ROGUE ANGEL: SERPENT'S KISS by Alex Archer

This action-adventure urban fantasy is set in the jungles of India. Archeologist and TV celebrity Annja Creed is working on a dig in India when a freak tsunami floods the site and nearly kills her. As the waters recede, Annja finds several unique relics that hint at the existence of a hidden city whose denizens worship the naga, a race of fierce and beautiful women whose bodies merge human with serpent. The quest to find this lost city drives Annja deep into the unexplored heart of India. But another seeks the hidden city, a descendent of the cult’s lethal ancestors, and this ruthless Indian pirate will stop at nothing to prevent Annja from reaching the ruins alive. I found this an extremely unusual and entertaining story, a sort of urban fantasy without the urban—which makes it a jungle fantasy, I suppose. The heroine is strong, smart, sexy, resourceful, and the master of Joan of Arc’s magical sword, which Annja can pull from the otherwhere at will. The setting and storyline are both fascinating, while the action crackles on the page and never lets up. Although the book stands alone, both the story of the sword and Annja’s love-hate relationship with two mysterious men hint at the broader storylines that drive the series. A thoroughly entertaining and fully accessible read!