ARCHANGEL'S ENIGMA is book 8 in the amazing Guild Hunter series by Nalini Singh. Singh is a brilliant writer, and her words about the world of angels and vampires sing from the pages. This paranormal romance series just keeps getting better and better, and the inestimable Singh continues to reward my faith in her authorial voice and direction.

As a long time fan of the series, I am thrilled to finally learn more about Naasir. Naasir is a mysterious creature who is the most feral of the Seven, a powerful group of angels and vampires who are Archangel Raphael's lieutenants, bound to Raphael by blood exchange and a mind- link. I love how completely "other" Naasir is. Even surrounded by angels and Archangels, Naasir seems so dangerous and predatory that he makes me shiver. He is oddly childlike in his playfulness, yet vicious and animal- like. He is so intriguing!

Rumors emerge of a plan by Lijuan, the evil and twisted Archangel who controls China, to kill the former Archangel of Persia, who is now in the sleep of the Ancients. It is taboo to disturb an archangel while they are sleeping, but Lijuan intends to kill him in her bid to take over the whole world and populate it with her reanimated dead. Lijuan is a delightfully creepy villainess who makes my skin crawl in the best of ways. Naasir is sent to find the unknown location of the Sleeping archangel in order to save him.

Andromeda, a young angel scholar from the Refuge, is tasked to go with him. Andromeda has her own dangerous secrets, and honorably tries to keep Naasir at arm's length to protect herself. She is fascinated by Naasir, however, and I love how she is drawn to him despite her best intentions. Naasir, who becomes convinced that Andromeda is his mate, preens under the knowledge that Andromeda considers him human yet encourages him to be his true and animalistic self. Wow, Naasir just grabs my heart and doesn't let go. And I adore Naasir and Andromeda together.

Andromeda and Naasir are in near-constant mortal peril, and the continual shifting danger makes the pages fly by while keeping me tightly gripped in taut emotion. The sexual tension between the two positively crackles, and I admire how Naasir strives to meet Andromeda's impossible condition that might allow her to break her vow of chastity. ARCHANGEL'S ENIGMA is another hands-down winner by virtuoso Nalini Singh, proving her worthy of her reigning queen of PNR status. Brava, Ms. Singh!