This Week's New Releases

There are plenty of wonderful releases to look forward to this week. Here are the ones on my list. What's on your list?

First up is the second full length novel in Karina Bliss' Rock Solid series. I fell hard for arrogant rockstar Zander Freedman, hero in the first novel, Rise. This time we get to find out if good guy Seth Curran is too good to be true. And fiesty, kickass Dimity Graham is not a typical heroine. I just finished this one - highly recommend!

Fall
Karina Bliss
Rock Solid Series
Book 2

Keep Rage together at all costs...

Powerhouse PA Dimity Graham is off her game. Her career is everything to her and she never lets anything personal mess that up. So how can she explain getting busy between the sheets with Rage's nice-guy drummer Seth Curran? She's supposed to be keeping this band out of trouble, not getting into it.
But before she can put everything back where it belongs, Seth needs her help.

Faking a relationship seemed like a good idea that night, right before they fell into bed together. But standing on New Zealand soil, facing the people he disappointed to pursue his dream, Seth doubts he and Dimity will convince anyone they're hot and crazy for each other. To his surprise, Dimity is working her magic on everyone and they're all convinced this is the real deal. The problem is, he's almost convinced, too.

Next is another second in the series. This time it's J. M. Stewart's Nic. This is the story of the brother of Luc, hero of the first book in the series. I read and enjoyed Luc's story. Luc is a single father and falls for a woman ten years older than him. If you like that set-up, definitely give it a try. I liked what I saw of Nic in the first book and can't wait to see how he finds his HEA.

Nic
J. M. Stewart
Rossi Brothers Series

Single father Nic Rossi’s only desire is to raise his little girl with the same love and security his grandparents gave him and his siblings. That is, until Anna Thompson and her frightened daughter walk into his family restaurant, looking for employment, and turn his carefully ordered world upside down.

On the run from her abusive ex, Anna wants one thing: a quiet place like Angel Bay to raise her daughter. But she needs a job to pay for that dream, even if her new boss is a man whose sheer size makes her tremble. Yet Nic’s capacity for kindness leaves her feeling safe for the first time in years, and the gentle giant slowly awakens her long-dormant passion.

Then her ex-husband turns up like a bad penny, threatening not only Anna’s safe haven but Nic’s daughter in the bargain, forcing them to choose between love and family.

I was first introduced to Sawyer Bennett through her Cold Fury Hockey series. Sexy, athletic heroes and equally incredible heroines. Her newest release is a stand alone contemporary novel about a rock star and a lawyer. Should prove to be a combustible combination.

Sexy Lies and Rock & Roll
Sawyer Bennett

When you're a rock god, fame and fortune are your two best friends, but they can be fickle bed mates. It seems everyone wants a piece of me. I'm being sued, pressured to sign contracts, and fending off rabid women who want to steal my virtue. Just kidding on that one. We all know I don't have much virtue left.

That's why I need Emma Peterson. The sharp-as-a-tack and sexy-as-sin lawyer saved my ass before and I know she can do it again. The only problem is that sweet, prim and totally straight-laced Emma doesn't want anything to do with me. Not professionally, and certainly not personally.

But c'mon. Everyone wants me, and even though it would take a crow bar of epic proportions to get her to spread those sexy legs for me, all I want is her mind. I swear. Her beautiful, brilliant mind to make sense of my crazy world. Good thing I have something up my sleeve to get her to say “yes”. Some might call it blackmail. I call it SOMETHING ELSE.

Looks like Emma Peterson just became my biggest defender. If only I can resist wanting to screw my attorney six ways to Sunday.

If you think I've been reading a lot of contemporary romances, you'd be right! It seems like I'm either into contemporary romances or historical romances. I do hope to get back to fantasy but for now, I bring you another contemporary romance.

Karina Halle
Heat Wave

They say when life closes one door, another one opens.
This door happens to lead to paradise.
And a man I can never, ever have.

Still grieving the loss of her sister who died two years ago, the last thing Veronica "Ronnie" Locke needed was to lose her job at one of Chicago’s finest restaurants and have to move back in with her parents. So when a window of opportunity opens for her – running a kitchen at a small Hawaiian hotel – she’d be crazy not to take it.

The only problem is, the man running the hotel drives her crazy: Logan Shephard. It doesn’t matter that he’s got dark brown eyes, a tall, muscular build that’s sculpted from daily surfing sessions, and a deep Australian accent that makes your toes curl.Kind of an asshole, too.And gets under Ronnie’s skin like no one else.

But the more time Ronnie spends on the island of Kauai, falling in love with the lush land and its carefree lifestyle, the closer she gets to Logan. And the closer she gets to Logan, the more she realizes she may have pegged him all wrong. Maybe it’s the hot, steamy jungles or the invigorating ocean air, but soon their relationship becomes utterly intoxicating.

There’s just one major catch.

The two of them together would incite a scandal neither Ronnie, nor her family, would ever recover from.

Forbidden, Illicit, off-limits – sometimes the heat is worth surrendering to, even if you get burned.

Note: this is a standalone novel, unrelated to any previous books. It does NOT contain cheating of any kind.

Hey, look! It's a new release that is not a contemporary romance! I love the premise. It sounds cool and funny and creepy and certainly different.

Extreme Makeover
Dan Wells

The satirical new suspense about a health and beauty company that accidentally develops a hand lotion that can overwrite your DNA.

Lyle Fontanelle is the chief scientist for NewYew, a health and beauty company experimenting with a new, anti-aging hand lotion. As more and more anomalies crop up in testing, Lyle realizes that the lotion's formula has somehow gone horribly wrong. It is actively overwriting the DNA of anyone who uses it, turning them into physical clones of someone else. Lyle wants to destroy the formula, but NewYew thinks it might be the greatest beauty product ever designed--and the world's governments think it's the greatest weapon.

New York Times bestselling author Dan Wells brings us a gripping corporate satire about a health and beauty company that could destroy the world.

Review: Deep Sky

Deep Sky
Patrick Lee
Science Fiction/Suspense
Travis Chase Trilogy/Book 3
Harper/December 27, 2011

As the U.S. President addresses the nation from the Oval Office, a missile screams toward the White House. In a lightning flash, the Chief Executive is dead, his mansion in ruins, and two cryptic words are the only clue to the assassins' motives: "See Scalar."

Now Travis Chase of the covert agency Tangent - caretakers of the Breach and all its grim wonders - along with partner and lover Paige Campbell and technology expert Bethany Stewart, have only twenty-four hours to unearth a decade-old mystery once spoken of in terrified whispers by the long since silenced. But their breakneck race cross-county - and back through time and malleable memory - is calling the total destructive might of a shadow government down upon them. For Travis Chase has a dark destiny he cannot be allowed to fulfill...

After reading and loving Deep Sky, I was left wishing Mr. Lee had an extensive back list I could dive into.  Unfortunately, I will have to wait (impatiently) for his next release.  If you've been reading my blog lately you know how much I enjoyed the first two novels of this trilogy.   Its fast-paced, complex world will keep you on the edge and just when you think you have it figured out, Lee will surprise you.  I do like that the more technical aspects of the novels are not over simplified but explained in a way that even the non-technical can understand.  

Travis Chase is back with Tangent. Living primarily underground has become familiar to him, allowing him to establish a routine in the year he's been back.  But nothing is ever routine when it comes to Tangent and what they guard.  When the missile strikes the White House, Travis is pulled into the race for answers and the reader is right there with him.  Travis is a character who tries to keep his life as uncomplicated as possible in a very complicated world.  The more Travis is on the page the more I can see how complex he is.  It's not in just what he does but what he doesn't do and why.  His logic regarding his actions makes perfect sense and yet I found myself wondering if I would make the same choices he does.  He's a character that makes you think, which I loved!

Paige Campbell is right there with Travis as they sort through data and track down clues to what happened so many years ago.  Paige is still the guiding force and the voice of reason.  But Paige and Travis do work well together even though both are leaders.  They have a unique balance and a trust that allows them to defer to the other when necessary rather than playing a game of control.  Their relationship has become their anchor, giving them both more stability and confidence in their actions.  The way their relationship has grown over the three books is a testament to Lee's writing skills for being able to work in this satisfying relationship within the framework of the suspense and technical aspects of the plot.

The last member of the trio is Bethany Stewart, computer expert who is still gun-shy when it comes to the more perilous action.  Bethany is far more comfortable in front of a computer screen than being chased by men bent on killer her.  For all her mad computer skills I felt she was the least developed character of the three.  Maybe it was because she was late to the party, having missed out on the fun of the first book.  She is the mobile tech support, other than that I didn't feel like I truly knew her.

The mystery and suspense still had a techno feel to them with the alien devices playing a large role in the outcome.  The plot also has the trio playing detective and I found I really enjoyed analyzing the clues and coming with possible scenarios for what and who is behind the evil plot to take over the country.  The action is once again edge of your seat, keeping you wondering how the heroes will get themselves out their latest dangerous situation. 

As the final novel in the trilogy, Deep Sky answers the questions we've been asking since the first book and has a feeling of completeness to the trilogy.  Would I like to read more in the world Patrick Lee has created?  Most definitely.  But if there are no more Travis Chase novels, this trilogy ended on a high note, leaving this reader not only satisfied but thrilled to find a new author to read. 

Rating: A-

Travis Chase Trilogy

The Breach
Ghost Country
Deep Sky

Review: Ghost Country

Ghost Country
Patrick Lee
Science Fiction/Suspense
Travis Chase/Book 2
Harper/December 28, 2010

For decades, inexplicable technology has passed into our world through the top secret anomaly called the Breach. The latest device can punch a hole into the future ...

What Paige Campbell saw when she opened a door into seventy years from now scared the hell out of her. She and her Tangent colleagues brought their terrible discovery to the President - and were met with a hail of automatic gunfire after leaving the White House. Only Paige survived.

Fearing a terrifying personal destiny revealed to him from the other side of the Breach, Travis Chase abandoned Tangent ... and Paige Campbell. Now he must rescue her - because Paige knows tomorrow's world is desperate and dead, a ghost country scattered with the bones of billions. And Doomsday will dawn in just four short months ... unless they can find the answers buried in the ruins to come.

But once they cross the nightmare border into Ghost Country, they might never find their way back ...

INTENSE. Seriously, this book had me at the edge of my seat. As with the first book, The Breach, I knew it would be one hell of a ride. It takes place more than two years after the end of The Breach, with Paige Campbell still working for Tangent and Travis Chase trying to make a new life for himself, again.

Travis is pulled back into the freaky world of Tangent, the secret government agency that studies the objects, or "Entities", that come from The Breach. Paige Campbell is in trouble and needs help and Travis can't say no when it comes to Paige. When Bethany Stewart, a colleague of Paige's, tells Travis what has happened, he jumps right back into hero mode. The thing about Travis is that he is very capable. He was a cop for years, he has the experience to handle difficult, dangerous situations. But what he must deal with is out of his realm of experience. Which is why he is such a fascinating character to read when he encounters the weird and impossible-to-believe Entities that come from The Breach. Yes, he is the main character, the title character of the series, but you still doubt his safety at times which makes the experience that much more intense.

Both Paige and Bethany show equal amounts of brains and survival skills. They are very different in that Paige has far greater experience from her years with Tangent, not only in dealing with the government but her weapons skills are truly wicked. Bethany is the geek of the three and if you ever needed a geek, now is the time. She has mad computer skills but also excels in logic and reasoning when it comes to complex problems.

The action is fierce, intense and intelligent. There is no way good will triumph over evil without the intelligence of these characters. There is fighting, with fists, furniture and guns but there is also thinking, planning and plotting that must happen in order for Travis, Paige and Bethany to succeed. I loved the action but seeing the thought process of these characters added an even greater dynamic to already standout characters.

Patrick Lee has outdone himself with this suspenseful, action packed science fiction novel. Knowing there is only one book left has me wishing this wasn't a trilogy.

Rating: A

Travis Chase Trilogy

The Breach
Ghost Country
Deep Sky

Review: The Breach

The Breach
Patrick Lee
Science Fiction/Suspense
Travis Chase Series/Book 1
Harper/January 1, 2010

Travis Chase, a man putting his life back together after fifteen years in prison, takes a solo hike into the Alaskan Rockies. He's just looking for a quiet place to think about his future, but what he finds is trouble: a 747, downed in remote wilderness, the wreck impossibly undiscovered by authorities. Those abroad are dead, though not because of the crash. They've been shot.

This aircraft, along with the terrifying object it was transporting, is only the beginning for Travis. Within hours he finds himself at the center of a violent conflict that spans the globe, and a secret war that dates back three decades. A war for possession of radically advance technology - that wasn't created by human hands.

This isn't my usual genre, but thanks to the reviews on Goodreads, I decided to give Mr. Lee's novel a try. Am I glad I did! I loved trying to wrap my mind around the science within the story.

A year after being released from prison, Travis Chase sets off on a hike, hoping to clear his mind and possibly make some decisions about where his life is going. He's an ex-cop who won't find work as a cop again. What Travis finds on his hike is nothing he could have expected. It's a gruesome sight, even for an experienced cop to take in. Travis' training comes in handy as he must fight for his survival and the survival of others.

Paige Campbell is a tough, intelligent and resourceful woman. She's dedicated to her work and the security of the country. She could have come off as cold and distanced, willing to do and sacrifice whomever with little or no feelings. And sometimes she did, which allowed her to get through some of the toughest parts of her job. But Lee also shows us Paige's weaknesses along with her strengths. She holds a lot of power but doesn't abuse that power the way some would.

Travis and Paige make a formidable team. They create an interesting dynamic in that Paige is the experienced one and Travis is the rookie in this secret world of the strange and alien. They definitely had to work at trusting each other, doing so while trying to stay alive and one step ahead of the enemy. I really enjoyed seeing how they dealt with building that trust and then taking it to the next level.

The enemy hunting Paige and Travis is disturbing in his almost normality, as if this was just a job. He's highly intelligent and willing to do anything to get what he wants. Getting inside his head, we see how he enjoys the hunt and the kill. He's not the only one they must look out. The must also unravel what is happening with the Breach.

From the moment Travis spotted the downed plane, I had a hard time putting this book down. Even before that, I was anxious to see how the story would unfold simply from reading the blurb and some of the reviews. It's very fast paced, the backgrounds of Travis and the other pivotal characters blended within the action. There is a lot to take in, not only the characters and their motivation but the science behind what is happening. If I had one complaint, it would be that there was almost too much to remember. Although, not everything is explained because not everything is known about the alien devices. The characters, like the reader, must take some things just on faith alone. Some of the explanations that are given are complex but Lee does well with breaking down the complex and making it understandable.

The Breach offers a mix of action, suspense and a heavy dose of stimulation for the mind.

Rating: A-

Travis Chase Trilogy ~

The Breach
Ghost Country
Deep Sky

TBR Challenge Review: Doubleblind

Doubleblind
Ann Aguirre
Romantic Science Fiction
Sirantha Jax/Book 3
ACE/September 29, 2009

*Spoilers for Previous Books
*Highly recommend reading in order

From the back cover ~

Sirantha Jax isn’t known for diplomatic finesse. As a “Jumper” who navigates ships through grimspace, she’s used to kicking ass first and taking names later—much later. Not exactly the obvious choice to sell the Conglomerate to the Ithtorians, a people whose opinions of humans are as hard as their exoskeletons.

And Ithiss-Tor council meetings aren’t the only place where Ambassador Jax needs to maneuver carefully. Her lover, March, is frozen in permanent “kill” mode, and his hair-trigger threatens to sabotage the talks—not to mention their relationship.

But Jax won’t give up on the man or the mission. With the Outskirts beleaguered by raiders, pirates, and the flesh-eating Morgut, an alliance with Ithiss-Tor may be humanity’s only hope.

Which has Jax wondering why a notorious troublemaker like her was given the job…

I've had this book since its release nearly two years ago. I do remember starting it then putting it down. It had to do with the slower pace and lack of fight scenes. I had become accustomed to Jax, March and the gang getting into some serious trouble and fighting their way out of it. I'm thankful I gave Doubleblind another try because it was certainly worth it. This time, the fighting is there but on a mental level that tests Jax's abilities just as much, if not more, than jumping through grimspace and kicking ass.

Time for another road trip, this time to Bugland, home of the creatures of Ithiss-Tor. Bugs. But these are not bugs from our world. These bugs are highly intelligent, dangerous and real snobs when it comes to humans. They think humans are savages, beneath them. So it's up to Jax to form an alliance which is odd in itself since Jax isn't what you would call diplomatic. She's really out of her element which I think made her try that much harder. I loved seeing this side of Jax. Not only her ability to think quickly but she was also dealing with the fallout of March's breakdown and subsequently emotional shut down. Jax is walking a thin line between the two, giving the story the tension I craved.

The relationships in Jax's world are complex. None more so than her's and Vel's. Vel is one of the Bugs but he left Ithiss-Tor in disgrace many turns ago. He's different than others from his home planet. He doesn't look down on humans, not choosing to limit his small circle of associates. Vel is one of the very few Jax trusts and that's saying a lot since they first met when he was a bounty hunter and she was his prey. They've come a long way and I'm glad Aguirre didn't limit Jax to only the one important male relationship with March but gave her this deep friendship with Vel.

As the story progressed, I became quite interested in the outcome of Jax's diplomatic mission. You couldn't tell which way it would turn out since someone was committed to sabotaging the mission and it would go from looking positive to possible imprisonment for the gang. The relationship of Jax and March mirrored the diplomatic mission, with Jax making progress with March only to suffer a setback. I loved how Jax refused to give up on March. If their roles had been reversed, he would have done the same.

The ending of Doublind I will say left me relieved that Killbox, the next book in the series is sitting on my TBR pile. I have a feeling there will be more than enough action waiting for me in the next installment of this uniquely entertaining series.

Rating: B+

Books in this series ~

Grimspace
Wanderlust
Doubleblind
Killbox
Aftermath
Endgame (September 2012)

Review: Outside In

Outside In
Maria V. Snyder
Young Adult/Science Fiction
Insider/Book 2
Harlequin Teen/March 1, 2011
Spoilers for Inside Out

From Goodreads ~

Me?
A Leader?
Okay, I did prove that there's more to Inside than we knew. That a whole world exists beyond this cube we live in. And finding that led to a major rebellion - between worker scrubs like me and the snobby uppers who rule our world. Make that ruled. Because of me, we're free. I thought that meant I was off the hook, and could go off on my own again - while still touching base with Riley, of course. He's the one upper I think I can trust. But then we learned that there's outside and then there is Outside. And something from Outside wants In.

If Trella thought the rebellion was hard, she had no idea that what came after would be just as difficult. The aftermath of a rebellion, the overthrowing of the current leadership, may get rid of problems but it also creates new ones. Leadership is still needed and determining that leadership can be tricky with different fractions having different beliefs and needs. Not everyone thinks things are better and getting the uppers and the scrubs to work together is going to take a lot more than simply changing who's in charge.

Trella didn't want to be a leader but she found herself thrust into the role when friends old and new, needed help against the rulers of Inside. Now that the rebellion is over she's ready to go back to keeping to the shadows, or the ducts while continuing her relationship with Riley. Instead, she is still looked to for advice and assistance. Part of Trella's reluctance to get more involved and take a role as a leader in the new society is her lack of confidence in her decisions and her fear that she might cause injury or death to someone she cares about. She still feels guilt for the arrest and death of her good friend Cog. Trella's reluctance is accurate since prior to the rebellion, she kept to herself, having few friends and fewer allies.

It doesn't matter what Trella wants, she finds herself right in the middle of what looks to be sabotage and is caught up in finding who is behind the destruction. This is when things begin to pick up. Prior to that, it was more of a recap of what happened in the first book, which is helpful if a bit slow. As Trella hits the ducts again discovering conspiracies and threats to her world, she begins to question who she can trust. Here's where we see again Trella's lack of confidence in her judgement. She's only 17 1/2 years old and was trained to clean the ducts not deal with political intrigue. I can see how she would begin to question everyone's motives but she stops trusting her instincts and trusting her instincts is one thing that the Trella from the first book did.

The relationship between Trella and Riley goes through some rough times. I was surprised that we didn't see more of them working together since they meshed so well in the first book. Their romance is definitely a sub-plot so don't expect there to be much from that front. Trella is pulled in so many directions from her conflicts with Jacy and his gang, to Doctor Lamont, who may or may not be Trella's mother, to Bubba Boom and his crush on her, to Anne-Jade and Logan. There are a lot of distinct relationships that Trella finds herself in. None really had much depth and I didn't feel like I got to know any of the characters very well except for Trella.

The pacing through most of the book is fairly quick with little down time. Trella jumps from one crisis to the next with a few stops for imprisonment and torture. There are some questions left from the first book that are answered here but there are also more questions brought to light with the threats that Trella and the other Insiders must face down. I look forward to seeing what comes next in this YA sci-fi series.

Rating: B

Books in this series ~

Inside Out
Outside In

Review: Wanderlust

Title: Wanderlust
Author: Ann Aguirre
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Jax series/Book Two

I had the great fortune of winning an ARC of Ann Aguirre’s Wanderlust. This is her second novel in the Jax series. In the first novel, Grimspace, we met Sirantha Jax who is what is known as a jumper. She has the unique genetics needed to navigate or "jump" through grimspace.

Now Jax and crew are back and the amazing ride Aguirre took readers on in Grimspace continues in Wanderlust. The story picks up where Grimspace left off with hearings concerning the Farwan trial. Jax is without a job and the corporation is gone so there’s no one to pay her to jump. So she makes a career change becoming an ambassador for New Terra. She does this more out of desperation than confidence in her abilities. She and her crew are to travel to Ithiss-Tor, homeworld of Velith Il-Nok. Vel is the bounty hunter who was after Jax in Grimspace and is now part of the crew. Vel is to help with diplomatic relations between the inhabitants of his homeworld and the new ambassador.

We also learn more about Jax’s family life and her early years. The part her parents played in her decisions, what shaped her into who she has become and the why of the decisions that she has made.

As the crew gets ready to travel to with their new ambassador aboard they make a few detours along the way. Of course everything doesn’t go smoothly and they get involved in a war on Lachion. Things are not going well for the Gunner-Dahlgren clan and March's feelings of responsibility towards Keri Dahlgren come between him and Jax. Their relationship comes to a head and Jax discovers just how strong she is and how much she is willing to give up.

Some old faces and a few new ones are introduced. Along for the ride with Jax are March, Dina, Doc and Vel. We also meet some new crew members, Hit and Jael. Aguirre stays true to her world building. She expands on it with the new characters and exploring how those characters fit into Jax’s ever changing world.

This is an amazing series for anyone who likes strong world building, interesting characters and plenty of action.

Rating: A+