From the Himes’ written words (and now) to Joel’s narration you can’t help but want to pick this book back up the minute you finish reading it, well now the minute finish reading book 2… even if he does call Simeon “Simon” in a pretty noticeable spot and pronounced a few things off…like geas.
The opening spell and it’s execution was probably my favorite part of the series (which is saying something since I greatly enjoyed this whole book, reading or listening to it). The opening setting also has my favorite dialogue: (Angel:) “I’m gonna get you talking, so shut up.” I can’t get enough of smart-mouthed, powerful good guys like Dresden or Charming (I’m not comparing them or their stories), so reading through the eyes of Angel Salvatore was fun.
The one thing that was weird and kind of bothered me was the back and forth about Greg’s status with Angel’s brother at the beginning. Greg started as Isaac’s boyfriend and he loved Greg (though with Angel’s temper was most likely a sarcastic exaggeration), then Angel was only pretty sure Greg was gay and hoped his brother wasn’t sleeping with the idiot, then his bestie, and then Angel walked in on them and didn’t even miss a beat. Something missed its mark.
Also, I would’ve liked who the other vampires were that stayed in the room to have been brought up sometime after.
I loved the Latin and then the English translation while performing spells. It was a shame the author strayed from the Latin after the opening spell and the flashback (I enjoyed the flashback greatly), especially at the gala, where things happened so fast the interesting details got skimmed over and nothing but bare bones made it to the final cut.
I hope this series stays with Angel for many more books and make a real series instead of jumping from couple to couple like most authors in gay fiction does, and I hope Angel does many more spells that make his audience stare dumbfounded and in awe.