, but not being able to remember precisely what - but, still, I couldn't fault how it was done. What is or is not touched on again, to refresh readers, fits with the story and the character. It doesn't make sense for Lailah or Gabriel to have all of the information, the relationships, etc right at the forfront.
I found that I liked discovering more of what happened in Lailah (what I had forgotten) more than anticipated.
In Lailah I loved how Gabriel and Jonah were used to show us the different sides to Lailah's personality. In Gabriel things are taken to the next level. Now, we know those sides of Lailah are there and the characters know, and it's time for everyone to find out if they can accept what it all means.
Though this is the book where Gabriel 'gets center stage,' there was something missing between him and Lailah, for me. I knew how she felt about him, how important he and his feelings were to her. Yet, I could not really see why. There was their past, yes, what happened in Lailah and how this book began . . . Still, I didn't get it.
I did like, though, how it all played into the ending of the book - and really the progression of the story as a whole. (Even some of what I felt earlier in the story, played into things.)
Gabriel is a great continuation of the Styclar Saga begun in Lailah. The characters form that first book are back and we get to know some of them even better (along with some new characters) and the contrast between light and dark continues to be excellent. The world Nikki Kelly created - angels, vampires, dimensions, etc - is further explained in Gabriel and how it impacts the characters lives (and who they are) is fantastic.
And, oh, can Nikki Kelly write an ending! After the end of Lailah, Gabriel was one of my most anticipated 2015 reads, but,that anticipation has nothing on how much I want to read Book 3. 2016 can't come fast enough.
(digital copy received for review & tour, from publisher, via NetGalley)
#0.1: Gabriel Short Story
#0.2: Jonah Short Story
#1: Lailah
#2: Gabriel
Follow the Gabriel by Nikki Kelly Blog Tour and don't miss anything! Click on the banner to see the tour schedule.
I was born and raised only minutes away from the chocolately scent of Cadbury World in Birmingham, England. So it will probably come as no surprise that when I'm not dreaming in Vampires & Angels, I dream in chocolate! For the past ten years I have lived in West London with my hubby and two dogs, Alfie - the Pug & Goose - the Chihuahua.
LAILAH is my debut novel, and first launched in serial form to wattpad, a readers & writers community. Within just 6months, LAILAH had over a million reads and thousands of comments and votes.
Since then, The Styclar Saga has gone on to pick up a traditional deal with Feiwel & Friends, and LAILAH, the first book in the series is due for release on October 7th 2014.
These days I spend my time balancing my amazing job of writing fantasy fiction, with my other, very important role of Chocolate Connoisseur. I like to multitask and do the two together. It makes me happy.
Excerpt:
“Jonah!”
Panicked, I took my wrist, and for the first time in this new body of mine I willed my fangs to appear. I tore a strip down my wrist and, pushing the skin together, I helped my blood to bubble to the surface. I hoped his senses were not so far gone that the smell of my blood wouldn’t cause a reaction. I needed it to overpower his desire to protect me.
Still straddling him, I felt his brittle bones strain under my weight as I thrust my hand to his mouth. At first he didn’t react; he remained perfectly still and I thought for a moment that he was already gone.
But then his hand slapped over my wrist and he clutched it tightly. Finding some strength, he drew me close so that I was nose- to- nose with him. I nodded encouragingly as he held my arm suspended in the air.
“I can’t risk you. I would never risk you.” Slowly, one by one, he uncurled his fingers,
and moved my palm against his cheek. He nuzzled it, straining to breathe in my fragrance. “There is only one thing I want you to do for me, Lailah. . . .”
I suddenly couldn’t speak; a huge lump had formed in my throat.
“Let me die on your lips.”
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