Urban Fantasy Review: Angel Falls by Tracey Sinclair

Angel Falls by Tracey Sinclair (Cassandra Bick Chronicles #3)

Ecopy thanks to the author

Synopsis from Goodreads
It isn't easy to surprise Cassandra Bick. When you run a human-vampire dating agency, your colleague is a witch who is engaged to a shifter and your business partner is one of London's most powerful (and sexiest) vampires, there's no such thing as a normal day at the office.

But when a mysterious Dark Dates client brings a dire warning of a new threat to the city's supernatural community, Cass and her friends realise they are up against their deadliest foe yet – and that this time, the danger is far closer to home than they could ever have imagined.

Sexy, snarky and with more bite than a crypt full of vampires, Angel Falls is the latest in the Dark Dates: Cassandra Bick series.

Amazon kindle US/UK

8.5/10

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 You are all probably tired of constant stream of positive reviews on the blog, but truth it, I've been on a very good streak of books from my favorite authors, and it hasn't been broken yet. I also designated some of the not so favorite books which weren't review requests to my Friday Minis, so it hasn't been all of the same quality. While I can't predict what's going to happen in February, I warn you that January happens to be preeetty sweet reading-wise here, on the blog.



Anyway, back to Miss Sinclair's Angel Falls. I was so happy with this book, peeps, especially with its ending. The author has grown so much in a few years since she started writing in this genre, and this book so far is her strongest.

Cassandra Bick is a unique blend of British snarkiness, a tribute to popular shows like Supernatural and Buffy, and to the surge of popularity in paranormal fiction in general. Don't get surprised reading a passage like this:

   "But it also appears this attack was the cover for a power grab, aimed at displacing your lover Laclos, by his progeny, a young vampire called Sebastian - your ex-lover, I believe? - who is now missing, presumed staked, at the hands of your other lover, the hunter Cain?"
   "God, will you knock it off with this "lover" stuff? I feel like Anita Blake."

HA! This made me burst with surprised laughter. Cassandra Bick, if you've read the previous installment in the series, is a buisness woman who can sense The Others - a variety of supernatural folks and who opens a dating agency for others and humans in the middle of London. This leads to a whole lot of trouble and involves her mysterious on-a-off long term boyfriend, a vampire hunter Cain and an unofficial leader of vampires of the city, Laclos, who both manage to get her in an out of trouble along with many other supernatural friends and allies from one book to the next.

Cass is an absolutely normal woman, with a lot of self-doubt and grumpiness, and all that keeps her shit together is a healthy daily dose of snark. Cain is deliciously broody, clueless about her geeky popular culture references and sexy as hell. And Laclos... I love his character to bits. He is snarky, ladies and gents (but so is Cain), but he also deliberately plays on human perceptions of vampires and turn them up to eleven. It's all leather Goth scrumptiousness, pale bare chest perfection and constant lazy flirtation, but don't underestimate him. Under all this he is a ruthless, decadent shark! 

There is a nod to Anita Blake as you could see, and while I was reading this book I couldn't help but compare it to Hamilton's writing. If only Anita Blake didn't take herself so seriously it could have been just as fun to read.

Which brings me to sex. Both Laclos and Cain vie for Cass's attention, but there is surprisingly little sex in the books, and all of this beautiful and emotional. I can feel affection of Cass and Cain for each other, and it's especially visible in this book due to the circumstances. There is also a visible lack of bigotry or racism. Everyone is accepted as they are, - without any labels. You'll know what I'm talking about when you read it. *wink-wink*

Angel Falls is a tightly run ship. Structurally, character-wise the series in general is getting stronger with each book. There is action, emotional trauma and both Cain and Laclos are in a lot of trouble not only reeling from what happened in Wolf Night but forced to deal with the far-reaching consequences of their decisions. Medea and Katie aren't doing that well either. So I suggest you pick up the first book, Dark Dates, and find out what's all the fuss about. It's a shaky debut with a fab banter, but the author finds her style in Wolf Night and the short stories which are absolutely delightful. I think I might go and re-read it all myself. Recommended. 

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Вы наверное устали от постоянных позитивных рецензий на блоге, мои дорогие, однако я ничего не могу поделать. Всё так удачно сложилось, что в последние несколько месяцев я читала только книги от моих любимых авторов. Обещать что-то в следующем месяце не могу, однако январь будет полон рецензий на блестящие книги, и Падение Ангела - не исключение.

Читала я эту книгу с огромным удовольствием и назову её без малейших колебаний сильнейшей в серии на настоящий момент. А концовка, мама дорогая!

Я уже рассказывала несколько раз почему мне так нравится Кассандра Бик. Во-первых, превосходный британский сарказм, которого мне так часто не хватает в городском фэнтези. Во-вторых, постоянные ремарки к популярной культуре и моде на паранормальные книги и шоу. В-третьих, герои, которые, не воспринимают себя серьёзно.

Я часто думаю, что Анита Блэйк только выиграла бы от такого подхода, так как Кассандра Бик - это своего рода поклон Гамильтон и её серии. В Касс узнаётся Анита, в Каине - Эдвард, а в Лаклосе - кнечно Жан-Клод, однако в этой троице отсутствуют неприятные комплексы и постоянная напыщенность, присущая героям Лорелл. Они смеются над собой и пытаются вести нормальную жизнь.

В Падении Ангела оба - Каин и Лаклос попадают в большие неприятности, и книга наполнена действием, значительным ростом персонажей и эмоциональной травмой. Касс, Медее и Кейти тоже приходится очень нелегко. 

Если Мисс Синклер начала серию с Тёмных Свиданий довольно шатко, но с блестящими диалогами, то к Волчьей Ночи она нашла свой стиль и продолжила его с серией повестей про приключения Лаклоса и Каина. Падение Ангела - книга классная, смешная и горько-сладкая, и естественно я её вам рекомендую о всей души, как и всю серию. Читайте!