Dragonfly by Erica Hayes #scifi #romance #spaceopera

Title: Dragonfly
Author: Erica Hayes
Genre: Scifi Romance
Publisher: Momentum
Available: Amazon $5.90 (Kindle)
Rating:  4 stars
Rater: Pippa 





Blurb:
Carrie Thatcher is a tough Imperial counter-terrorism agent. Her mission: pose as a sexy cyber-thief to entrap the notorious rebel Dragonfly, who's planning a heist on the space station Casa de Esperanza - an orbital casino on the fringe of Imperial space.

And this assignment's personal: Dragonfly murdered her closest friend, and she's in no mood to show him mercy. Even getting stuck with the partner from hell--Malachite, her sociopathic ex-lover and the Empire's most dangerous agent--can't dampen her relish for the kill.

With Carrie's expert weapons skills and penchant for cracking codes, insinuating herself into Dragonfly's confidence should be easy. But is he the ruthless killer she was led to believe? Or has her precious Empire deceived her? With Malachite watching her every move, the slightest flinch in loyalty means death.

Carrie is soon racing to uncover an audacious treachery that will shock the Empire to its core ... if she can stay alive for long enough to expose it.

What I liked.
The world building was in-depth, complex and intriguing. The plot was high tension and action packed. There was quite a bit of science (maths) and technology, something I love but that might put off those not so keen on heavy SF elements. The characters are captivating, and the hero particularly takes some figuring out.

What I didn't like.
This was quite slow at the start due to a heavy amount of set up and world building, but had a lot of tension throughout, right to the final conflict...and then totally flopped for the final few pages. I think this book had the most disappointing ending I've come across, even if it had the required HFN for a romance. Also I got a little tired of Carrie with her 'he's my enemy, he has to die, OMG he's hot and I want to sleep with him' mental routine. I prefer my sexual tension a bit more subtle. Others might enjoy her constant mental conflict more than me.

In conclusion.
If you're a fan of the Firefly/Farscape style of space opera, this is for you (Carrie was a very Aeryn Sun type character to me). Be prepared for some heavy-ish technobabble and world building though, and having to stick with it for the first couple of chapters to get to the adventure.

Erasure by Misa Buckley #mm #gaylit #LGBTLit #scifirom

Title: Erasure
Author: Misa Buckley
Genre: M/M Scifi Romance
Publisher: Self
Available: Amazon $2.99 (Kindle)
Rating: 4 stars
Rater: Pippa 





Blurb:
When Malik Foster crashes back into his life after a three year absence, Damaris wants nothing to do with his ex-lover. Especially once he learns that Malik has cybernetic implants - something made illegal by the Restoration. Dam does not want a Purity Squad beating down his door. Yet neither does he want to leave Malik to their less than tender mercies. He agrees to use his surgical talents to remove the tell-tale tattoo that's been branded on to Malik's wrist. 

As they reignite their past relationship, Dam learns about the life Malik has led since the Restoration came into power. He has to face the fact that his future as a plastic surgeon is increasingly insecure in a city that's becoming ever more obsessed with "natural" bodies. Then the Purity Squads come looking for Malik, and they know an escape is now or never. 

But can there be an escape from a regime that wants to erase anyone not falling into their definition of human?

What I liked.
The world building was concise, summing up a bleak, and scary setting with a quasi-religious group forcing the populous backward in terms of technology. The relationship between the two central characters was taunt and touching, and beautifully played out. I don't think a single word was wasted. The sex scenes were tastefully done (and in detail if you're worried they might have been glossed over), and the inner turmoil of both characters were believable and engaging, without being OTT on the angst.

What I didn't like.
This was only my second m/m story, and I can't say I'm a huge fan - my preference is definitely for m/f or f/f. Having said that, this was a short, snappy and emotionally satisfying read, and I'd come back for more of it. I did feel their escape could/should have been done in more detail.

In conclusion.
If you're a newbie to m/m romance (like me) and/or a newcomer to scifi romance as a genre, this is a great place to start. Tight world building that won't overwhelm even the least technically minded, well done sex scenes, well balanced between the two characters, and emotionally satisfying. Be warned though - this is a short story, not a novella or novel.

Scorched by Erica Hayes #urbanfantasy #superhero

Title: Scorched
Author: Erica Hayes
Genre: Urban Fantasy (Superheroes)
Publisher: HarperImpulse
Available: Amazon $4.74 (Kindle)
Rating: 4.5 stars
Rater: Pippa 





Blurb:

In a world where everyone wears a mask, you can't trust anyone… not even yourself.

Verity Fortune was once Sapphire City’s top crime-fighter, wielding her powers of telekinesis to battle the city’s most despicable villains.

Now, she’s consumed by a single burning desire -

Revenge.

Against those who took away her mask, her memory, and nearly her life.

Having escaped from the asylum they left her to rot in, Verity dons her mask once again and becomes the Seeker, a vigilante warrior for truth.

But when she unwittingly uncovers an evil conspiracy deep within her own family, she’s suddenly on the run, alone and hunted by those she thought were on her side…

What I liked.
Beautiful, almost poetic descriptions that gave me a serious dose of author envy. Also I guessed who the real traitor was, which might seem a bad thing but made me feel better, only to get caught out by the main plot twist (it's a doozie!). These carefully set up plot points kept me on the edge of the seat with a serious 'what will happen next?!' anticipation. Great general tension throughout, and plenty of action and adventure as you'd expect from a superhero story. And the bad guy is BAD! Nothing beats a villain who really is evil.

What I didn't like.
This is tagged on Amazon as a romance, but *potential spoiler* I don't feel that it is - if it was a romantic HFN, it was pretty ambiguous, and the sexual tension/chemistry throughout wasn't great. I certainly didn't feel there was any hope for any kind of romantic entanglement or longevity in the vague hero/heroine relationship. But the main thing that bothered me was as soon as Verity appears as herself at the family company, she's jumped by Doctor Mengele. Of course she's been betrayed, but following on from that she continues to go out in public as herself and her superhero guise, makes appointments as her journalistic self and contacts old work mates...yet doesn't get caught? Her enemies wouldn't keep tabs on the other people in her life in order to recapture her? Also she's bothered by her scarred face enough to want to wear her mask all the time, yet doesn't seem bothered showing it as Verity.

In conclusion.
Any fan of the likes of the Marvel films (and in particular those still waiting for a heroine-led superhero film like Black Widow) will enjoy this. There's some sexual tension (though not enough for a romance in my opinion), and plenty of adventure, action, jeopardy, and twists to keep any non-romance reader hooked. This reads very much like the first of a series, so I hope the next will be out soon. 

Dead New World by Ryan Hill #YA #paranormal #zombies

Title: Dead New World
Author: Ryan Hill
Genre: YA paranormal (zombies)
Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press
Available: Amazon $4.99 (Kindle)
Rating: 4 stars
Rater: Pippa 





Blurb:
Zombies aren’t mindless anymore. 

Before the world fell into chaos, zombies existed only in the imagination. Now, there’re more dead walking the earth than living. Zombies move about freely, while humans are forced behind concrete barricades to stay alive. 

A man known only as the Reverend has become a threat to the rebuilding United States. The leader of a powerful cult, the Reverend somehow controls the zombies, bending them to his will. He believes zombies are God’s latest creation, making humanity obsolete, and he wants to give every man, woman, and child the chance to become one. With the Horsemen of the Apocalypse, his army composed of both humans and zombies, he may well get his wish. 

Best friends Holt and Ambrose went up against the Reverend once. Holt lost a foot and a zombie bit Ambrose… though he didn’t completely turn. He survived the virus, only to become a human-zombie hybrid, reviled by the living and unwelcome among the dead. When the Reverend kidnaps the woman Holt loves, the race is on to save her from a fate worse than death. 

Holt and Ambrose must sacrifice everything to take down the Reverend and survive in this dead new world. But will they lose their souls in the process?

What I liked.
I have to start by saying I have limited experience with zombies of any kind. I'm not a fan of the traditional Hollywood-type zombie apocalypses, so a twist on that had more appeal for me and certainly worked in giving the story that extra edge. Ambrose fascinated me - the whole idea of a human-zombie hybrid. I loved the idea of the Reverend and the quasi-religious fanaticism. It's also rare to have a handicapped hero, and I felt this was done well (though not always entirely believable. However, in this scenario not even military can afford to turn down someone who can handle a gun despite the artificial limb proving the occasional setback, so it allowed the possibility). While part of the world building was fairly standard post apocalyptic, the idea of the zombie colony (like a leper colony) was interesting, and the idea of tying in the apocalypse with zombies in a more SF type end of the world than a paranormal rising of the dead kind. I did feel the author had the voice right for YA.

What I didn't like.
I didn't much like or empathize with Holt, and emotionally speaking the story fell a little flat...until near the end. Then *spoilers* wham! Prepare to have your heart ripped out and stomped on! In my mind, Ambrose was more of the hero than Holt, and I would rather have seen it told at least partially from his POV (but maybe I'm biased toward a zombie hero after Warm Bodies). The story did drag a bit between action scenes - a little more trimming down on wordage or being more visceral would have picked up the pace somewhat.

In conclusion.
If you like the traditional zombie shoot-em-up but want extra and/or a different twist on it, this will satisfy you on both levels, and hopefully appeal to traditional zombie fans and those who might not normally pick up a zombie book. Those who like more emotional impact might find this a bit lacking. Although the story was complete, it left an opening for a sequel (which I would love to read). 

Collateral Damage by KS Augustin #scifi #romance

Title: Collateral Damage 
Author: KS Augustin
Genre: science fiction romance
Publisher: Sandal Press
Available: Amazon $0.00 (Kindle)
Rating: 4 stars
Rater: Pippa 





Blurb:
No good deed ever goes unpunished.
Meyal Lit has been alone on an orbital for the past six months, analysing the remote planet of Falcin V. It’s a lonely job but, if it means financial security for herself and her family, Meyal is happy to grit her teeth and do it. That is, until a rival exo-geologist on a station on the opposite side of the planet contacts her.
Even though they work for competing companies, loneliness drives Meyal and Waryd together. In between work shifts, they indulge in small talk and chat-sex, knowing nothing can come from their liaison. Then Meyal gets confidential news that could change the entire way she and Waryd operate. If she does nothing, Waryd dies; on the other hand, if she saves her rival, she can kiss her dreams of financial independence goodbye.
What’s a smart, introverted geologist to do?

What I liked.
Good characters, though perhaps Waryd wasn't as rounded out as Meyal - probably down to the length of the story and being told mostly from her POV rather than half and half. Good tension, with some action/adventure, which I didn't expect from the blurb and setting. I thought this would be more psychological than action (and that aspect of it, the whole dealing with long term isolation in space was well done), so that really added to it and kept it interesting. Nice world building. I'd love to see more set in this universe, and with these characters.

What I didn't like.
After some nice tension throughout the story, I felt this really dropped off at the end. I'd really like to see this as the opening of a novella/novel - as a short it felt somewhat unfinished. Or perhaps as the first of a series/serial. The opening *no spoilers* made me wonder if the whole story would be nothing but the sexual fantasies of a solitary woman in space - very pleased that wasn't the whole of it.

In conclusion.
Enjoyable and interesting short with good tension, but somewhat let down by the ending. A quick read for those with limited reading time with a decent blend of tech, characters, action, and a thought-provoking setting.

Caught In Amber by Cathy Pegau

Title: Caught in Amber 
Author: Cathy Pegau
Genre: science fiction romance
Publisher: Carina Press
Available: Amazon $1.99 (Kindle)
Rating: 4.5 stars
Rater: Pippa 




Blurb:
Recently out of rehab, Sasha James is determined to keep her head down, complete her parole and never touch amber again. The chip in her neck controls her cravings for the highly addictive drug, but also tracks her every move. Not that she goes anywhere other than work and the halfway house she calls home—a far cry from her luxurious former life as lover of the mining colony's top drug dealer, Guy Christiansen.
Agent Nathan Sterling has no desire to see Sasha fall back into amber, but his sister has become Guy's latest conquest and the unexpectedly attractive Sasha is the key to getting her back. So in exchange for an introduction, he offers Sasha the one thing she can't refuse—her freedom. From the chip, her parole and even the planet if she wants. Though he would be sorry to see her go…
Torn between her growing attraction to Nathan, fear of Guy and the allure of amber, Sasha accepts. But who will save her if Guy refuses to let her go a second time?

What I liked.
Sasha, despite her dark past, is an immediately likeable and sympathetic character. Even after being broken and having to rebuild herself from the drug-addicted shambles she's become, she's strong, intelligent, and a warm human being who doesn'twallow in self pity but lives with her regrets. She had every reason to tell Nathan Sterling where to stick his request (and frankly I'm not sure what he was offering was good enough a prize), yet she knows what Nathan's sister is heading for and wants to help.
I liked the world building and the idea of Amber, but felt that it wasn't as in depth as I'd like. It was the character and plot that prompted the five star rating for me.

What I didn't like.
Nathan - despite his good intentions and desire to protect Sasha, I'd like to give him such a slap. He still put her in serious danger for his own ends, and ultimately I found that a little too selfish. I felt he used her, no matter how sorry he was about it and how he fretted over her. From a personal perspective, I really hate to be used. Guy - I've no doubt he was a bad man, but I found myself conflicted over him. He genuinely appeared to care for Sasha and *potential spoiler* dealt with the real creep of the piece, so I actually found it hard to hate or understand him.

In conclusion.
This reminded me of a Humphrey Bogart thriller/detective story but in a futuristic setting. Not something I'd normally go for, but the author won me over with Sasha and the lovely dark, slightly Bladerunner-esque feel. The tension was good, both romantic and plot-wise, and the one sex scene was done well. I'd like to have seen more on the world building side. If you like spy thrillers along the lines of James Bond in the future, this is for you.

Sovran's Pawn by JC Cassels

Title: Sovran's Pawn (The Black Wing Chronicles #1)
Author: JC Cassels
Genre: Space opera
Publisher: Self 
Available: Amazon $2.99 (Kindle) $8.99 (Paperback)
Rating: 5+ stars
Rater: Pippa 





Blurb:
Convicted of treason and sentenced to be executed, Bo Barron is the last person who should be infiltrating a Sub-socia weapons auction. But when her father is kidnapped and the ransom demand is the schematics to an experimental weapon, she has no choice but to go under cover with her uncle to get it.

Nobody counted on former-government-agent-turned-holofeature-hero Blade Devon’s infatuation with her. A botched assassination under the guise of a bar brawl leaves Bo blind and Blade wondering if there isn’t more to this job than he was led to believe.

Never able to resist playing the hero, Blade tends her injuries and delves deeper into the intrigue only to find this mission isn’t about a weapon at all. It’s about two Sovrans’ maneuvering for control, with Bo and Blade as their pawns.

All Bo and Blade have to do is figure out how to survive the game they didn’t know they were playing.

The catch is, no one and nothing are what they seem…

What I liked.
I loved the characters, even the secondary ones. Bo is a strong, capable woman without being so kick ass she simply becomes a caricature. She retains an edge of vulnerability, and definite femininity while remaining believable. She reminded me very much of Dejah Thoris from John Carter. By contrast, I expected to hate Blade, as I'm not a fan of alpha males in general. But his self confidence didn't stray into arrogance, and despite his notorious reputation, he's a man with a deep seated sense of honour. Maybe Captain Mal from Firefly but he doesn't try to make out he's not really a good person like Mal seemed to. Great story arc with a decent opening to further books with a bigger arc. Interesting settings and technology, though not heavy tech. A military edge with Bo's standing as leader of the Black Wing. Good romantic tension without any explicit scenes for those who prefer their romances without all the intimate details.

What I didn't like.
Absolutely nothing. If I have to pick something, the opening wasn't instantly grabbing to me, but since the action kicks then off very quickly I have no complaints.

In conclusion.
This was a fantastic piece of space opera along the lines of Firefly/Farscape/original Battlestar Galactica. Flawless, entertaining, and with a solid, intriguing cast of three dimensional characters and thorough world building. This is one of my top reads for 2014, and I can't wait to read the next book in the series!