Strange Angels by Lili St. Crow

Synopsis:

Dru Anderson has what her grandmother called “the touch.” (Comes in handy when you’re traveling from town to town with your dad, hunting ghosts, suckers, wulfen, and the occasional zombie.)

Then her dad turns up dead —but still walking— and Dru knows she’s next. Even worse, she’s got two guys hungry for her affections, and they’re not about to let the fiercely independent Dru go it alone. Will Dru discover just how special she really is before coming face-to-fang with whatever — or whoever — is hunting her?

I have WANTED to read Strange Angels since the first time I saw the cover up on Lilith's site. The look is dark and moody and you just know the main character is going to be kick-butt and cool.

As my friends Karen and Ana can testify, once I started reading Strange Angels I had my doubts. I won't deny it. It was not what I expected. But then I realised how biased I am being, reading this as an adult novel in the same vein as Lili's other books for adults (which she writes under her name Lilith Saintcrow). So, I made the effort to stand aside, see Strange Angels with fresh eyes and take it in as a newcomer to Lili's work and seeing it from a YA reader's perspective, and you know what? This book is pretty darn fab. (Liz eating humble pie)

Dru is not a happy person. She's grumpy and a bit of a cow and she has an attitude. But taken into consideration the type of life she's lead and how close she is to her father and how demanding he's been of her, you understand her motivations and her grumpiness.

Lili's world-building in Strange Angels is quite good but what shines is her characterisation of Dru, Graves and Christophe. The bleakness of the landscape the novel is set against highlights the characters' isolation and forms a strong contrast for the warmth of real friendship which grows between Dru and Graves.

There is the teeniest, tiniest, bit of romantic interest but it is almost an aside as the situation these characters find themselves in does not lend itself to a furtherance at this time. Which - I personally - found refreshing.

The mystery surrounding Dru is revealed in good old fashioned drips and drabs and even then there are some questions remaining. The mythology is strongly European and probably a bit more brutal than expected - readers should be warned that this is not a novel to be tackled lightly, expecting it to be LJ Smith or Stephenie Meyer-alikes.

Strange Angels has this brutal and intense fight scene towards the end and you know something? If there is one thing that Ms. St Crow can write, leaving her contemporary YA and adult urban fantasy authors in the dust, it is fight scenes. Well executed with tremendous action and superb descriptions it leaves you aching and breathless.

I think that Strange Angels sets up the characters and storyline very well and in retrospect, my regret is now that I rushed out and bought it early...and therefore have a long(ish) wait for the second novel: Betrayals to show up. *waits*

I am unsure if Strange Angels will be published in the UK but it is available online and from bookstores - I bought my copy from one of Amazon's sellers: aphrohead_books because Amazon did not have copies in, at that time.

Find Lilith Saintcrow / Lili St. Crow's site here. Strange Angels has been published in the USA by RazorBill, part of Penguin USA.

Night Shift, Lilith Saintcrow

Oh my Lord God, do not forsake me when I face Hell's legions. In Thy name and with Thy blessing. I go forth to cleanse the night.

This is Jill Kismet's prayer. Jill is Lilith Saintcrow's newest creation. Jill is a rare creature, she hunts hellbreed and other things that go bump in the night. She is a Hunter but she has been infused with a bit of hellbreed herself, to make her faster, stronger and it helps her heal faster too. The fact that she is tainted by the hellbreed is a fantastic source or inner turmoil and it makes for some interesting schenes which Lilith is so excellent at setting up.

It is a very well written, very dark book dealing with a lot of raw emotion, pushing the boundaries of friendship and belief. We have a fantastic counter-foil to Jill's strong kick butt attitude in a Were called Saul. I am not spoiling the storyline but he sounds delicious and acts as a good springboard for someone who has no real life beside killing Bad Things.

The Bad Things are mainly earthbound hellbreed who overstep the line. Jill is called out to help in a spectacularly savage killing of several police out along a stretch of road. She picks up the scent of hellbreed and something else...soon she has two friends tagging along a ride, Harper and Dominic, two Weres who are FBI. With them is Saul and it only after an elaborate dance that Lilith is so good at choreographing, that we discover the premise behind their presence and the scope of the trouble.

It is the first Jill Kismet book and we find that although Jill is very good at what she does, she is quite still new at the game. She takes every killing personally and is both protector and avenger. It is a fantastic role and has tremendous scope as she comes across as loyal, caring and very uninhibited when it comes to hurting Bad People. The setting is very dark, very noir and quite savage. Magic is real and you are as likely to find something trying to eat your face off in the shadows as a Sanctuary where you can purchase spells and charms.

Jill's character is set up painstakingly with enough pathos to make you care about her. There are very few walk-on parts in Night Shift as you can be pretty sure the cast of characters will make a return in future books. They are well thought out and work well alongside Jill.

Lilith has again created a vibrant, strong, female heroine who keeps you running behind her in a breathless charge against forces you just know you would never be able to walk away from completely unscathed. But somehow you do limp away and all you pray for is that your integrity remains intact and what the hell next you will be getting up to with Kismet in that follow-up book!

**Lilith Saintcrow Competition**

I am thrilled to announce a new competition which will run for two weeks (or earlier if I get a full volley of emails sooner) to go hand-in-hand with the release of the new Lilith Saintcrow Jill Kismet series of books to come to the UK.

Thanks to the lovely people at Orbit, we have five copies of Night Shift to give away.

And because I can, I've put together a crossword puzzle using Lili's previous set of very successful books here in the UK - the Dante Valentine series.

See the puzzle below, along with the questions. Email me the answers to the questions, alongside the correct corresponding number and we are in business.

Same rules as before!

UK Residents Only

No multiple entries as a severe butt-kicking will be implemented!

Send me the answers, with the corresponding numbers - even if you don't get all of them, let me have your answers via email! You never know...

Email me on the address set out on the right with the answers, your name and snail mail (postal) address. Please mark the subject field JILL KISMET COMPETITION.

Questions:

Down

1. Name of the Character in Lili’s newest book series to be released in the UK.
2. Other name for “vampire” used in Dante’s world
4. Type of stone in Dante’s Tattoo (same colour as the Devil's eyes)
5. Dante’s female friend, also a Necromance
7. Most common name for a psion (see glossary in Lili’s books)
9. What is Dante doing the first Time the Devil comes calling?
10. Where Dante grew up (2 words)
14. Egyptian god of the dead

Across

3. Santino’s demonic name
6. Dante’s demonic lover
8. Demonic endearment which Japh uses for Dante
11. Egyptian name for the soul
12. Necromance nickname, not complimentary
13. Dante’s job
15. Dante’s ex-lover’s name