Hidden

Title: Hidden
Author: Eve Kenin
Copyright: 2008 (Shomi); 309 pgs.
ISBN: 978-0-505-52761-5
Series: sequel
Sensuality: Warm

Who: Tatiana and Tristan

From the back: Tatiana has honed her genetic gifts to perfection. She can withstand the subzero temperatures of the Northern Waste, read somebody’s mind with the briefest touch, and slice through bone with her bare hands. Which makes her one bad-ass chick, all right. Nothing gets to her. Until she meets Tristan. Villain or ally, she can’t be sure. But one thing she does know: he has gifts too — including the ability to ramp up her heart rate to dangerous levels. But before they can start some chemistry of their own, they have to survive being trapped in an underground lab, hunted by a madman, and exposed to a plague that could destroy mankind.

Comments: I chose this book because I liked Eve Kenin’s previous book, Driven. Hidden is set in the same world and features new characters. The book picks up shortly after the events in Driven, and though it is not necessary, I would strongly recommend reading that book first to get a better understanding of Tatiana and the world Ms. Kenin created.

Genetically engineered, born in a lab, and raised by computers along with her two siblings, Tatiana isn’t very good with human interactions. She’s a mixture of a cool competent woman and a confused, uncertain one. The only people she’s ever cared for are dead — or so she thinks. Since she’s escaped Dr. Ward, her encounters with people in general have been awkward and her experimentation in the arena of intimacy has left her feeling that she wasn’t really bred for those type of interactions. Until she sees Tristan. She can’t take her eyes off him and she’s attracted him right from the first. It something she’s never experienced before and it’s both exhilarating and alarming.

Tristan is trying to find redemption for his past by righting a major wrong. He’s intrigued with Tatiana from the moment he first sees her in the general store. Women on the Waste fall into one of two categories: wife or whore. She’s neither, and her obvious military training — unheard of in a woman — makes her all the more interesting to him. He admires and respects her ability to take care of herself, even when his own instincts and training tell him to be the protector.

Tatiana and Tristan are both on a mission to stop Dr. Gavin Ward and his mutating plague. Neither realize this the first time they meet. Tatiana has been hired to find a stolen object and thinks Tristan is just a settler, looking for supplies. However, Tristan is a also trying to track down stolen goods. It’s ironic that both of them are looking for the same truckers. When their paths cross again, they are both surprised, never expecting to see each other again and neither has forgotten about the other. But now Tristan thinks Tatiana has been exposed to the plague and her only hope of survival, be believes, is with him. Fortunately, he knows she’s hunting for a man named Tolliver, and he can give her the answers she wants — if she’ll follow him into his underground lab.

I really liked the characters, which is a good thing as much of the book they are alone, with no one else to interact with. I didn’t think this book moved was as fast moving as others in the Shomi line, but the likable characters kept it from being boring. I don’t know if there was ever a plan for a third book featuring Yuriko (or anyone else for that matter). I really enjoyed this book.

The author also writes as Eve Silver.

Started: 2 July 2009
Finished: 9 July 2009

Rating:

Enjoyed it!

What Others Have Said:
Darque Reviews
Popin’s Lair
The Good, the Bad, the Unread – Caroline Linden’s
The Good, the Bad, the Unread – Shannon C.’s
Renee Reads Romance
All About Romance
Janicu
Dear Author
Tez Says

Books in the Series:

Driven

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

Phenomenal Girl 5

Title: Phenomenal Girl 5
Author: A. J. Menden
Copyright: 2008 (Shomi); 305 pgs.
ISBN: 978-0-505-52786-8
Series: Elite Hands of Justice #1
Sensuality: Warm

*** Spoiler-ish ***

Lainey Livingston is finally on her way to getting her dream job: becoming a member of the Elite Hands of Justice, the world’s most famous superhero team. However, the final step in the process is to complete a tour of duty with the legendary Reincarnist, Robert Elliot. Some of the best superheros have washed out from the program while training with him, and Lainey doesn’t want to add her name to that list.

Robert, the long-lived founder of the EHJ, is no longer on the active roster, but he still helps out with criminal investigations and cases that the other superheros should be investigating but don’t because they aren’t high profile enough for them. New members of the EHJ assist him with these cases as part of their internship. He is called the Reincarnist because, when he dies, he comes back as a 20-year-old who looks and sounds different — and doesn’t always remember details of his previous life — but is still basically the same person inside. He’s been around for centuries and there is no guarantee, each time he dies, that he’ll come back at all.

Lainey is attracted to Robert right from the first. Though he’s distant and formal with her, Lainey notices that he has the kindest eyes she’s ever seen. But having a secret crush on your boss only adds more stress to an already stressful situation. Robert has no tact, causing her to get hostile and defensive at times because she misunderstands him. Early on, Lainey’s sure Robert is going to fire her. Joining EHJ and helping to save the world has been her goal since she was a little girl, and if she fails, she doesn’t know what she’ll do. But Lainey needn’t have worried too much. Robert has seen her potential for greatness and wants her to succeed.

Something major and potentially catastrophic is on the horizon; however, Robert and Lainey are having a difficult time making sense of the puzzling clues. Their investigation suffers a serious set back when Robert dies. I don’t consider this a spoiler, though it is the reason I put the warning up — the author wouldn’t have gone through the trouble of creating a character with the ability to be reincarnated if she hadn’t planned on killing him off at least once. However, the how and why are pretty big spoilers — that’s all I’m going to say about it.

Robert’s death hits Lainey doubly hard. It happens not long after she and Robert had finally admitted their feelings to each other. Being orphaned since birth, Lainey never let others into her heart until Robert. And for his part, the inability to retain memories from life to life has made it hard for him to get involved with others. Before he died, Lainey promised him that she’d help the new Robert remember what was between them. But it too much for her. The new Reincarnist — Wesley — is different in many ways (except he’s just as tactless as Robert). Wesley is confused and is depending on her to help him — though he doesn’t remember the promise. With so much grief and stress, their first week together after Robert’s passing does not go well. Eventually Lainey realizes that there are some things that remained the same (other than the lack of tact), but it’s the differences that make her fall in love with Wesley for himself. Robert was reserved and formal, Wesley is more open and relaxed. And for his part, Wesley doesn’t need memories to fall for her — that is, once she stops being hostile toward him for not being Robert.

I really liked this book. I wondered if the author could pull it off — killing the hero — and still make the romance believable. And she did. The death of Robert and aftermath was very emotional. Looking forward to reading Tekgrrl.

Started: 30 June 2009
Finished: 1 July 2009

Rating:

Liked A Lot

What Others Have Said:
CK2S Kwips and Kritiques
Tez Says
Bitten By Books
Darque Reviews
Carol’s Notebook

Addendum:
This is a re-post. Below are the comments that I was able to salvage from the SQL file. See this post for an explanation. I apology for the inconvenience. (Aug 09)

Beth F., 2009-07-26: I haven’t read any of these books. I assume this is the 5th in a series.

Me, 2009-07-26: No, it’s not actually. The “5″ refers to her being the 5th superhero with the same alias/secret identity.
This is the first book by this author and the first in the Elite Hands of Justice series.

~~~~~~~~~~

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

17 Aug – Carol – “It loved the relationship in this one. Thanks for linking to my review.”
17 Aug – Me – “You’re welcome! I liked the relationship, too. Thanks for visiting!”

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

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!

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.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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

__________________________________________________________________

Recently, I was perusing my category tags, both on-line and off.  Since I label even contemporary-set paranormals and urban fantasy as “contemporary”, it looks like I’ve read more contemporary books than historical.

My original thought behind labeling them as such was to distinguish them from historical-set fantasy and paranormal, on the off chance I read one — Mary Jo Putney’s “The Marriage Spell” — and futuristics — most of  Colby Hodge’s “Twist” is set in the future.

I’m beginning to think that this is misleading.   Readers looking for straight contemporaries might be unhappy to learn that the main female character in “Ace is Wild” is a psychic — though nowhere near the level of Feehan’s GhostWalkers or Singh’s Psy.  Fans of those series might take exception to “Ace is Wild” being labeled as paranormal.

So my question is, is it misleading?

On a slightly related note. . .

In Magic Strikes by Ilona Andrews (urban fantasy set in an alternate-reality Atlanta), we learn one of the characters is a big fan of paranormal romances (not Kate — her favorite book is “The Princess Bride”).  Later, we learn that several books (or all of them) by the character’s favorite author features. . .pirates.

This got me thinking.  In Kate’s world there are shape-shifters, vampires, magic.  What would these characters consider “paranormal”?  Your average Harlequin Superromance? Chick-lit? Ye Olde  Bodice-rippers of the 80′s?

And would a comtemporary be a story about a hunk of a werehyhena romantically pursuing a heavily armed Knight of the Order?

Anyone else pondered this?

There’s a poll in my sidebar regarding the labeling .  Please take a moment to vote.  Thanks.

Driven

Author: Eve Kenin
Copyright: 2007 (Shomi)
ISBN: 978-0-505-52709-7
Series: NA
Sensuality: Hot

Who: Raina Bowen and Wizard
Where & When: Post-apocalyptic, frozen north

It was suppose to be simple. Be the first to reach Gladow Station with a load of grain and receive a fat bonus. All Raina needed was a special license that would allow her to drive the transcontinental highway, and that was going to be supplied by a guy named Wizard. The problem? He was late for their meeting, and when he finally shows up, he incurs the wrath of a trucker gang. Thanks to this encounter, Wizard is without transportation, and Raina grudgingly allows him to tag along. With the license now useless, she is forced to take a more dangerous route through pirate territory if she wants to stay in the race. But the race is not what it seems, as she learns, and an enemy from her past has decided that the time is right to hunt her down. There are secrets about her family she doesn’t know about, and she finds herself falling for a man with secrets of his own.

Raina has been taught to trust no one and she doesn’t let others get close to her. She doesn’t want to lose any more people she cares about, and tries hard not to fall in love with Wizard. Raina’s afraid to let her guard down and settle somewhere because Duncan Bane — her enemy — might find her. Though she doesn’t let people get close, she still cares what happens to others who are less fortunate and helps when she can.

As for Wizard, he’s not what he seems and he has his own agenda. He has the ability to compartmentalize feelings like sadness and guilt. But once he meets Raina, he begins to feel things he’s never felt before — fear, love — and he can’t compartmentalize or control what he feels for her. This is made all the worse by the fact that he will have to break the fragile trust between them in order to take down their common enemy.

This is the second Shomi book I’ve read and I liked it almost as much as Twist (Colby Hodge). Driven is set in an post-apocalyptic world and is action-packed. The world building isn’t elaborate, but that works for the story. I read this during some of the coldest days this month, so I was in the right frame of mind to read a book set in the frigid north — it felt like I was right there with them. I really liked the characters, especially Wizard. I have the sequel in my TBR, and hopefully I get to it this year.

Started: 4 February 2009
Finished: 7 February 2009

Rating:
TBA

Twist

Author:  Colby Hodge
Copyright: 2008 (Shomi); pgs. 308
Series: NA
Sensuality: Warm

Who:  Abbey Shore and Dr. Shane Maddox
Where:  Chicago

Abbey Shore is a struggling architectural student.  She “flips” houses to pay for school.  Her current renovation project is her dream house, the one she plans to keep.  She officially meets Dr. Shane Maddox when she goes to the ER for stitches.  Until then, he was just the cute guy she saw every morning on the El, and ran into at a coffee shop.  Abbey’s attracted to him, but she has never had the nerve to introduce herself.  He seems interested in her, too.  He flirts with her in the ER, walks her home the next morning, and asks if she’d like to meet for coffee that night.  Abbey happily accepts.  However, just when she’s about to leave the house to meet him, Abbey decides to investigate the noise coming from behind the wall in her living room.  She unearths a strange object and ends up 100 years in the future, though she doesn’t know that at first.

Abbey is understandably confused.  There are strange men in her house trying to kill her and nothing looks familiar — shops are boarded up, streets are deserted.  After escaping from the men, she’s “rescued” by another group of strangers who think she’s a “tick”.  When she finally meets Shane, he insists that it’s the future and everything’s her fault.  He’s bitter, angry, and ready to kill her.  Only when Shane sees her re-opened wound, the one he himself stitched up, does he come to the realization that she might be telling the truth; that she is not in league with the local tick queen and that she is not a tick herself.  For her part, Abbey still isn’t convinced she’s in the future, based on Shane’s assertions alone.  After all, Shane looks the same as he did that morning.  He explains that he was “turned” by one of the ancient and original ticks.  Shane is now one of them — a life-sucking immortal; a creature that inspired the vampire myths (except they don’t suck blood or have fangs).

Shane has fought his tick nature by holding to the promise he made to himself a long time ago and to his oath as a doctor.  The humans trust him and he uses his medical knowledge to help them as best as he can.  His behavior confuses Abbey.  One minute he’s bitter, blaming her for what happened — after all, had she shown up, he wouldn’t have gotten tired of waiting and left, meeting his fate in an alley — the next, Abbey is talking to the guy she flirted with while being stitched up in the ER, the man she’s lusted for every morning on the train.

Because the time portal is in her house — which is tick central — Abbey is temporarily stuck.  She has no choice but try to fit in, even when her presence is endangering the small community of survivors.  She begins to form friendships and be accepted.  Abbey also begins to fall in love with the Shane of this time.  But it’s ultimately doomed.  It’s getting harder for Shane to remain in control, and he and Abbey begin to learn the mysteries of the time-twister, and why Lucinda was so interested in both of them.  The only chance they have for a future together is for Abbey to return to the past and stop Lucinda — which means  going on a suicide mission into enemy territory.

There is a lot of action in this book.  Ever seen an episode of Buffy, especially one with a lot of slayage?  Speaking of the vampire slayer, the author is a fan of Joss Whedon and there are several references to him or his shows.  There are other pop culture references, from Grey’s Anatomy to The Princess Bride.  I really loved this book and I’m going to check out more from the Shomi line.  Colby Hodge is the alter ego of Cindy Holby, so this isn’t the first book I’ve read by the author, but I hope she writes more Shomi books.  Without a doubt, this one will be on my list of favorites for the year.

Start: 28 August 2008
Finished: 2 September 2008

Teaser Tuesdays post.

Rating:

LOVED IT !!

They died with smiles on their faces. Three apparent suicides: a brilliant engineer, an infamous lawyer, and a controversial politicians. Three strangers with nothing in common — and no obvious reasons for killing themselves. Police lieutenant Eve Dallas found the deaths suspicious. And her instincts paid off when autopsies revealed small burns on the brains of the victims. Was it a genetic abnormality or a high-tech method of murder?

4th in the IN DEATH series
Author: J. D. Robb
ISBN: 0-425-15518-8 (Berkley)
Finished: 23 August 2007
Who: Lt. Eve Dallas and Roarke
When: August – September 2058

In the fourth installment of the “In Death” series, the only thing that connects the three — and later, fourth — victims is that they all had virtual reality devices, something that is actually quite common. However, all of them used the devices just before killing themselves. Eve is convinced that subliminal suicidal suggestions were programed into the devices.

The argument of nature vs. nurture comes into play, which worries Eve. With so much of her early life a mystery, Eve is afraid what nature has bestowed on her, what she has inherited from her parents — her father in particular. Dr. Mira, who doesn’t agree with the pre-destined view, tries to convince Eve that we are also what we make of ourselves. Eve and Roarke are who they are because they have made the choice to be more than what they were born to.

Meanwhile, Mavis has been collaborating with a music engineer with the hopes of getting her big break. Towards that end, Mavis asks Eve to ask Roake to throw a party. Jess Barrow is up to more than just looking for new talent. His actions result in Roarke hurting Eve. Of course Roarke retaliates. It’s only later, thanks to Mavis, that he learns just how deceptive Jess was and that Roarke didn’t hurt him nearly enough. There’s a touching scene between Mavis and Roake that illustrates, again, what a great guy Roarke can be.

Favorite Quotes:
“My underwear’s solid gold. It chafes some, but it makes me feel secure.”
— Eve

“Idiot.”
“She dotes on me so. It’s almost smothering.”
— Eve; Roarke, to Peabody, regarding Eve.

LOVED IT !!