Dark Wings and Black Hearts

Unpredictability is something I love and hate. I love that it keeps me going with a book, but I hate it because it usually means if one of my favorite characters is dead, they aren't coming back. Sigh... But the death of one of my favorite characters has never stopped me from reading a series, and I enjoy the Black Wings series by Christina Henry too much to mope about it.

The series revolves around Madeline Black, a former agent of Death, who was once responsible for transporting dead souls to the afterlife. If anyone's been following my Agents of Limbo short stories, let me clear two things up: I came up with Agents of Limbo waaaay before I even found this series, and the escorting souls to the afterlife is where the comparisons between Maddy and Jace and Leon end.

Because poor Maddy literally deals with the Devil. Yup, she's Lucifer's granddaughter. If you think you have family drama, you have nothing on that poor gal. Not only does Maddy still have her Agent powers despite leaving the company, but she's becoming increasingly aware of the powers from her lineage to Lucifer. And the more Maddy uses her powers for 'good', the darker her actions become. And when the Agency sends the ruthless Retrievers to kill her, Maddy is unwillingly transported to another realm by her "it's complicated" partner Nathaniel. But as with all things Maddy Black, the realm she is sent to is nowhere near as safe as she wants it to be.

Gotta love action packed covers like this!

One of the things I love about Maddy Black, Black Heart, and the series in general is that you watch Maddy's descent into Lucifer's shadow. Try as she might to avoid his influence, the more she convinces herself what she's doing is right, the less right it becomes to outside eyes. She's a very interesting, complicated character and while she is a hero, she definitely has a dark side.

Another thing I love is the introduction of the remainder of Lucifer's brothers. They're unconventional and creative, and the universe than Christina Henry has built is a terrific, creative, and in depth one that peaks your curiosity. There are great surprises, some heartfelt twists, and really, really cool magic.

For those who haven't been following the series, it might be a hard to jump into this book. I mean, you can begin at Black Heart but why would you do that but not all the events will have as much gravity as they would if you'd read from the beginning.

I always have fun reading this series, and it's clear that Christina Henry is a creative mind who loves exploring the possibilities with the supernatural. Definitely a recommended read for anyone who loves urban fantasy, badass heroines who take crap from no one, and intense superpowers. If that doesn't sound like a fun read, I don't know what does.



Amy