Close Encounters

Alien Affairs #1

by Katherine Allred

Kiera Smith is not like ordinary Genetically Engineered Persons…

The Bureau of Alien Affairs needed a special GEP agent with empathic abilities to handle their most extraordinary assignments--and a rogue geneticist saw to it that Kiera fit their specifications. But she turned out stronger, faster, smarter, and more impervious to harm than anyone anticipated. A reluctant “superhero,” Kiera wishes she were normal, but it is not to be.

On Orpheus 2, the indigenous Buri race faces extinction, a prospect the powerful Dynatec corporation welcomes and, in fact, may be actively hastening. As a special agent for the Bureau of Alien Affairs, it is Kiera’s job to protect these beautiful, exotic aliens…and to discover what there is on Orpheus 2 that Dynatec feels is worth killing for.

But the magnetic allure of the breathtaking Buri leader is proving a dangerous distraction. And now, to save Thor’s people, Kiera will need a power she’s never before possessed--something hidden in the unexplored recesses of her heart.

Genres: Science Fiction, Romance, Aliens, Fantasy, Science Fiction Romance, Futuristic, Paranormal Romance

368 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 25, 2009

About the author

Katherine Allred was born in Arkansas and spent her formative years there learning to love books at her grandfather's knee. When she was five, her mother remarried and moved them to Michigan, where they stayed for the next ten years. At age fifteen, the entire family moved back home to Arkansas, and she's been there ever since, except for brief stints in other countries and states while her hubby was in the army.

After receiving a BS in journalism from Arkansas State University, Katherine began her writing in earnest. To date, she's had seven books published, with number eight being released in April, 2009, and number nine just completed.

A member of Romance Writers of America, Katherine has achieved many awards for her novels, including the 2006 EPPIE award, winning the PASIC Book of Your Heart contest in 2002, and having a novel named Best Book of the Year by Romance Reviews Today in 2005. She currently writes for Eos, the science fiction imprint of Harper Collins Publishing.

Reviews

[Brownbetty · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a pretty dumb book. It frequently gave me the desire to enrol the author in a remedial tenth-grade science course. But at least it's inoffensively dumb?

So, Kiera Smith is a GEP (genetically engineered person, I think.) But unlike other GEPs, whose genes are drawn from the human population, hers are drawn from GEPs!one1! Which means she has all sorts of abilities normal GEPs don't have: super strengh, and super speed, as well as limited telepathy and enhanced healing. [This space reserved for Venn diagram illustrating why this is stupid.:] Her job is to work for the Department Of Protecting Innocent Indigenous From Corporate Exploitation (not actual name.)

So, she gets sent to this planet to discover why the natives are not reproducing, and to save them from a company which wants to claim the planet when the natives die out. There, she discovers they are not merely natives, but Noble Savages(tm)! Noble, hot Savages, Aryan Ubermenschen, one of whom she accidentally marries. I don't know why she's so surprised by this, my extensive study of SGA fanfiction indicates this occurs in roughly half of all first contact situations.

So, yeah, telepathic giant cat companion, surprise!soulbond, she is the foreseen priestess who saves the natives (does it count as 'What These People Need is a Honkey' if the Natives are more honkey than she is?) and insulting bad science-babble. I don't mind if the science is all handwaving, but if you're going to handwave everything, please don't use science-words I know the actual meaning of.

[Yune · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was pointed to this as a solid sf romance. I think the "sf" should be kindly removed, at least where "solid" is concerned. And we're talking a soft science, basic field anthropology.

Kiera is your typical genetically enhanced human with super strength and empathic psychic abilities, self-described as a "blonde bombshell" in this first-person-narrated tale -- yup, right on the first page. But of course she suffers from a terrible sense of loneliness, since even among genetically engineered folks she's extra special, and there's no one quite like her, oh woe. (This is accomplished by not taking genes from normal people and tinkering with them, but -- revolutionary! -- taking those tinkered genes from other genetically engineered people and then tinkering with them some more. Um.)

Her job is to ensure that natives on newly (re-)discovered planets aren't unfairly taken advantage of by various private companies who are greedy for resources or colonization space. She is, we're assured, the very best agent at this function.

Yet when she encounters the so-called aliens on the current planet of interest (all of whom are basically over-six-foot-tall hunks, actually described to look like "holovid stars," and who run around in loincloths), her first act is to approach one despite his growling and tense stance. Of course when she ignores these signs and steps even closer, he charges her "without further warning." How much warning does this woman need? She proceeds to intimidate him and beat another one in a fight, then hopes that she'll be able to maintain good relations with the rest of the group.

Then she makes food for them, some instant berries in chocolate sauce and whipped cream. Because if this is a primitive people of course we want to feed them multiple bowls of super-sweet stuff, to the point of encouraging them to come back for more dessert the next day!

When she meets the leader, she decides not to give him food, but a bath. She literally thinks, Please, please, please don't let them have a nudity taboo, even as she strips in front of him and the other guys. If she's worried about it, maybe she shouldn't get naked with the dude in a pool and soap him all over?

And when she can't pronounce his name, she insists on renaming him using a consonant that these people don't have in their language, and once communication is established they all mangle this unpronounceable name when talking to her and referring to the guy.

Great way to respect other species and let them know of their rights while keeping their dignity.

I'm sure the romance will rock some people's boat -- typical psychic soul-bonding stuff with a fierce warrior guy -- but I never found any of the characters interesting (and I haven't even mentioned the not-too-bright supposedly intelligent ship AI or the intelligent giant cat who accompanies, protects, and even understands her despite being of a purportedly dull species), and the entire setup was so contrived that I can't say I enjoyed this one at all.

[Lyndi W. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story, it was a engaging read. I wanted to throttle Keira quite often, but she acknowledged her shortcomings so quickly, I couldn't stay upset. The "Big Secret" that everyone is trying to figure out ends up being explained so poorly that I basically had to just brush it off and pretend it made sense so I could finish the story. And the ending is super rushed and oddly cobbled together. I feel like the author wrote the first 85% and then realized she needed to wrap shit up in only 15%, so she just crammed the ending in there and called it done.

Now, would I recommend the book? Yup. It was entertaining and even though it had some issues, I enjoyed it. I DNF'd the other book in this series, but if this author has any other sci-fi books, I'm definitely interested.

[Ruby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Are you a fan of Anne McCaffrey with her ships that speak, and races that seem to mean more than meets the eye? How about a heroine that is genetically engineered to protect that which she is swore to protect and that was satisfied with traveling the cosmos with her ship until fate lad her to the burly arms of a tribal man? Well, look no further than the debut novel of Katherine Allred, Close Encounters.

Meet Kiera Smith, a GEP(Genetically Engineered Person) with her cocky ship, Max and the rock cat that is just a little more intelligent than what's go for him, Crigo. Their job is to search for new life forms, map new planets, and basically trek through the galaxy. Though Kiera is okay with her life, the longing to be normal eats at her, even though she is very special indeed.

When a call comes in from her maker, Daniels, Kiera jumps at the chance to save a race and see why a major corporation has taken such an interest in a planet. What she finds is a primitive race that is gentle and may just be what she has been looking for, even though she might just have to fight to save it.

As I started this novel, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I am not a big sci fi fan, though I did enjoy Anne McCaffrey and others like her. This book, though, truly surprised me. Reading like an urban fantasy with lush environments and memorable characters that draw you in, Allred emerses her readers into a place where those wanting good plot get it and those wanting a romance with action are equally satisfied.

With scenes that are violent and others that will take your sexual breath away, this is definitley for the older reader, but is definitely worth a read or two. Even if you are not into sci fi and like the feel of urban fantasy, this book might appeal to you. So, take a ride on a ship called Max and enjoy the creative mind of Katherine Allred in Close Encounters.....

[Carolyn F. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book! The cover - eh - but the book was great. Kiera is a super human brewed up in a laboratory by an evil genius (of course). She's sent to new planets when there are claims by companies to take over the planet and to see if all claims are legitimate. She's sent to Orpheus Two and learns all kinds of fascinating stuff. I see this is Alien Affairs #1, so hopefully I will see more of Kiera in Alien Affairs #2.

[CJ - It's only a Paper Moon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thor?

[Virgil Fuqua · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay folks Katherine is a good writer. She has written mainly Romance stories as far as I can determine till this one. I'm basing this on the list of books on her web site. http://www.katherineallred.com/index....
From reading her excerpts from her other works, and this one I'm reviewing I can determine that she writes well. She catch me the reader attention and hold it. Why then the three stars and not better?

One of the criteria a writter she stick with is write about what you know. This story Close Encounter, really tells you what its about with it title. But there is a lot more then just meeting an alien race. This story is far into our on future. Out heroine is a artifical person gene engineer. Find, go premise for a SciFi story. Especially now when we can see the possiblity of this happening.

Characterization is good. I really liked Kiera and Max the talking spaceship. lol. The story weave environment, people and technology into a whole mix that is interesting. Now myself I figured out the Bari people from the beginning when the first DNA results are annouced.

So far nothing here to make this story so poorly rated. In Katherine had stuck with these things everything would of been good. I would of gave her at least 4 stars for the good mix of science fiction and romance. But like Susan Grant stories she does not know astrophysic.

As long as she stuck to biology she was doing good. But she can't tell the difference between solar systems and galaxies!!!!! She uses the terms interchangeably. Every time she knock me out of my state of suspension of disbelief. It was like walking down a sidewalk and have a tree limb fall on you.

Now the story without these faluts was pretty good. As a science fiction if you are going to be talking about solar systems, galaxies and star travel you need to know what you are talking about. I really hated this as she did not need these subjects mentioned in the story at all. They were just icing to the background but were so blantantly wrong that they knock 1-2 stars off my rating.

The story writing was so good that I will pick up the 2nd in a book store just to see if she has learn her lessons.

But for now this is only a 3 star book.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

This has been on and off my to-read list several times. I keep adding it when I get in the mood for something science fiction related but then end up taking it off again.

I finally made the attempt and sadly this just isn't for me. It is kind of cheesy in the way that lots of romance novels are but had there been a better story in there somewhere I might have at least finished it, but I just kept putting it down. I just kept rolling my eyes.

Everything felt contrived. Everything. The heroine was a genetically modified super-human but instead of using her powers for good she used her powers to annoy me. She was unforgivably smug and she was just better than everyone else. I didn't sympathize with her. I didn't root for her. I wasn't interested in reading a steamy sex scene in which she was featured.

I would probably have just given this one star but I reserve one star reviews for books I hate. I didn't care about this particular heroine or her story enough to hate her. I just wasn't interested in finding out what happens, which insignificant events led up to HEA with baby.

[Kylie Griffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not usually a huge fan of first person romance novels (and this is the second one I've read recently that I've really liked).

Hat's off to Katherine Allred for her ALIEN AFFAIRS:CLOSE ENCOUNTERS novel. From the start I was gripped by her heroine, Kiera, and the world-building.

What caught me first was the blurb - I have an interest in genetic-engineering, nothing too scientific, more along the lines of how manipulating traits and giving a character certain talents or enhanced abilities would play out within the context of a story. Would the character see them as a strength or weakness? How would other characters view the same? How would something like that impact a story line?

Allred's heroine - Keira Smith - is a GEP, a genetically engineered person (a woman grown in a laboratory). She has a host of superior physical abilities but even more advanced than you average GEP. So much so she views herself as a freak among freaks and sees it as a disadvantage in a universe that already sees her kind as unusual.

The story revolves around her coming to realise and accept these super-abilities, she's the key to saving an indigenous race threatened with genocide from a powerful corporation driven by greed and profit.

The world-building and the complexities of the external plot were compelling but it was Allred's character that sucked me into the pages. I couldn't put the book down and read it in a night. If you're looking for a good SFR (sci-fi romance) book then check out this series!

[Pamela(AllHoney) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book in the Alien Affairs series by Katherine Allred. Kiera Smith is a GEP, not a natural. Meaning she was created in a lab versus born of a woman and man. But she was created superior. Now she is indentured to Alien Affairs and sent to Orpheus Two to investigate claims that the indigenous people are dying out. A company named Dynatec is laying claim on the planet and one has to wonder why. Once there Kiera meets the Buri people. Thor, the name Kiera gives the Buri man that Kiera is attracted to, appears to be the leader. Communication is difficult at first but Kiera is determined to learn the truth behind all the mysteries of the Buri people and Orpheus Two.

I have read a few of Ms. Allred's contemporary romances and liked them. So when I found she wrote Sci-fi romance I was excited to see how they were. I liked it. The heroine is no simmering miss. She is strong and superior to everyone she meets. But all she really wants is to be normal. It was written from the first person point of view of the heroine so we never get to get inside the minds of the hero or the Buri people. Well, we sort of do but not in the way that truly satisfied me. But I will continue this series.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

You have to go into this book being clear on what it is: a genial contemporary-style romance blended with a 1950s-style space opera of the H. Beam Piper type. If you know much science, particularly biological science, set it aside; you'll be much happier without it for the duration.

The slightly Mary Sue-ish Keira (beautiful and kickass, but what heroine isn't these days?) is an enjoyable narrator, and although she doesn't face much real opposition and it's always very clear where things are going, I wasn't bored.

Recommended for a rainy afternoon or to read at the beach while unwinding.

[Kimberly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book, but I just couldn't.

Characters were flat and one-dimensional, and the main character I found quite unlikable.

As far as SciFi Romance goes, I've definitely read better.

I won't be continuing this series.

[Katie(babs) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Close Encounters takes place a few hundred years in the future. Science and technology has evolved and space travel is the norm. Cloning is also accepted and these clones are called Genetically Engineered Persons, also knows as GEPs. Natural Humans are called Naturals. When GEPs were created, there were some prejudices against them. But that stopped when the Galactic Federation Council passed the Equality Edict to stop the bigotry. But bigotry can not be erased, it just goes into hiding, so says Kiera Smith who is a GEP and quite the blonde bombshell. She is owned by the Bureau of Alien Affairs. Kiera is different from the other GEPs because she is stronger, faster, can heal quickly and is an empath. Her job is keep watch over big trade companies that try to take over a planet and the species that live there. After a new species is located and studied, Kiera will make sure they know their rights under to Equality Edict. Kiera has a lot of power in her hands because she is the one to decide if the trade company can take control of the planet or allow the species there to decide what should happen.

Kiera’s boss sends her to the planet Orpheus Two where Dynatec, the largest of the independent trade companies has staked a claim to full ownership of the planet where the indigenous species are near extinction. The species on Orpheus Two are the Buri and there are barely seventy of these creatures who have an extremely low birthrate. Kiera has two months to make a decision. She has to figure out why the Buri are not having offspring and if there is anything they can do to stop their extinction. The Buri are much like the caveman of old with their loincloths and long hair. The men are big and tall but very good looking. They also have no use for technology and live off the land.

So off goes Kiera with her pet rock cat named Crigo, who reminds me of a cross between a tiger and a lion, and her ship Max who is part Hal from 2001: A Space Odyssey and Kitt from Knight Rider. When Kiera arrives on Orpheus Two she is met by some of the crew working for Dynatec. They are not happy that she is there because she is a GEP and most of them are Naturals. Also Kiera has an extreme dislike for everything Dynatec. But since she is a professional, she will put her bias aside and do her job to the best of her ability.

Since the Buri have their own language and Kiera can’t understand them, she gives the Buri nicknames such as Junior who is a very young male Buri, Brownie whose eyes and hair are a deep brown and Auntie Em, an older woman who everyone in the tribe turns to for advice. Kiera also meets their leader who she nicknames Thor. Kiera and Thor hit it off right away even with the barriers of language between them. But Kiera and Thor are intelligent enough to communicate in other ways. She becomes very attracted to Thor and because she is a bit too open and friendly with Thor, he chooses her as his mate. (I find it a bit interesting that Kiera seems so in tuned to what Dynatec is trying to accomplish, but when it comes to Thor, she is oblivious. Not until the very last moment when they are basically having their bonding ceremony does she realize she is getting hitched.)

While Kiera is making friends with the Buri and being romanced by Thor, she is also staying under the radar of the Dynatec crew so she can observe them and make sure they don’t have anything nasty up their sleeves. Not only are certain Dynatec members not what they seem but Thor is keeping secrets to protect his people. He wants to trust Kiera because the Buri think she is their Shushanna which means savior. Kiera struggles inside her because for the first time in her life she has been accepted for the person she is. Will Kiera turn her back on everything she is to stay with Thor and embrace a new culture and life with the Buri?

Close Encounters started out quiet well. I was very interested in the character of Kiera. Her voice is refreshing and one you can find a connection with. Kiera is one of those heroines who takes control of a situation but doesn’t rush in without thinking first. She is intelligent and has a level head. And even though she may be an artificial life form, she didn’t lament on her situation or her life. She takes it at face value and deals whatever comes her way. Perhaps Kiera was a bit too perfect in that sense. When she arrives on Orpheus Two she acts if is just another day at the office. She doesn’t seem uncomfortable in her surroundings. I was expecting her to be bit more wary because she is entering enemy territory from both sides with Dynatec and the Buri.

As for the Buri, they were a bit too welcoming when it comes to Kiera. Again, I expected some distance on their part. The Buri find Kiera very interesting for no reason I can think of other than that she is a female who wears pants and won’t be pushed around. Kiera does gain their trust, but it happens so fast. Once they realize Kiera is female, they don’t treat her like a female of the tribe. Even after she shows she can fight with the best of them, they treat her like one of good old boys. For a so-called primitive culture, it just didn’t ring true to me.

Everything comes together so easily for Kiera and with her new found friends. Even with the language barrier, they understand her and visa versa. She just clicks to well with them. She especially fits in very well with Thor and his sister who welcome Kiera with open arms. Even when Kiera is able to communicate with Thor, he doesn’t seem too concerned about why she is there and what she thinks Dynatec has planned. The relationship between Thor and Kiera is a bit stale for my tastes and I found their chemistry not as well rounded as I would have liked. Thor didn't really do anything for me, and I really couldn’t see what Kiera saw in him and why she would want to be with him. I guess it was Thor’s physique and how he looked in his loin cloth that got Kiera’s blood pumping.

Towards the end of Close Encounters I found myself wanting to skim because I had become bored. I really didn’t find myself having any emotional connection with the Buri and by the time I found out what secret the Buri were hiding, I was ready to put down the book.

Would I read the next book in Katherine Allred’s Alien Affairs Novel? Probably not, unless another male with a stronger personality came along and saved Kiera from the hum drum life of the primitive Buri.

[GONZA · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't know if it's because of the pseudoscience or the super intelligent super strong super genetically engineered and hot main protagonist who narrates everything in the first person, but around the 50 page mark I gave up all hope that anything could be salvaged from this book...

Io non so se per via delle pseudoscienze o della protagonista principale super intelligente, super forte, super sexy e super geneticamente modificata, che racconta tutto in prima persona, ma intorno alle 50 pagine ho rinunciato ad ogni speranza che si potesse salvare qualcosa di questo libro....

[Rachel-RN · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kiera is a GEP (Genetically Enhanced Person) who works for Alien Affairs. I thought this was interesting. See, a corporation will commission a GEP and they will be created for a specific job(s). What I didn't care too much for was how Keira was the best of the GEP (she's been enhanced far more than the average one). It was too much she is "special." Alien Affairs has rules/regulations that exist to protect indigenous species for evil corporations. Kiera is their best agent (any surprise there?).
I did like the mystery- what is happening to the Buri? Are they really dying out? Are they original to the planet? Overall, I liked this.

[Maya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pro:
-fascinating world
- great premise
- interesting protagonist
- lots of potential for more interesting stories in a series

Con:
- had trouble with the way the characters sometimes interacted with one another, in the sense of some things happening too quickly to be plausible sometimes, motivations didn't always makes sense to me
- didn't care for the way the protagonist seemed very ready to have another female character provide for her food needs without a second thought, felt dismissive and disrespectful
- pet peeve: scifi provides unique opportunity for authors to show creativity in language, so it feels like a hugely missed opportunity when cursing, cliches, and turns of phrase are the same as in other genres
- protagonist is a first contact specialist, hero is the leader of his people, yet both engage in occasions of "Physically attack someone first, find out what it is all about later". Was a turn-off in terms of likeability of both characters, but more importantly, was opposite to the kind of behaviour that goes hand in hand with their respective professional roles
- internal logic flaw: much is made of protag's super strength and speed, far beyond the capacity of humans and even all other enhanced peers, yet in a run through the jungle hero keeps up with her. Really?

[Carien · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a SciFi Romance this book was a pleasant enough read, but a bit too easy in my opinion.

First there's Keira:
she's just too much in my opinion. I like my lead characters to have some flaws, but Keira is just nearly perfect in every way. Ok, she has her emotional issues, but those are added to an otherwise complete and perfect package and didn't make me feel for her, instead it made her look whiny.

Then there are the Buri:
Why is it that in every SciFi Romance I come across the aliens are basically humans? Especially when it comes to love interests! The Buri are just as Keira human in shape, only bigger, better and more gorgeous. Now I can live with humanoid aliens when the story is set on earth. I mean: a tentacle beastie would stand out in a crowd and therefor for earth based SciFi humanoids are just the most likely to be able to fit in on earth. But I really would like to read about an off-world SciFi romance where one of the two is looking a bit more alien. If anyone has any recommendations let me know!

All in all this was a nice read though. Most of the world building was fun. I really liked the dragonbirds and Keira's rock cat Crigo. If I'm looking for a pleasant, easy read I might even pick up the next book in this series.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Close Encounters' ist eine SuB-Leiche, die mich absolut überraschen und begeistern konnte! Ich hatte mich immer vorm Lesen gedrückt, weil ich was ganz anderes vermutet habe, aber mir gefällt es, dass der Sci-Fi und Alien-Anteil so gering gehalten wird. Die Geschichte konzentriert sich lange darauf, dass Kiera Kontakt zu den Buri aufnimmt, deren Herkunft und Geschichte kennen lernt und sich in den Stamm integriert und das hat die Autorin sehr schön dargestellt. Von den ersten hilflosen Versuchen miteinander zu kommunizieren bis hin zur Lösung dieser Frage, hat es mir gefallen. Dazu noch diese bunte Welt mit Drachen-Vögeln und Rock Cats.
Das Einzige was mich ein bisschen gestört hat, waren dann die Längen, die etwa aber der Mitte hin aufkamen - man hat sich in der Welt zurecht gefunden und wäre eigentlich bereit, dass es jetzt ein bisschen rasanter weiter geht, aber das gibt uns die Autorin erst zum Schluss.
Alles in allem war das Buch ganz anders als erwartet, aber durchaus positiv. Jetzt freue ich mich direkt auf den zweiten Band, der aber mit dieser Geschichte hier kaum was zu tun haben dürfte. Schade eigentlich.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Buri world building and backstory was very interesting, I find myself wishing the series was following them rather than the GEP's (Genetically Engineered Persons) of the Alien Affairs bureau. As a uber-GEP I thought the heroine of this story had it a bit too easy. The rest of the characters were a bit flat (or maybe I was just hoping to get to know them better). I had this book tagged as sci-fi but I definitely have to switch this over to the futuristic romance category as there really wasn't as much of a sci-fi element as I expected, it's a pretty tame blending of science fiction, fantasy, and romance. Though this could have been a great sci-fi story if it had a bit more oomph. I do plan to read the second book in the series, since it's already sitting on my shelf.

[Borderstar · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't expect to enjoy this book so much but it was really quite a good story - the storyline was different to the usual sci-fi romance that I have read so far which was a nice break from the norm. And it was quite a nice and 'light' read as opposed to some I have read recently which are quite dark stories.

There was some action, mystery, adventure and fantasy set on a new alien world and mixed up with a love story/romance running through the majority of the book.

A nice little read and one that would convince me to read other books by this author in future.

The main characters' story is concluded in this book, so I am guessing whilst they may be mentioned as an aside in future books in the series, the next one will be about a new set of main characters.

[Aaron · Rating 1 out of 5]

Awful! This is one of the worst books I've ever read in my life. It's boring, uninspired, and generally reads like a draft. Numerous technical errors buffet the inconsistent "plot," all the characters are one-dimensional -- half of them obvious Mary Sues (the MC is an author self-insert) -- and there is a clear lack of skill on the author's part. DON'T READ IT! It's a huge waste of time. I'd sell it, but I don't want to do that to anyone.

[Circuit · Rating 1 out of 5]

I think this book can be summed up in one word: Overkill

Holy Shit is this bad! I got to chapter 3 and could not continue. The main character is an annoying super person, supersonic alien affairs person-thing. She is faster, stronger, smarter, better than anyone else and if you don't know it she will let you know every two pages of how awesome she is. It goes into my complete shite shelve NOW!

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good book. Not fantastic. It appealed to all the emotions which women are inclined to seek stimulation of. There was love, lust, trust, safety, self-sufficiency, belonging, and hope. All in all.. I good warm fuzzy book! While I enjoyed it, I probably won't be seeking out other novels by the author.

[NebulousGloom (FK) · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the main character wasn't hugely appealing from page 1, she grew on me. Generally, the book was well written, the characters were likable and the plot was compelling. The main negative was that the main character seemed a bit dense to be superhuman. Still, I really enjoyed it and will read others of hers.

[Jacqueline J · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was okay but I'm not fond of the hocus pocus female shaman thing in any book.

[Stephen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Given up after 50 or so pages :( SciFi that is starting to descend into Mills & Boon. Not for me.

[K. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Did not enjoy this book at all.

[Reyna · Rating 1 out of 5]

BBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORIIIINGGG

[Varied Books]

Maybe I'll p/u. Only told in hpov which is a bummer.

[jammaster_mom · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this book up on a whim. I think it was recommended by Goodreads based on other books I have read. I was hoping for a Sci-Fi book with some romance and this book is more romance with some Sci-Fi elements. There isn't lots of time given over to explaining technology, which I appreciate, but there also is a lot of awkward scenes. Characters move or do things that don't make a lot of sense in order to set up later actions. There are smexy bits but descriptions are not over the top. Overall this series has potential but isn't quite there yet for me.