Book Review: Black Wings

Title:  Black Wings
Author:  Christina Henry
Pages:  295
Publication Date:  2010
Version:  Paperback
Genre:  Adult Fiction/ Paranormal Mystery

Summary Via Goodreads.com:
"As an Agent of Death, Madeline Black is responsible for escorting the souls of the dearly departed to the afterlife. It's a 24/7 job with a lousy benefits package.

Maddy's position may come with magical powers and an impressive wingspan, but it doesn't pay the bills. And then there are her infuriating boss, tenant woes, and a cranky, popcorn-loving gargoyle to contend with.

Things start looking up, though, when tall, dark, and handsome Gabriel Angeloscuro agrees to rent the empty apartment in Maddy's building. It's probably just a coincidence that as soon as he moves in demons appear on the front lawn. But when an unholy monster is unleashed upon the streets of Chicago, Maddy discovers powers she never knew she possessed. Powers linked to a family legacy of tarnished halos.

Powers that place her directly between the light of Heaven and the fires of Hell..."


My Review:
This paranormal mystery/romance was a winning book for me.  I thought it was a book that had a pretty steady pace to it, to make the reader want to keep reading and not put the book down.  The plot was a pretty decent one too and I loved the paranormal edge of it all.  Demons, Fallen Angels, Gargoyles, and more....how could you not be drawn in if you are a lover of any or all of those?!  The idea of a soul escort reminded me of the old TV show "Dead Like Me" in a way, which was fine by me considering I LOVED that show.  The idea of soul collectors and the dead having help to pick the Door to the other side always amazes me and makes me want to read on.  Characters in this book are AMAZING, they are so full of details, emotions, personality and charisma!  I felt myself wanting to meat them or at least talk to them to hear all of the stories they much have doing what they do for a living.  I think my favorite character had to be Beezle, the Gargoyle.  I just loved his attitude and how he put on this "hard" exterior, but really was a good friend and guardian to Maddy.  Beezle was also such a funny character to me.  Next up in my favorite line would have to be Maddy.  She just wants to know what happened to her Mother and her best friend Patrick and why they aren't recorded as ever having made a choice of where their soul would go.  To figure all this out and why some dark creature seems to be after her life, she has to have the help of Beezle, a crabby boss (J.B.), and her new "tenant" from downstairs (Gabriel).  Maddy soon finds there is much more to Gabriel than just a guy looking for a new place to rent and he has stronger ties to her than simply her tenant.  Will she find out the answers to the questions she has?  Will she be able to fight off the dark creature?  Should she have wanted to find out about her past?  Does it even all really matter?  Will she live long enough to find out any of the things she wishes to?  

I did enjoy this book and would recommend it to anyone with a love of the paranormal.  I liked too that there is more of mystery than romance in this book.  I think there are so many paranormal books that focus only on the romance of it all and lose the mystery of the story, this book focuses more on the mystery with a touch of romance which seemed perfect to me.  I was a bit puzzled by the back and forth of the story of Evangeline at first, but it did all make sense later on.  I must admit though, I am not one for back and forth in any book.  I prefer to pick up a book and read one story or if there is a "past" I like to read that first and then go to the "now" of it all and watch how the past fits in as I go, not be brought to past then present then past then present while reading.  The plot itself was well thought out however, and written and the characters and their personalities just sealed the deal of a good book for me.  All in all I am very glad I picked up this book!

4/5 Stars!