Prophecy by Lea Kirk #scifi #romance #spaceopera

Title: Prophecy (Book One in the Prophecy series)
Author: Lea Kirk
Genre: scifi romance
Publisher: self
Available: Amazon (pre-order price) $0.99 (Kindle) 342 pages
Rating: 5*
Rater: Pippa




Blurb:
One normal day turns into a nightmare when Earth is attacked. Now ER nurse Alexandra Bock is imprisoned aboard an alien slave ship with no way out. She deems all aliens untrustworthy, including the handsome blue-skinned Matiran captain who shares her cell.

One night of betrayal leaves Senior Captain Gryf Helyg a prisoner of his enemies. Because of him, Earth’s indigenous people face extinction and his home world is threatened. But his plans for escape are complicated by his inexplicable draw to the Earth woman imprisoned with him.

One ancient prophecy holds the key to free Alexandra and Gryf’s war-ravaged worlds. Can two wounded souls who have lost everything learn to trust and forgive in order to fulfill the prophecy, and find a love that will last for eternity?

What I liked:
I've never been a fan of alien abduction or contemporary (ish) settings, which just goes to prove what a fabulous book this must be to win past my prejudices. Kirk's greatest skill lies in crafting her characters, winning you over to them, and writing even secondary romances in such a way that not only tugs on your heartstrings but completely reels you in, rips you apart, and leaves you with the warm fuzzies and tears in your eyes afterward. Prophecy also offers a different twist on the alien abduction trope by making both main characters abductees imprisoned together - one alien and one human - a variation that helped win me over (I'm not a fan of female abductee falls for alien abductor). It also plays on the Atlantis mythology, and two of my favourite themes: Soul mates and psi powers. The sex scenes are sensual and hot yet surprisingly quite non-explicit. This story packs some serious emotional punch.

What I didn't like:
While the story jumps straight into events, the first few chapters dragged just a fraction with all the main characters held prisoner. In some ways I suppose it accurately reflects their own frustrations at being trapped in a cell, but I would have liked it to move on a bit quicker. That said, it didn't put me off reading or impact my overall thoughts on the book.

In conclusion:
I LOVED. This. Book. While it's a little light on the SF elements for me, it's a stunning debut that reads like the work of a long-term professional author. The writing is smooth and highly polished, with great sensual intimacy in the sex scenes without a lot of explicit wording. Wonderfully three dimensional characters and perfectly written primary and secondary romances that will leave you longing for a Matiran of your own. Recommended for fans of alien abduction/invasion stories, gut-punching sensual romance, those who don't like their SFR too tech-heavy, and especially if you're looking for a variation on the alien abduction theme.

I received an ARC from the author for an unbiased and honest review.

Awake My Soul by CE Kilgore #spaceopera

Title: Awake My Soul
Author: CE Kilgore
Genre: Space Opera/Scifi Romance
Publisher: Tracing the Stars
Available: Amazon $2.99 (Kindle) 71 pages
Rating: 3*
Rater: Pippa



Blurb:
Bred to be a perfected example of Xen'dari genetic code, Hark had always known that something about him was slightly askew when compared to the rest of the Xen’dari in line. He could tell that there was a slight variation. He could feel it, but there was still something missing. Something within him that remained slumbering, awaiting the spirit that would awaken his soul.

Zasi was not certain what to make of the blue-eyed man found nearly dead in space, but one thing became quickly clear. He was not the typical Xen'dari that she, a proud Ruisk, had come to loathe and fear. Something about him called to her spirit and asked her to see past what he was to help him discover who he could become.

What I liked:
This is a book that deals with discrimination, subjugation, and diversity. All things even our civilized Western society still suffers from, and it was great to see it tackled so head on and so well in this story. As always the world building is well done and interesting, and continues to build on the Corwint universe.

What I didn't like:
The romance was too rushed and not believable for me. I also found the conflict at the end resolved too quickly and easily. Much as I'd love years of intolerance and cultural brainwashing to be stamped out so instantly and with no bloodshed, but even in fiction I find it unbelievable. Not for the central characters so much, particularly Hark, as we see their understanding grow and know their background, but for all the secondary characters to just fall in line with a short speech didn't ring true. I would like to have seen this acceptance and understanding take place at a more natural pace and with the inevitable conflicts.

In conclusion:
I don't normally post reviews for books that I rate three stars, or review or rate anything less than that, but since I've reviewed all the other books in the series so far I couldn't really skip one. Although well written and enjoyable, the rushed romance and too pat resolution spoiled it for me and left me dissatisfied with this particular title. Still worth reading as part of the universe to learn more of the races, cultures and characters making it up, but not the best of the bunch.

Breathe Into Existence by CE Kilgore #spaceopera #scifi #romance

Title: Breathe Into Existence (Corwint Central Agent Files, #4)
Author: CE Kilgore
Genre: Space opera/scifi romance
Publisher: Tracing the Stars
Available: Amazon $3.80 (Kindle) 246 pages
Rating: 5*
Rater: Pippa




Blurb:

Asha journeys to the Vesparian homeworld, breaking the laws of her sisterhood in a hope to save the life of Merik - the Trexen who nearly lost his mind in his attempts to protect her from herself. As she seeks reconciliation for her past and a reason to hope for the future, she must accept responsibility for Merik's condition at the possible cost of her heart.

Merik awakens to an alien world and the silver eyes that have come to haunt his dreams. Fighting against his Trexen nature, his heart begs him to protect Asha while his carnal spirit calls him to claim her as his and no one else's.

Bonds will be forged and broken. Trust will be lost, love tested and the strings of Fate pulled taught. The universe will tilt as two Vestrasa collide and Ethan learns a truth that has the power to change everything.

What I liked:
This is a hard one to do without spoilers: be warned! So, my new favourite character got what I was hoping for. Despite the head hopping and multiple POVs, I found this one far less confusing to follow than book three. And wowzers, was there was a huge surprise with massive, universe changing potential at the end! Lots of tension culminating in what would be a completely satisfying conclusion as a final book, but intriguing threads that promise more to come. I much preferred this one to book three.

What I didn't like:
There are still another four books to come, and none of them are available yet! I felt that after all the build up the fate of the 'villain', though expected, was a bit of a damp squib. And yet, in some ways, we understand his drives so much better that some may feel sympathy for him. The head hopping remains an issue, but less confusing in this installment.

In conclusion:
Classic space opera with real emotion that made me cry. Loved the ending, loved the romance that was resolved in this book, and in some respects this would be a great finale to a series, while still leaving openings for more books (which the back matter promises there will be). Who is the mysterious fourth player?! Oh, and I'd recommend skipping the side stories to make it easier to focus on the main books as it's less confusing. Those can stand alone so you can always come back to them later.

Tracing the Stars by CE Kilgore #spaceopera #scifi #romance

Title: Tracing the Stars (Corwint Central Agent Files #3)
Author: CE Kilgore
Genre: Space opera/scifi romance
Publisher: Tracing the Stars
Available: Amazon $3.80 (Kindle) 251 pages
Rating: 3.5*
Rater: Pippa




Blurb:
Hankarron Eros has loved Tara since she had pigtails, but his fear of losing the strength and support that their friendship provides leads him to keep his heart's desires locked away. When the truth about his family is exposed and leaves him grasping to hold onto his ship, his crew and his sanity, words are spoken that can't be taken back and the presence he had grown so used to having at a convenient reach is gone.

Tara Flint has never denied her heart's attraction to the floppy-haired, brown-eyed Hankarron, even if he can be a stupid limik sometimes. Her strong will falters as she is forced to decide between a promise she made to her father, a boy she has loved since she had pigtails and the possibility of finding out what her life might be like without the presence of Hankarron always by her side.

When you get knocked down, you get back up and hit the other guy harder. Trip 'Wild Fists' Weston is a Runata'ji combat fighter at the top of his career with a fame and fortune he doesn't want and a Lucky Clover tattooed across his heart to remind him of the girl who is always just out of reach. When Tara's luck lands her in his lap without Hankarron on her heels, Trip wonders if this is his chance to capture his Clover, or if Tara's luck has other ideas in mind. Fate doesn't always give you want you want, but it will always give you what you need.

Jennadri Szina doesn't have time for matters of the heart or trying to get two wayward agents back on track. She's got a mission to run, a Director who is dying and a mother who isn't easy to impress. When Jehdra sends her to save Hank and Tara, Jen takes her mother's mission on at full speed, but she isn't prepared to manage 'Wild Fists' Weston and his damn dimple.

They say that the stories of our time will one day be traced into the stars to help guide others home. Fate strings intertwine with skipping stones across the stars of the universe, pulling it forward and writing new lines in the night sky as the Corwint Central Agent saga continues to lead Ethan, Orynn and Jarren towards a collision that holds the power to change everything.

What I liked:
The plot thickens and the tension and intrigue continue to rise. This one, perhaps more than the previous two, starts to hint that there's much more going on than anyone realized, and way more at stake than just Orynn's safety and freedom. The depth of the world building and differing cultures, plus more behind the existence of both the Vesparians, Trexens, and the Mechatronic Automatons, grows ever more complex. The situation between Asha and Merik is becoming increasingly tense. The secondary romance was more satisfying than the main romance.

What I didn't like:
The main focus of this book is the first romantic couple listed in the blurb, and to my mind it is the least satisfying and most overly drawn out 'will-they/won't they' romance of the series. Painfully so. It made me flinch rather than ramping up the tension, and it was more a case of 'hurrah, that's over' rather than them getting their HEA.

In conclusion:
In terms of the main story arc - the two skipping stones or Vestrasa Jarren and Orynn - and the developing conflict on a cosmic scale, this was an improvement on book two. There's much more of the search for Orynn, more revelation on Jarren's scheming coming together and the realization that he has manoeuvred so many people while keeping his hand well hidden. In terms of the primary romance, it really fell flat to me (and I will admit to skipping ahead because I wanted more Merik and Asha). I actually preferred the fiery secondary romance between Trip and Jennahdri despite it happening too fast. However, the bigger storyline that started in book one is certainly building up tension and impetus, so I would say I rate book three more for that than the romance (though it is still most definitely a romance). Again, the very many POVs made it harder to follow. I will mention, however, that I have an older version of this book so some of it may have been tightened up since (as I know the author has updated them), and the few typos/errors I spotted have probably been remedied. This is not my favourite of the series so far. I also skipped the side stories so as to focus on the main books in the series, and I found that made it less confusing moving from book two to book three.

Whispers from Exile by CE Kilgore #spaceopera #scifi #romance

Title: Whispers from Exile (Corwint Central Agent Files #2)
Author: CE Kilgore
Genre: Space opera/scifi romance
Publisher: Tracing the Stars
Available: Amazon $0.00 (Kindle) 292 pages
Rating: 4*
Rater: Pippa




Blurb:
A love forbidden, and some would say impossible, forged between two friends as one struggles for the freedom of his people, and the other struggles for freedom from the confining construct of his mechanical existence.
The Ruisks were once a fierce and proud race with courageous spirits, but after over a century of being held captive under the oppressive leash of the Xen'dari Empire, they have become defeated, hollow shells that bow their heads in submission. Larx fights to help his people find their courage again as he seeks the courage to be true to the callings of his heart.
Torque has been a Central Agent for over one hundred and thirty years. Each day is defined by the protocols embedded into the subroutines of his Mechatronic mind. Orders are followed without question and his personal life is never put before the directives of the agency. After learning a groundbreaking truth, he fights to hold on to Larx and a bond that threatens to change his directive-driven world forever.
In Book 2, the rippling effects caused by Orynn's existence continue to move through the universe in unforeseen and unpredictable ways. Whispers of her aura linger, and the lives she touched continue to move the story of the universe forward. Follow the stories of the Central Agents as they continue to search for the truths about their universe and about themselves.
*This book is intended for mature readers and contains mild violence, coarse language and romantic scenes of intimacy.

What I liked:
As always, a well-paced, emotional story, this time with several romances of varying gender and/or species pairings threaded through it (there is something for everyone!) while also going back to the main story for Ethan and Orynn. It progresses the overall series arc, while also focusing on intertwining characters with their own stories. I've developed a sudden obsession with bad boy Merik, because here we see hints that there's more to him under that twisted, murderous exterior.

What I didn't like:
This book didn't gel so well for me. While I bought this as part of the Corwint series rather than as a m/m SciFi romance, the latter is what I expected from the focus of the blurb and the excerpt on the author's website. Instead it was straight back to Orynn and Ethan. While I adore them and was very happy to get back to them after the two side stories between books one and two, it felt like I'd picked up the wrong book to begin with! It took until the end of chapter four to get my bearings when it became the story in the blurb, but it then took several more chapters for it all to come together. I also found the head hopping during the m/m sex scenes very confusing. I almost wonder if it might have been better to have Larx and Torque's romance as a separate story in its own right. There were just too many characters to keep track of and maybe, just maybe, too many romances happening at once.

In conclusion:
A great continuation of the series, full of heart-wrenching romances and tension, though somewhat confusing with the dual main storylines and numerous character POVs. If you like m/m romances, and especially non-human with human or android interactions, this is for you but you need to have at least read book one (the side stories aren't required reading though). As always, Kilgore writes the emotional turmoils of her characters with real impact - if you don't cry at least once you are as heartless as the Xen'dari make out the Mechas to be! Debating whether to go straight to book three or read the side stories first.

Girl from Above: Escape by Pippa DaCosta #spaceopera

Title: Girl from Above: Escape (The 1000 Revolution #2)
Author: Pippa DaCosta
Genre: Space opera
Publisher: Self
Available: Amazon $2.99 (Kindle) 193 pages
Rating: 4*
Rater: Pippa




Blurb:
Caleb Shepperd knows Fran has her own motives for helping him escape prison, but he’s not about to let a little thing like past betrayal stand in the way of his next paycheck. Until he’s forced to meet with the sexy and psychotic pirate, Adelina Cande. They’ve met before. When he seduced her, cleared out her credit account, and left her for dead in-the-black.

Caleb figures Adelina holds a grudge when she plants a bomb on his ship and demands he steal a fleet freighter for her, that is, if he ever wants to fly again. Get him drunk enough and he’ll try anything once, but this time, he has to balance his own greed, with the needs of a vengeful pirate and the scheming of his dubious second-in-command, Fran. What could possibly go wrong?

In the heart of Chitec headquarters, #1001 enlists an eager young technician to aid in her escape. But it’s not freedom she wants. It’s revenge. The memories of a life that don’t belong to her demand she finishes what she started. She believes she killed Caleb, now she's targeting Chitec CEO Chen Hung, and not even the hopeful technician can dissuade her.

What I liked:
Again, well-written, action-packed, and gritty, with an extra few 1000 words taking book two into the novel-length category. A good twist that gave me the shivers and explained a lot. There's a new secondary character that has all kinds of alarm signals going off, but I could just have a suspicious mind. The plot thickens!

What I didn't like:
Caleb is still a jerk. Actually, I'm trying to decide if he was even more of a jerk or not, but either way I really don't want him getting a happily ever after. And this time around, I struggled to reconcile his sensitivity to certain violent events having spent a second term in Asgard where he does all sorts to survive, which seemed abruptly out of character for him.

In conclusion:
Overall I'm enjoying these books, though they are not for the sensitive. Dark, gritty space opera that doesn't hold back, lots of tension, good twists, and the story and characters continue to develop (even if in Caleb's case this means him becoming even more of a jerk). I guess the ending is still a bit of a cliff hanger, though maybe not leaving as much in doubt as the ending of book one. Still no obvious romance, though again elements are hinted at. I'm hooked into reading book three, but disappointed that the release day has had to be pushed back to next year.

Warning: Contains revenge sex, frequent expletives (sometimes in Spanish), and varying levels of violence and gore.

Blood Siren by Michael Formichelli #scifi #spaceopera

Title: Blood Siren (Chronicles of the Orion Spur Book 1)
Author: Michael Formichelli
Genre: Scifi/Space Opera
Publisher: Self
Available: Amazon $2.99 (Kindle) 451 pages
Rating: 4*
Rater: Pippa




Blurb:
Cylus Keltan wants nothing more than to stay out of the poisonous bed of greed and politics, but when his surrogate father throws himself from a mile-high window, he is forced back into the corrupt world he swore never to return to. With the help of Nero Graves, a cybernetic agent, he uncovers a plot to cripple the government and deploy an alien super plague with the potential to kill billions known as "Siren."
Can they discover the link between his friend's death and Siren before it's too late?

What I liked:
Where do I start?! Warring dynasties, political intrigue, murder and mayhem, cool tech, aliens, virtual reality - this is a scifi/space opera of epic proportions and multilayered complexity, with something for pretty much every fan of science fiction. The descriptions are glorious, the characters fascinating and very individual, and the various cultures both alien and 'human' each have a very distinctive and well-thought out uniqueness. The world building alone was A+ for me.

What I didn't like:
While I loved the in-depth descriptions and complex politics, it did make the story on the slow side for me (sorry, I'm not as patient as I used to be!), especially at the midway point. It was also slightly lacking on emotional punch (one reason I tend toward SciFi romance rather than straight SF these days). It ended rather abruptly, but since this is clearly labelled as book one of a series, this was not a huge negative.

In conclusion:
This is not a quick or particularly easy read. It's definitely one more for the classic/epic SF fans who enjoyed books such as Dune or Asimov's Robot series, but with a shinier makeover. This story is what I hoped Jupiter Ascending would be like from the film's appearance, but everything that the film sadly failed to deliver. I'd read the next one for Nero Graves alone.