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Psychics

REVIEW – Countdown by Michelle Maddox

by misscz on May 25, 2009

in 1st Person POV, 4 Stars, Michelle Maddox, Psychics, Sci-Fi Romance, Shomi, The Year of Readers 2009

Countdown

Countdown

Title: Countdown
Author: Michelle Maddox
Copyright: 2008 (Shomi); 293 pgs.
ISBN: 978-0-505-52755-4
Series: N/A
Sensuality: Warm

Who: Kira Jordan and Rogan Ellis

From the Back: Kira Jordan wakes up in a pitch-black room handcuffed to a metal wall. She has 60 seconds to escape. Thus begins a vicious game where to lose is to die. The man she’s been partnered with — her only ally in this nightmare — is a convicted mass murderer. But if he’s so violent, why does he protect her? And stranger still, what is it behind those haunted sea-green eyes that makes her want to protect him?

Comments: One of the great discoveries for me, last year, was the Shomi line from Dorchester. This is the third book by them I’ve read and I haven’t been disappointed yet.

Countdown is set in the near future. Technology had been advancing steadily and a new, life-sustaining world had been discovered. Then a great plague struck, killing millions, and society never fully recovered. Those who could afford the price of transportation left Earth for the new colony. Those still on Earth trudged on, many dreaming of one day leaving it behind, too.

One of the pastimes, for those who can afford a subscription, is “watching” The Countdown, a win-or-die type reality game show. The patrons — subscribers — have computer implants in their skulls, allowing them to view the contest wherever they might be. Since the game is illegal and secretive, the show runners can afford to drop their unsuspecting contestants into public places knowing that nobody would believe them if they tried to get help. The game is divided into six levels. Contestants are given very little information to work with, and even that isn’t always reliable. They are normally criminals, with life sentences, recruited with the promise of freedom if they play the game and win. Rogan Ellis, with his 500-year prison sentence, was given a choice. Kira Jordan was not.

Seven years ago, Kira’s parents and sister were murdered. The killer was never caught. Since then, Kira’s been on her own and on the streets, surviving the only way she knows how. She’s a petty thief, not a hardened criminal, who had stolen a pair of sneakers just prior to waking up handcuffed to the wall. Kira has a talent she calls “flexing” — she’s a psi. She has to be touching the person she’s trying to read and it’s usually very painful to do, so she doesn’t do it very often. Sometimes, she can just sense a person is bad and she uses that to decide whether or not to pick an individual’s pocket — she doesn’t feel right stealing from decent people.

Though Kira initially believes Rogan is guilty of the crimes he was sent to prison for, he doesn’t have that bad guy vibe she usually senses from the criminal set. Since the disembodied show announcer is telling the viewers things that aren’t completely true about her, she begins to wonder how much truth is behind the things said about Rogan and she slowly begins to believe his innocence. Rogan has his secrets and things he’s guilty of, but not mass murder. Four years ago, he was set up and sent to prison. Nobody doubted his guilt, nobody questioned the evidence. They believed what they were told. Four years of life in prison has left him haunted and in despair. Kira is the first person to ever believe he is innocent.

To say much more would give away plot twists. The book is fast paced and easy to follow, and I really liked it. I thought Kira and Rogan were likable characters. Kira is fully capable of taking care of herself, but because of the situation, she must work as a team with Rogan. Her acceptance of Rogan’s innocent was well-paced — not too soon, nor was it dragged out once she got a good read on him.

Started: 3 May 2009
Finished: 11 May 2009

Rating:

Liked A Lot

Liked A Lot

What Others Have Said:
Tez Says
Bitten By Books
Scooper Speaks
Janicu’s Book Blog
All About Romance
The Good, the Bad, and the Unread

Addendum:
This is a re-post, due to technical difficulties. Comments, if any, were lost. I apologize for the inconvenience. (Aug 09)

KristieJ, 2009-05-26: I really enjoyed this one too. I thought the author did an excellent job with building suspense. I’ve had mixed success with the Shomi line – some, like Countdown, I’ve really enjoyed, others not so much. I was reading at DA a while ago though that they aren’t going to continue this line. They will still be publishing books like this – just not in a separate line.

Me, 2009-05-26: I’ve been lucky, I guess, picking the books that hook me. So far. I think I have them all. Yeah, I noticed. The follow-up to AJ Menden’s Shomi book was/is released this week and it’s published under the Leisure imprint.

Brie, 2009-05-28: Hi Christina, I”ve had a little sucess with the Shomi line, but a few books have been duds for me. After your review, I will be on the lookout for Countdown. It seems like something that I would really enjoy.

Me, 2009-05-29: Hi, Brie! I imagine that I”ll eventually come across some that don”t work for me. They all sound so interesting, though. Earlier this year I picked up “Irreversible” by Liz Maverick, not knowing it was a sequel to “Wired”, and almost wrote it off as a “No go” because I was so confused! :roll:

Angie, 2009-06-27: Thanks for this review. It sounds like COUNTDOWN would fit my current mood quite well. It sounds fun! I”ll be on the lookout for a copy.

Me, 2009-06-28: It was a fun read. I hope you enjoy it. :-)

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This is a re-post, due to data loss. (Oct 09)

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REVIEW – Shadow Game

by misscz on April 5, 2009

in 2009 1st in Series Challenge, 2009 A to Z Challenge, 3 Stars, Christine Feehan, Paranormal Romance, Psychics, The Year of Readers 2009

Shadow Game

Shadow Game

Author: Christine Feehan
Copyright: 2003 (Jove); pgs. 323
ISBN: 0-515-13596-8
Series: 1st in the GhostWalkers series
Sensuality: Hot

Who: Dr. Lily Whitney and Captain Ryland Miller

Dr. Lily Whitney’s father, Dr. Peter Whitney, has asked her to consult on one of his classified experiments. The project’s goal is to enhance psychic abilities in a select group of men, all volunteers, to be used as a military weapon. With their extraordinary metal powers, these men could infiltrate enemy territory undetected and carry a variety of covert activities. But something has gone wrong with the experiment. Men are dying in training accidents.

Captain Ryland Miller, the senior ranking “GhostWalker”, falls for Lily the moment he sees her. Her presences is soothing, her own psychic gifts toning down the sensory onslaught. Ryland feels he and his men have been betrayed by Dr. Peter Whitney and Colonel Higgens, the military liaison to the project. He and his men are kept separated from each other and caged like lab rats. The team’s mental abilities have been enhanced to such a point that they can’t turn them off and, without sufficient mental barriers, they can barely function outside a controlled environment. The doctor has tried to reverse the process, but has yet to find a way. Colonel Higgens has made no secret that he wants the enhancement process perfected, not reversed, and views the deaths as acceptable losses.

Lily, too, also feels the instant attraction though she’s at a loss on how to deal with it, having never formed any type of meaningful attachment to a man before. She wants to help him and his men. However, her father did not give her much information about the project prior to asking her to stop by. Shortly after Lily agrees to join the project, her father is murdered, leaving Lily with a lot of unanswered questions and the fate of the project — and the GhostWalkers themselves — in her hands. Since her father didn’t trust Higgens any more than Ryland did, he kept his notes in code and hid them for her to find. Searching for the answers to helping Ryland, Lily uncovers things about her own past.

This is the first book I’ve read by Christine Feehan. One of my favorite aspects of the book is the character relationships. Not just the romantic relationship, but also the friendships and the sense of family between Lily and her household staff, the relationships between the GhostWalkers, etc. I really liked Ryland right from the start. All the normal traits you’d expect to find in the hero — leader, protector — but he isn’t closed off. He readily voices his fears and insecurities to Lily. It took me longer to warm up to Lily — a super-smart heroine who comes across a little too naive gets on nerves.

Overall, it was an enjoyable read. I have books from the author’s other series (Drake sisters and the Leopards), plus I plan to continue with this series.

Started: 28 February 2009
Finished: 10 March 2009

Rating:
TBA

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REVIEW – Ace is Wild

by misscz on March 31, 2009

in 2009 2nds Challenge, 2009 Romance Reading Challenge, 4 Stars, Penny McCall, Psychics, Romantic Suspense, The Year of Readers 2009

Ace is Wild

Ace is Wild

Author: Penny McCall
Copyright: 2008 (Berkley); pgs. 308
ISBN: 978-0-425-22298-0
Series: N/A
Sensuality: Warm

Who: Vivienne Foster and Daniel “Ace” Pierce
Where: Boston

This is the second book I’ve read by this author. Though some of the characters and plot elements from her previous books make an appearance, it’s not necessary to read either All Jacked Up or Tag, You’re it! first.

Vivienne Foster is a psychic. No, really, she is. And that’s the problem. Law enforcement types generally don’t believe in her abilities, so going to them with her knowledge pertaining to a hit on an Assistant DA is pointless. No one will believe her that Daniel Pierce is in mortal danger without solid proof — like the identity of the person ordering the hit or the name of the hired gun. Vivi’s visions don’t work that way, so she left with only one course of action — try to get his attention at a bachelor charity auction and hope he listens to her.

Daniel is a former FBI field agent, benched after a near-fatal shooting damaged his leg. Unable to return to field work in any law enforcement agency, he became a lawyer. But even that isn’t enough for guy who’s goal in life was to make the world a safer place. His track record is hardly impressive, mainly because he doesn’t compromise when it comes to his ethics or his integrity. Even though he doesn’t want to believe in Vivi’s talent, he’s willing to accept the possibility there really is a hit out on him. He wants to be actively involved in the investigation, not sitting in some safe house or guarded by federal agents. Daniel is sure that Vivi knows more than she’s letting on — there is something important she’s not telling him. Daniel doesn’t have many “wins” — cases where he sent someone to prison for life or, at least, a very long time. Narrowing down the list of possibilities and investigating them — Vivi doing a reading on them — shouldn’t be so hard, but their progress is hindered by more attempts on Daniel’s life by slightly incompetent and elusive hit men.

Both have trust issues. Vivi, obviously, has a hard time trusting cops and lawyers because they don’t believe her, and she knows that Daniel is only humoring her. Trusting the wrong person got Daniel shot, so it will take a lot of convincing before he’ll trust Vivi. They both also believe in speaking the truth. Vivi doesn’t lie to her customers. She won’t tell them only what they want to hear, unless it’s the truth. Some things — like death — she can’t bear predicting, so she tries to steer her clients away from those types of questions. Daniel is a “the world is black and white” type guy — no gray areas. He sees Vivi being sued by clients as proof she’s a con artist — and therefore a criminal. Of course, Vivi was sued by clients that didn’t like what she told them — the truth.

From the beginning, Daniel and Vivi are physically attracted to each other. Both try to ignore it. At some point, during their running around Boston eluding hit men, — and the cops and Feds who don’t want them involved in the investigation — Vivi starts to fall in love with Daniel. This is bad news because those feelings prevent her from getting a read on Daniel. With his life in danger, this could prove fatal. Naturally, it takes Daniel a little longer to realize what he’s feeling is more than lust.

I really enjoyed this book. There’s a lot of action, so the story moves pretty quickly. Vivi’s a fun character. She’s strong and she doesn’t back down, even when Daniel is biting her head off for one reason or other. She can give as good as she gets. I really liked Daniel. When you first meet him, he comes across as a slick, sophisticated lawyer, but really he’s a jeans-and-t-shirt kind of guy; happier out in the field than behind a desk.

Favorite Quotes:
“If I didn’t trust you and believe in your ability I wouldn’t be asking you to save the day, but you can’t even drum up a halfway credible premonition.”
“Because I love you, you jackass.”
“Uh. . .”
“That’s right, you moron, I love you.”
– Daniel and Vivi, in a tight spot, yelling at each other

“The place was crawling with cops and feds.”
“That’s what happens when you call and tell them you were almost murdered by a high-ranking mob figure.”
– Daniel, Vivi

Started: 19 February 2009
Finished: 27 February 2009

Rating:

Liked A Lot

Liked A Lot

Tag, You’re It!

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REVIEW – Slave to Sensation

by misscz on January 28, 2009

in 2009 1st in Series Challenge, 2009 A to Z Challenge, 3 Stars, Countdown Challenge, Fantasy, Feline, Nalini Singh, Paranormal Romance, Psychics, Shape-Shifters, The Year of Readers 2009

Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh

Slave to Sensation

Author: Nalini Singh
Copyright: 2006 (Berkley); pgs. 334
ISBN: 0-425-21286-6
Series: 1st in the Psy/Changeling series
Sensuality: Hot

Who: Sascha Duncan (Psy) and Lucas Hunter (Changeling)

Sascha Duncan is a Psy who’s talent never manifested itself — or so everyone, including Sascha, thinks — to the level it should have as a cardinal Psy. Psy should not experience feelings, yet Sascha can, and it’s getting harder to keep them hidden. She is assigned to work with the DarkRiver changelings on a housing project. On the surface, it looks to be nothing more than a business arrangement, but things aren’t what they seem.

Lucas Hunter, a panther, is the DarkRiver alpha. He’s investigating the death of a pack mate. Lucas is certain there is a serial killer out there, targeting Changeling females, and that the killer is a Psy. The Psy keep a close hold on their secrets and Lucas needs a way to infiltrate the PsyNet. He believes the best way to do that is to have direct dealings with a Psy. Lucas is intrigued by Sascha, sensing that she isn’t like the rest of her kind, and he comes to trust her enough to confides in her. Sascha is willing to help, but time is running out. A member of the local wolf pack has been abducted and her pack alpha is threatening an all-out attack on the Psy unless Lucas and Sascha can find the culprit. The only way to that could kill Sascha in the process.

I mostly enjoyed this book. The world building, in particular, hooked me and I liked the cast of characters enough that I promptly bought the other books in the series (including a pre-order) before I even finished the first one. However, I did have a few issues with the book.

One thing that bother me was that I felt there were several key incidents that should have been shown, not told. Sascha’s fear of rehabilitation would have had more impact if we’d seen what exactly happens to a Psy — in the Prologue, perhaps — instead of being told what happens. I also never got the feeling that Sascha was in any danger, no matter how many times she told us otherwise. Her mental shields held throughout; she spent much of her time with the Changelings, not the Psy where she’d have to be constantly on guard; and she was able to stall her mother and Enrique rather easily and effectively whenever they demanded information from her. Getting into the mind of the killer — seeing things from his point of view without revealing his identity — would have added a sense of danger if not to Sascha herself, then to show what they were up against.

My other issue, a minor one really, was reconciling Lucas’ past and his present behavior. I wasn’t expecting him to brood darkly throughout, but I thought he’d be a bit more aloof. I thought he’d resist his attraction to Sascha a little longer than he did, given his determination never to mate.

These issues did not change my decision to read the next book in the series. Like I said, the world building is something unique for me, and I am willing to give the series another try.

Started: 16 January 2009
Finished: 24 January 2009

Rating:
TBA

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Possessed

by misscz on September 28, 2008

in 4 Stars, Countdown Challenge, Paranormal Romance, Psychics, Silhouette Bombshell, Stephanie Doyle

Possessed

Possessed

Author: Stephanie Doyle
Copyright: 2006 (Harlequin); pgs. 292
Series: Silhouette Bombshell #118
Sensuality: Warm

Who:  Cassandra Allen and Malcolm McDonough
Where: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Cassandra Allen is a medium.  She can communicate with the dead.  She has learned to control her gift so that the dead don’t overwhelm her with their attempts to contact loved ones.  However, her quiet, simple life is also very lonely.  Cassandra doesn’t like large crowds and strives to avoid being touched — regardless if it’s a friendly pat on the shoulder or an intimate caress.  She has no social life and her efforts to shield herself have an adverse effect on her ability to keep a job.  Eventually her reserved, standoffish and strange behavior gives her coworkers and boss the creeps, and she is fired.  And if that doesn’t seal her fate, the appearance of a gun-toting and disturbed man showing up at the coffeehouse demanding to speak to her, will certainly do the trick.  To offset her precarious employment situation, Cassandra does consultant work for the local police.

Detective Doug Brody, who lost his beloved wife, is Cassandra’s one friend.  He believes in her abilities and her track record with helping him crack a case is good enough to ensure that the department doesn’t baulk too much when she’s called in.  Her gift allows her to determine if a suspect is guilty or innocent.  Doug asks for her help on a new case.  A young woman, Lauren, was brutally murdered not far from where Cassandra currently lives.  The police have the woman’s brother in for questioning.  The problem is that Malcolm McDonough has connections and any misstep with him could bring the mayor’s office down on their heads.  McDonough has been at the station for hours, without calling his lawyer, and the detective can’t get a good read on him: his icy behavior could either be his way of dealing with the tragedy or he’s a sociopath.

Malcolm is rude and insulting to Cassandra, but that doesn’t stop her from clearing him of suspicion.  Within minutes of meeting him, Cassandra knows that Malcolm is innocent.  Lauren is worried that her brother won’t be able to cope with her death, that he’ll isolate himself more now that he’s all alone.  Lauren was the last of his family and she doesn’t want him to be lonely and unhappy.  Malcolm doesn’t react well to learning how Cassandra knows what she does.  He’s so angry and hurt, he briefly suspects her of having something to do with the murder.

Not only does Cassandra have to deal with Malcolm, something frightening is happening.  She is being attacked, mentally, by a monster.  Since contact with the dead always manifest itself on her body in some way — bloody nose, black eye — the monster’s presence is leaving her beaten and weak.  She doesn’t know who the monster is trying to contact, since the first attack happened when she was alone in her apartment.  The second attack takes place on a busy street, with many people about.  Malcolm saves her from being hit by a car and sees first hand what she goes through.  He’s still skeptical, but that doesn’t stop him from being concerned for her welfare.

Even more frightening than the monster is the possibility that Malcolm is getting too close; that there might be a connection between them that has nothing to do with Lauren.  She’s so afraid of what might happen between them, that she doesn’t even realize that Lauren only contacts her when it’s absolutely necessary.  Lauren’s wants her brother to be happy.  Malcolm is coping with Lauren’s death, for not being able to protect or save her, by trying to help Cassandra.  Regardless of the antagonism that crops up between them, they make each other happy.

I enjoyed this book very much.  I thought Malcolm’s reactions to Cassandra were very realistic.  Over time, as he witnessed what was happening to her, his skepticism is slowly chipped away.  Both are independent, stubborn people who force each other to admit that they are closed off and lonely.  I liked the fact that the monster wasn’t a real one (something supernatural like a demon, for example).  Because the man who died was such a horrible person in life, that is how he is perceived.  It added a layer of mystery to what was happening, since Cassandra couldn’t understand it or cope with it.

Teaser Tuesdays entry.

Started: 15 September 2008
Finished: 22 September 2008

Rating:

Liked A Lot

Liked A Lot

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