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UltraSecurity #1
A Surefire Way
UltraAgent Surefire’s plan is simple: Capture the transhuman thief Raven. Win back the respect of her father. Get a raise.
Easy, right?
Except Surefire just broke the number one rule of her employer, UltraSecurity, a niché security firm that solves crimes committed by genetically enhanced humans like Raven. She trailed Raven into a warehouse without backup. And something more powerful than any transhuman is waiting inside.
Raven’s plan is simple: Atone for his past crimes. Return stolen spiritual artifacts to restore the world’s balance. Don’t get caught by UltraSecurity.
Easy, right?
Until a spunky UltraSecurity agent is suddenly on his tail, although Raven wishes she was on … well, never mind … he can’t get distracted from his mission. Because she’s followed him into a warehouse filled with his reclaimed relics, and Raven’s ex-partner in crime is about to unleash a supernatural-sized complication into his plan.
His old partner has accidentally summoned an Aztec god who will destroy the world unless Raven stops this spirit with a superiority complex. To do this, Raven must team up with Surefire and reveal the truth about his powers, exposing her to a force that can either save the world or destroy them both.
Following Raven into that warehouse throws Surefire into a surreal world filled with moody gods, day-glo skulls, dizzying dimensional portals, maniacal half-roach magicians, and a sexy thief who is more than he appears under his snug t-shirt. Is Raven a criminal, or is he working for a higher power? Surefire needs to be certain, because if she joins him on this mission, she’ll have to surrender everything she believed in for a surefire way to save the world, discover her destiny and find true love.
Easy, right?
Except Surefire just broke the number one rule of her employer, UltraSecurity, a niché security firm that solves crimes committed by genetically enhanced humans like Raven. She trailed Raven into a warehouse without backup. And something more powerful than any transhuman is waiting inside.
Raven’s plan is simple: Atone for his past crimes. Return stolen spiritual artifacts to restore the world’s balance. Don’t get caught by UltraSecurity.
Easy, right?
Until a spunky UltraSecurity agent is suddenly on his tail, although Raven wishes she was on … well, never mind … he can’t get distracted from his mission. Because she’s followed him into a warehouse filled with his reclaimed relics, and Raven’s ex-partner in crime is about to unleash a supernatural-sized complication into his plan.
His old partner has accidentally summoned an Aztec god who will destroy the world unless Raven stops this spirit with a superiority complex. To do this, Raven must team up with Surefire and reveal the truth about his powers, exposing her to a force that can either save the world or destroy them both.
Following Raven into that warehouse throws Surefire into a surreal world filled with moody gods, day-glo skulls, dizzying dimensional portals, maniacal half-roach magicians, and a sexy thief who is more than he appears under his snug t-shirt. Is Raven a criminal, or is he working for a higher power? Surefire needs to be certain, because if she joins him on this mission, she’ll have to surrender everything she believed in for a surefire way to save the world, discover her destiny and find true love.
306 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2012
27 people are currently reading
744 people want to read
About the author
J.T. Bock
6 books61 followersWhen J.T. Bock was a child, she wanted to be James Bond or Indiana Jones or a vampire hunter or Wonder Woman. Whatever brought her the most action, adventure and romance while play acting on her stage—otherwise known as her grandmother's basement. Now J.T. has assembled her own team of action heroes, supernatural creatures and maniacal villains and set them on adventures far from her basement to exotic lands and alternate dimensions.
From a secret location outside of Washington, DC, J.T. conjures these pulse-pounding tales to share with those kindred readers looking for an exciting escape. Her alternate identity enjoys spending time with her workaholic husband and their sidekick rescue dog, traveling to interesting locales (San Diego Comic-Con), and enjoying life to the fullest with an amazing group of family and friends and a good glass of wine.
Check out J.T.'s latest adventures and find her by flashing her initials in the sky, opening up her favorite bottle of Pinot Noir, or by email at jennifer@jtbock.com.
From a secret location outside of Washington, DC, J.T. conjures these pulse-pounding tales to share with those kindred readers looking for an exciting escape. Her alternate identity enjoys spending time with her workaholic husband and their sidekick rescue dog, traveling to interesting locales (San Diego Comic-Con), and enjoying life to the fullest with an amazing group of family and friends and a good glass of wine.
Check out J.T.'s latest adventures and find her by flashing her initials in the sky, opening up her favorite bottle of Pinot Noir, or by email at jennifer@jtbock.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
August 13, 2016
An endlessly entertaining ride from beginning to end!
The story wrapped up in a way that was satisfying for a stand alone piece, but I sincerely hope that UltraSecurity continues as a series. I will be the first to pick up book two.
Surefire Way combines so many elements:
Super Humans, Ancient Gods, Indiana Jones style tomb raiding, highly classified government enforcement agencies, laugh out loud humor, inter-demensional hopping, steamy romance, leaps back in time, witty dialogue.... I could go on and on.
I love the chemistry between Surefire (UltraSecurity Agent) and Raven (the most wanted art thief she's tasked with bringing to justice)... The progression of their attraction was believable, the back-and-forth between the two was fantastic!
I even enjoyed all of the secondary characters (well, I didn't particularly like several of them, but I appreciated the way they were written) I think there were enough quirky agents in the ranks of UltraSecurity to fill out a magnificent series.
Some of My Favorite Moments:
***I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review***
The story wrapped up in a way that was satisfying for a stand alone piece, but I sincerely hope that UltraSecurity continues as a series. I will be the first to pick up book two.
Surefire Way combines so many elements:
Super Humans, Ancient Gods, Indiana Jones style tomb raiding, highly classified government enforcement agencies, laugh out loud humor, inter-demensional hopping, steamy romance, leaps back in time, witty dialogue.... I could go on and on.
I love the chemistry between Surefire (UltraSecurity Agent) and Raven (the most wanted art thief she's tasked with bringing to justice)... The progression of their attraction was believable, the back-and-forth between the two was fantastic!
I even enjoyed all of the secondary characters (well, I didn't particularly like several of them, but I appreciated the way they were written) I think there were enough quirky agents in the ranks of UltraSecurity to fill out a magnificent series.
Some of My Favorite Moments:
***I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review***
December 9, 2014
DNF at 3%
Heroine has to wear a mask to protect her identity - so I'm thinking superheroes and supervillians, right? Okay, I'm rolling with it.
Apparently they're "transhumans," humans that have some extra ability. M'kay. Frowning, but I'm reading on.
Then we get to the part where the heroine has her utility belt à la Batman and apparently a uniform. Unfortunately her cat has shed all over her only uniform forcing her to find something else. Does she find some jeans that let her move, a t-shirt and maybe some sort of shirt/jacket to protect her torso? Nope. She goes for a leotard from her gymnastics days. Which apparently doesn't fit her completely anymore. So now she's one of those comic-book women doing their crime-fighting in unbelievably ridiculous costumes with her ass and breasts barely covered.
You've just lost me.
DNF.
Heroine has to wear a mask to protect her identity - so I'm thinking superheroes and supervillians, right? Okay, I'm rolling with it.
Apparently they're "transhumans," humans that have some extra ability. M'kay. Frowning, but I'm reading on.
Then we get to the part where the heroine has her utility belt à la Batman and apparently a uniform. Unfortunately her cat has shed all over her only uniform forcing her to find something else. Does she find some jeans that let her move, a t-shirt and maybe some sort of shirt/jacket to protect her torso? Nope. She goes for a leotard from her gymnastics days. Which apparently doesn't fit her completely anymore. So now she's one of those comic-book women doing their crime-fighting in unbelievably ridiculous costumes with her ass and breasts barely covered.
You've just lost me.
DNF.
July 10, 2013
I was surprised by how much I liked this book. Rarely do I read a book with so few reviews anymore because I've been burned so many times. I gave up. Why I decided on this one? I'm not real sure. I was looking for something new and saw the promo post in a group I'm a member of. For some reason I thought, "What the hell? Let's take the risk." Yeah $.99 isn't a huge risk, but it's money that will never be spent on a candy bar. Anyway, this book was very action packed. Good amount of sexiness, but not over the top. The characters are pretty well rounded. I'm actually hoping for more from the secondary character Pax. This book is definitely worth a shot for anyone into the genera, looking for something fun and exciting, and may not take the risk without a little encouragement.
May 3, 2015
3.5, round up
A Surefire Way is a well-written, well-edited genre non-specific read. It falls somewhere between sci-fi and urban fantasy (With romance thrown in, but I'd call it supernatural as opposed to paranormal, so I don't know if I'd classify it as a paranormal romance.) Yeah, I kinda feel sorry for the author who has to find the proper niche for this thing, must be frustrating. Either way, it was enjoyable.
It takes Surefire and (peripherally) a group of X-men-like genetic mutants (many of which will feel very familiar to the reader) with skills ranging from never missing a target (Surefire), to fire (Inferno), to shrinking fairy-sized (Pixie), to space/time manipulation (TimeTrap), etc and throws in a little ancient Aztec god-magic to form an entertaining 'we have to save the world' type of adventure.
I think it's set in modern America. It's never stated, but there are a lot of contemporary media references and I never got the impression it was supposed to be in the distant future. So, I'm going with the here and now for setting. I might have liked a little more clarity here, as well as a little more actual world-building. For example, with so many transhumans about, with SERIOUS powers how were people largely unaware or, if not, what was the human/transhuman situation (beyond the Department of Defense's involvement)?
The MCs were both sarcastic and relatable. I especially liked Surefire's need to be successful and Raven's emotional self-awareness. Watching them fight and eventually give in to their love was a pleasure.
The whole thing did get a little ridiculous at times, going back in time to play ulama, for example. It just stretched it's own credibility a bit too far. It began to feel like having a Transhuman with a convenient power/skill to solve a given problem became a bit of a plot crutch. However, this was made up for by some of the really remarkable side characters. Pax and Oracle (alone and as a pair) were a favourite and St. John was amazingly revolting. All this without even mentioning the god and goddess.
For a fun, if somewhat slap-stick read this one is worth picking up.
A Surefire Way is a well-written, well-edited genre non-specific read. It falls somewhere between sci-fi and urban fantasy (With romance thrown in, but I'd call it supernatural as opposed to paranormal, so I don't know if I'd classify it as a paranormal romance.) Yeah, I kinda feel sorry for the author who has to find the proper niche for this thing, must be frustrating. Either way, it was enjoyable.
It takes Surefire and (peripherally) a group of X-men-like genetic mutants (many of which will feel very familiar to the reader) with skills ranging from never missing a target (Surefire), to fire (Inferno), to shrinking fairy-sized (Pixie), to space/time manipulation (TimeTrap), etc and throws in a little ancient Aztec god-magic to form an entertaining 'we have to save the world' type of adventure.
I think it's set in modern America. It's never stated, but there are a lot of contemporary media references and I never got the impression it was supposed to be in the distant future. So, I'm going with the here and now for setting. I might have liked a little more clarity here, as well as a little more actual world-building. For example, with so many transhumans about, with SERIOUS powers how were people largely unaware or, if not, what was the human/transhuman situation (beyond the Department of Defense's involvement)?
The MCs were both sarcastic and relatable. I especially liked Surefire's need to be successful and Raven's emotional self-awareness. Watching them fight and eventually give in to their love was a pleasure.
The whole thing did get a little ridiculous at times, going back in time to play ulama, for example. It just stretched it's own credibility a bit too far. It began to feel like having a Transhuman with a convenient power/skill to solve a given problem became a bit of a plot crutch. However, this was made up for by some of the really remarkable side characters. Pax and Oracle (alone and as a pair) were a favourite and St. John was amazingly revolting. All this without even mentioning the god and goddess.
For a fun, if somewhat slap-stick read this one is worth picking up.
May 12, 2013
A SUREFIRE WAY, is a good urban fantasy/paranormal romance with a new twist. The action starts right away and you’re thrown right into the story. Fast paced throughout and set in the Washington D.C./Baltimore area, Surefire, our heroine, works for UltraSecurity (U-Sec). Surefire and other U-Sec agents are a little more than human, or transhuman. Raven the tattooed hunky bad guy (uhhmmm good guy?) is a retrieval agent (aka thief). This story has a little bit of everything- super heroes, super villains, Aztec gods, Aztec goddesses, magicians, soldiers, bureaucrats, angry fathers, bitchy sisters, crazy co-workers and extra-dimensional portals. OH and time travel – did I mention the action doesn’t stop? I love the Aztec mythology that was introduced here. This is a pantheon I haven’t seen explored much in other fantasy/paranormal novels.
Both Surefire and Raven have been betrayed repeatedly by people they’ve trusted, so trust doesn’t come easy to these two. Working on opposite sides of the law also adds to a troubled relationship. Throw in egotistical meddling gods, saving the world, crazy fathers and any relationship would be doomed from the start. Right? I really grew to like both of these characters. Although there is an “end“ to this book, I still want to know what happens to them next. The author gives us an interesting action packed story with some good world building. There are also many secondary characters (Pax, Oracle, TimeTrap, even the bitchy sister – I think there might be a story there) I would like to hear more about. IMO-Heat level was low so more a YA book. So if you like your Urban Fantasy with some super heroes and romance thrown in give this book a try. I know I’ll be looking for the next in the series.
✳✳ Copy provided by the author/publisher for an honest review.
✳✳ Reviewed on I ♥ Bookie Nookie Reviews
Both Surefire and Raven have been betrayed repeatedly by people they’ve trusted, so trust doesn’t come easy to these two. Working on opposite sides of the law also adds to a troubled relationship. Throw in egotistical meddling gods, saving the world, crazy fathers and any relationship would be doomed from the start. Right? I really grew to like both of these characters. Although there is an “end“ to this book, I still want to know what happens to them next. The author gives us an interesting action packed story with some good world building. There are also many secondary characters (Pax, Oracle, TimeTrap, even the bitchy sister – I think there might be a story there) I would like to hear more about. IMO-Heat level was low so more a YA book. So if you like your Urban Fantasy with some super heroes and romance thrown in give this book a try. I know I’ll be looking for the next in the series.
✳✳ Copy provided by the author/publisher for an honest review.
✳✳ Reviewed on I ♥ Bookie Nookie Reviews
February 9, 2015
To say that I loved this story would be an understatement. I read the The Grandfather Paradox in A Very Paranormal Holiday anthology and immediately went and bought and pretty much inhaled this instalment. I only hope there will be many more to come!
I can't even begin to put this book into a category and that is where part of it's charm lyes. It's a sort of weird love child of X-Men, Marvel Agents and Indiana Jones. It made me cross however to see a few reviews liking this to Indiana Jones as a weak knock off. Please do not be put off by those, yes it has crystal skulls and yes there are tombs and adventure but this story and characters were pure originality and it sparkled (pun intended) off the page.
Ultrasecurity, or USec, is the centre of Bock's world, in which 'transhumance' exist, normal humans whose genes have somehow been modified, either with intent or accidentally. The Ultra Agents who work for Usec are transhuman, although I think there are normal humans working for the agency too. This story features Ultra Agent Surefire, or Synthia, an ex competitive gymnast who is a disappointment to her father. She is single minded in proving her worth to both her Agency and her father and sets out to capture Raven, another transhuman. Or is he? The world opens up to both Surefire and the readers, fascinating in it's development and in the realisation that we humans are not the only thing making the world go round! I adored the relationship between Surefire and Raven, that awareness that the other is not as they seem on the surface. The intensity of their story was spellbinding and I was rooting for them all the way.
I don't want to say too much about the actual story itself as that would spoil it, but there are greater powers at work than any of the humans or transhumans know and that realisation by Surefire at the end with her father, that the world was not ready, was an extremely powerful scene. It made me think how we as humans treat the unknown, something to be controlled and harnessed and used for our own gain. Despite the supernatural and syfy element to this book it was a very human tale. Something I look for in the huge amount of supernatural I read is the believability of the story, absurd as that sounds. This had me hook, line and sinker.
The other characters in this story were by no means secondary and as this is only the first in what I hope to be a long series I am presuming a different Ultra Agent will be featured each time. I really really hope we get to come back to Surefire though as she is magnificent. Pax, Surefire's boss, and Oracle, Surefire's mentor were fascinating and if we hear more about them I shall be very satisfied! We got a small mention of Inferno and saw quite a bit of TimeTrap, who featured in the anthology story, The Grandfather Paradox, so I feel like I know her a bit. I loved her and her quirks. The whole thing felt like something I would want to be part of.
The action and plot in this was very fast paced and moved along almost without break, and whilst I often am not fond of books that only take place over only a day or 2, this worked completely and not once did I get bored or wonder what was going on. I can't rave about this book enough and really hope the wait is not too long before the next installment. If you like action stories, characters that are fully realised and you want to love and have a bit of thing for something that you can't neatly put into a box this is for you. Go on give it a try. You're in for a treat.
I can't even begin to put this book into a category and that is where part of it's charm lyes. It's a sort of weird love child of X-Men, Marvel Agents and Indiana Jones. It made me cross however to see a few reviews liking this to Indiana Jones as a weak knock off. Please do not be put off by those, yes it has crystal skulls and yes there are tombs and adventure but this story and characters were pure originality and it sparkled (pun intended) off the page.
Ultrasecurity, or USec, is the centre of Bock's world, in which 'transhumance' exist, normal humans whose genes have somehow been modified, either with intent or accidentally. The Ultra Agents who work for Usec are transhuman, although I think there are normal humans working for the agency too. This story features Ultra Agent Surefire, or Synthia, an ex competitive gymnast who is a disappointment to her father. She is single minded in proving her worth to both her Agency and her father and sets out to capture Raven, another transhuman. Or is he? The world opens up to both Surefire and the readers, fascinating in it's development and in the realisation that we humans are not the only thing making the world go round! I adored the relationship between Surefire and Raven, that awareness that the other is not as they seem on the surface. The intensity of their story was spellbinding and I was rooting for them all the way.
I don't want to say too much about the actual story itself as that would spoil it, but there are greater powers at work than any of the humans or transhumans know and that realisation by Surefire at the end with her father, that the world was not ready, was an extremely powerful scene. It made me think how we as humans treat the unknown, something to be controlled and harnessed and used for our own gain. Despite the supernatural and syfy element to this book it was a very human tale. Something I look for in the huge amount of supernatural I read is the believability of the story, absurd as that sounds. This had me hook, line and sinker.
The other characters in this story were by no means secondary and as this is only the first in what I hope to be a long series I am presuming a different Ultra Agent will be featured each time. I really really hope we get to come back to Surefire though as she is magnificent. Pax, Surefire's boss, and Oracle, Surefire's mentor were fascinating and if we hear more about them I shall be very satisfied! We got a small mention of Inferno and saw quite a bit of TimeTrap, who featured in the anthology story, The Grandfather Paradox, so I feel like I know her a bit. I loved her and her quirks. The whole thing felt like something I would want to be part of.
The action and plot in this was very fast paced and moved along almost without break, and whilst I often am not fond of books that only take place over only a day or 2, this worked completely and not once did I get bored or wonder what was going on. I can't rave about this book enough and really hope the wait is not too long before the next installment. If you like action stories, characters that are fully realised and you want to love and have a bit of thing for something that you can't neatly put into a box this is for you. Go on give it a try. You're in for a treat.
July 26, 2013
If you could have a super power, which one would you have? It’s a question that’s been asked thousands of times, from geek get-togethers to fantasy reader forums. Common answers include super strength, super speed, flight, claws, telepathy, and more. But, what about being able to nail your target every time; to always hit that mark, make that shot, stick that landing. That would be pretty cool, too.
Meet Agent Surefire. She’s an up-and-coming new agent with the firm called Ultra Security (or U-Sec). She and her fellow agents are charged with helping solve the growing wave of crimes committed by transhumans; mutants with powers beyond what normal humans can do. Her talent – never miss that shot. Surefire is trying to make a name for herself in the organization. That’s why she chases the internationally wanted criminal, Raven, straight into a trap.
A Surefire Way is a number of different things. At its heart, it’s got plenty of romance, but romance is only one element at play. Surefire and Raven find plenty of danger, with new (and some very, very old) worlds to explore, rules to break, a scheming villain, relationships in jeopardy, and that little matter of saving the world in the process. The result is a great bit of storytelling that is just as much Uncanny X-Men as it is The Princess Bride.
Author J.T. Bock does a great job of bypassing the easy pitfalls of an origin story. The challenge isn’t as straightforward as good girl vs. bad guy. Linear confrontations are few and far between. The confrontation feels more like Chinese checkers than a chess match, with plenty of motivated powers working their plans of attack.
Bock knows her settings well, alluding to real-world conditions like D.C. traffic and the sights and (not always pleasant) smells of Baltimore. She peppers her dialogue with pop-culture references her readers are most likely going to get, without ever relying on them to tell the story. She provides enough insight into the supporting cast for readers to understand them, without taking away from the key players. Each character is written well, but Bock is clearly most comfortable when writing her protagonist. The extra attention helps to make Surefire a deep, multidimensional heroine wannabe with traits readers can relate to.
The adventure culminates in a gigantic battle that will shape the characters for the entire UltraSecurity series. Who will survive, and what will they become if they do?
Meet Agent Surefire. She’s an up-and-coming new agent with the firm called Ultra Security (or U-Sec). She and her fellow agents are charged with helping solve the growing wave of crimes committed by transhumans; mutants with powers beyond what normal humans can do. Her talent – never miss that shot. Surefire is trying to make a name for herself in the organization. That’s why she chases the internationally wanted criminal, Raven, straight into a trap.
A Surefire Way is a number of different things. At its heart, it’s got plenty of romance, but romance is only one element at play. Surefire and Raven find plenty of danger, with new (and some very, very old) worlds to explore, rules to break, a scheming villain, relationships in jeopardy, and that little matter of saving the world in the process. The result is a great bit of storytelling that is just as much Uncanny X-Men as it is The Princess Bride.
Author J.T. Bock does a great job of bypassing the easy pitfalls of an origin story. The challenge isn’t as straightforward as good girl vs. bad guy. Linear confrontations are few and far between. The confrontation feels more like Chinese checkers than a chess match, with plenty of motivated powers working their plans of attack.
Bock knows her settings well, alluding to real-world conditions like D.C. traffic and the sights and (not always pleasant) smells of Baltimore. She peppers her dialogue with pop-culture references her readers are most likely going to get, without ever relying on them to tell the story. She provides enough insight into the supporting cast for readers to understand them, without taking away from the key players. Each character is written well, but Bock is clearly most comfortable when writing her protagonist. The extra attention helps to make Surefire a deep, multidimensional heroine wannabe with traits readers can relate to.
The adventure culminates in a gigantic battle that will shape the characters for the entire UltraSecurity series. Who will survive, and what will they become if they do?
October 7, 2014
I received a copy of this book through Goodreads
----
Wow. This story totally captured me since Chapter 1 and there has not been a dull moment since. I was eager to read what happens next, so much so that I pretty much gobbled up this book within 2 days.
Recently I have been experimenting with reading stories involving gods and goddesses, but this storyline is amazing! I love how Surefire is so feisty and determined (OK there's definitely some stubbornness behind it too), whether facing down Raven, Xochi, Tez or her father, she certainly proved herself over and over again, especially when I was doubting just how she got promoted to being an agent of U-Sec after just 4 missions and how all her weapons were useless or kept malfunctioning. She certainly proved me wrong since Chapter 1! Girl can take down a bad guy anytime!
Raven. Well gotta hand it to the guy, he sure knows how to show Surefire a good time ;) But seriously, he is quite the character. What started off as taunting and teasing turns into saving the damsel in distress a number of times to having a heart.
I thought that throwing gods and goddesses into the mix would complicate things too much and take away from the original storyline, but seriously the author knows what she is doing. I swear the parts where the creepy crawlies were showing up everywhere, I felt like something was crawling all over me. Very descriptive and imaginative in every sense.
I rather enjoyed the ending, leaves things open ended but with enough information for us readers to make our own conclusion about things or maybe we might get glimpses of them again in the next book. Anyways I would have loved to know more about St. John and Pax and other members of the U-Sec team, they certainly sound like an interesting bunch.
Looking forward to the next adventure in this series!
----
Wow. This story totally captured me since Chapter 1 and there has not been a dull moment since. I was eager to read what happens next, so much so that I pretty much gobbled up this book within 2 days.
Recently I have been experimenting with reading stories involving gods and goddesses, but this storyline is amazing! I love how Surefire is so feisty and determined (OK there's definitely some stubbornness behind it too), whether facing down Raven, Xochi, Tez or her father, she certainly proved herself over and over again, especially when I was doubting just how she got promoted to being an agent of U-Sec after just 4 missions and how all her weapons were useless or kept malfunctioning. She certainly proved me wrong since Chapter 1! Girl can take down a bad guy anytime!
Raven. Well gotta hand it to the guy, he sure knows how to show Surefire a good time ;) But seriously, he is quite the character. What started off as taunting and teasing turns into saving the damsel in distress a number of times to having a heart.
I thought that throwing gods and goddesses into the mix would complicate things too much and take away from the original storyline, but seriously the author knows what she is doing. I swear the parts where the creepy crawlies were showing up everywhere, I felt like something was crawling all over me. Very descriptive and imaginative in every sense.
I rather enjoyed the ending, leaves things open ended but with enough information for us readers to make our own conclusion about things or maybe we might get glimpses of them again in the next book. Anyways I would have loved to know more about St. John and Pax and other members of the U-Sec team, they certainly sound like an interesting bunch.
Looking forward to the next adventure in this series!
May 7, 2013
Well I was intrigued because the author wanted to be Indiana Jones or James Bond as a child… me too (only I was a little older than a child, but you get the idea). Our church had a group called Boys Brigade (kind of like Christian Boy Scouts) and I always wanted to join.. but they wouldn’t let me. So this book really spoke to that part of me. The heroine is uber powerful with skills that would put James Bond to shame. My kind of woman.
I always hate the scenes in the movies where the woman gets all helpless and needs a big strong man to rescue her. What a crock. Real women do the rescuing. Until I got sick and disabled, I did everything a man could be except father children. I can hunt, fish, change a tire, kick butt if needed, etc., and I make it look good. So I love a book (or movie) where the female protagonist is strong and powerful. It’s even better when there is an equally powerful man who lets her use her abilities or challenges her, such as Raven does in this story.
Add in the fantasy/supernatural bend to the story and you have almost all of my favorite elements in one story. The story is written with such skill that these supernatural elements to not seem out of place or character. It is easy to believe that this could happen. The Aztec history and influence was fascinating. I loved the detail and historical information in the story.
I was quickly drawn into the story easily slipping into the pictures in my mind. The writing sparked a fabulous tableau of images that easily flowed from the author’s descriptive words through my mind’s eye.
I give this story 5 out of 5 clouds and look forward to more from this new author.
This product or book may have been distributed for review; this in no way affects my opinions or reviews.
I always hate the scenes in the movies where the woman gets all helpless and needs a big strong man to rescue her. What a crock. Real women do the rescuing. Until I got sick and disabled, I did everything a man could be except father children. I can hunt, fish, change a tire, kick butt if needed, etc., and I make it look good. So I love a book (or movie) where the female protagonist is strong and powerful. It’s even better when there is an equally powerful man who lets her use her abilities or challenges her, such as Raven does in this story.
Add in the fantasy/supernatural bend to the story and you have almost all of my favorite elements in one story. The story is written with such skill that these supernatural elements to not seem out of place or character. It is easy to believe that this could happen. The Aztec history and influence was fascinating. I loved the detail and historical information in the story.
I was quickly drawn into the story easily slipping into the pictures in my mind. The writing sparked a fabulous tableau of images that easily flowed from the author’s descriptive words through my mind’s eye.
I give this story 5 out of 5 clouds and look forward to more from this new author.
This product or book may have been distributed for review; this in no way affects my opinions or reviews.
May 16, 2013
My Review:
Mix together Marvel Comics+ Indiana Jones+ GI Joe = A Surefire Way. This was such a fun, creative book. I love this world that J.T. Bock has created and am excited to see what else she has up her sleeve.
This book is about Surefire. She's the progeny of a world class gymnast and a military general. Twin to the perfect Heather, and Surefire has always been the disappointment in the family....never living up to her parent's extremely high expectations of her. She's trying to fix that by catching the elusive, Raven, UltraSecurity's number 1 fugitive, who's already escaped several other, more experienced UltraSec agents. Everything about her assignment with Raven goes wrong and they end up trapped together doing a job for another evil character.
So, you know this is a romance, right? So, it stands to reason that criminal Raven has more to his story....and he definitely does! I loved his background...really intriguing. He is a bad guy...on the surface...but he's trying to make the world a better place and has determined to do so without hurting anyone else. Very quickly within the story, it becomes apparent that these two are going to have to work together to get out of this alive. They make such a fabulous team.
They are both great characters, with so many valid reasons why they can't be together, which is heartbreaking. I loved that complexity to the story line....both the suspense side and the emotional, romantic side. This book had it all and I'm so glad that I took a risk on it and picked it up. It was WELL worth the time I put into the read. I cannot wait for the next book...*hint to the author*- I really, really, really want Pax's story!!
Mix together Marvel Comics+ Indiana Jones+ GI Joe = A Surefire Way. This was such a fun, creative book. I love this world that J.T. Bock has created and am excited to see what else she has up her sleeve.
This book is about Surefire. She's the progeny of a world class gymnast and a military general. Twin to the perfect Heather, and Surefire has always been the disappointment in the family....never living up to her parent's extremely high expectations of her. She's trying to fix that by catching the elusive, Raven, UltraSecurity's number 1 fugitive, who's already escaped several other, more experienced UltraSec agents. Everything about her assignment with Raven goes wrong and they end up trapped together doing a job for another evil character.
So, you know this is a romance, right? So, it stands to reason that criminal Raven has more to his story....and he definitely does! I loved his background...really intriguing. He is a bad guy...on the surface...but he's trying to make the world a better place and has determined to do so without hurting anyone else. Very quickly within the story, it becomes apparent that these two are going to have to work together to get out of this alive. They make such a fabulous team.
They are both great characters, with so many valid reasons why they can't be together, which is heartbreaking. I loved that complexity to the story line....both the suspense side and the emotional, romantic side. This book had it all and I'm so glad that I took a risk on it and picked it up. It was WELL worth the time I put into the read. I cannot wait for the next book...*hint to the author*- I really, really, really want Pax's story!!
April 30, 2013
SureFire is an UltraAgent on a mission to prove herself. If she can manage to bring down the elusive thief, Raven, she would earn a name for herself as one of the top agents in UltraSecurity. But, or course, nothing ever works out the way our characters plan. Raven is more than just transhuman - he's something else entirely. And he has a mission of his own.
It's too bad that an old friend of Raven's has a different idea - and of course SureFire gets roped right in (it wouldn't be a very good story if she didn't). SureFire and Raven quickly discover that there is more to each other than either or them first thought. With a couple of Aztec gods and a little time traveling thrown in, they grow close very quickly. But with the rest of UltraSecurity hot on their tail, they may not have time to see if their new feelings are going to go anywhere.
This was a fantastic take on the whole "mutant" human storyline. I love the twist that the Aztec mythology added to everything. With a new surprise around every chapter - the book remained interesting up until the very end.
It's too bad that an old friend of Raven's has a different idea - and of course SureFire gets roped right in (it wouldn't be a very good story if she didn't). SureFire and Raven quickly discover that there is more to each other than either or them first thought. With a couple of Aztec gods and a little time traveling thrown in, they grow close very quickly. But with the rest of UltraSecurity hot on their tail, they may not have time to see if their new feelings are going to go anywhere.
This was a fantastic take on the whole "mutant" human storyline. I love the twist that the Aztec mythology added to everything. With a new surprise around every chapter - the book remained interesting up until the very end.
May 9, 2013
With A Surefire Way, Bock provides an epic adventure jam-packed with everything that makes reading a pure pleasure—a strong heroine, a cocky hero, super powers, danger, skullduggery and laugh-out-loud humor. On top of that we get time travel, Aztec gods and goddesses, heartrending romance, an unending string of shocks and surprises and an entire civilization at stake. The “transhuman” aspect of the story is fascinating—I love Surefire’s talent—and lends itself to a cynical, bittersweet, otherworldly dynamic that’s sometimes tragic, sometimes gratifying, often amusing and always convincing. The story is riveting, the prose smooth and vivid—the author’s imagination is SO impressive and the story’s delivery incredibly effective. I look forward to future books set in Bock’s transhuman world!
April 26, 2014
Marvel-tastic fun and excitement with a side order of smouldering love!! I was unsure if I would enjoy this much as it was a bit out of my usual area of reading but how wrong can a girl be!!!!. Surefire is the snarky but always trying to please transhuman agent who is chasing down the artefact stealing Raven. Did I mention that Raven is smoking hot - he did make the top 10 transhuman hot list!!!!
This was a fab story set in a Marvel type universe where there are humans and those with a little ...extra. It is a fast paced read and reminded somewhat of a Mtthew Reilly novel in that it read and had the feel of a movie. The characters had great chemistry and the background characters were not just there as plot/relationship devices as can happen in some novels.
I really hope that there are many more of these to come. A well deserved 5 star read!!
This was a fab story set in a Marvel type universe where there are humans and those with a little ...extra. It is a fast paced read and reminded somewhat of a Mtthew Reilly novel in that it read and had the feel of a movie. The characters had great chemistry and the background characters were not just there as plot/relationship devices as can happen in some novels.
I really hope that there are many more of these to come. A well deserved 5 star read!!
May 12, 2021
Action packed
Sucked me in at Chapter 1. Non stop action. No lulls in the storyline. I accidentally read the second book in the series first, then realized it was a “trilogy” I plan to reread the second book again. I really want a follow up with Surefire and Raven. I believe the next 2 books are about Time Trap. Loved that it went supernatural with the “Gods” Glad I’m friends with J.T. so I can ask her questions about the book 😉
Sucked me in at Chapter 1. Non stop action. No lulls in the storyline. I accidentally read the second book in the series first, then realized it was a “trilogy” I plan to reread the second book again. I really want a follow up with Surefire and Raven. I believe the next 2 books are about Time Trap. Loved that it went supernatural with the “Gods” Glad I’m friends with J.T. so I can ask her questions about the book 😉
March 25, 2017
What a fun book!
This was a great escape book... Perfect for anyone who enjoys Marvel-like storylines, Aztec gods and hot bad guys turned good guys. Ladies, be ready for Raven!
This was a great escape book... Perfect for anyone who enjoys Marvel-like storylines, Aztec gods and hot bad guys turned good guys. Ladies, be ready for Raven!
June 18, 2013
I really enjoyed this story and was pleasantly surprised at the romance! The action scenes had me quickly tapping through the kindle pages and then the romantic scenes made me slow down and enjoy the time with Raven and Surefire. Oh Raven. Loved spending time with him. Swoon. J.T. Bock has a wickedly funny and charming sense of adventure.
April 4, 2014
Very well written and fun book. I found myself caring about the protagonists. Very cool scope to the book with it's shifting settings (and times) and the writing of the Goddess was handled very well!
Overall enjoyable read. Good Job JT! ;)
Overall enjoyable read. Good Job JT! ;)
August 18, 2014
I absolutely loved this story. It was different than the typical romance, but in a really interesting way. I couldn't put it down. The chemistry between Surefire and Raven, the two main characters, was fantastic and HOT!!! Can't wait for the next installment!
June 9, 2013
Colorful as a comic book, Bock mixes action and romance with Aztec mythology in this roller coaster ride of a story. Fun!
May 1, 2017
i received this book through a good reads giveaway, i really enjoyed it, loved Surefire, loved raven, i thoroughly enjoyed getting caught up in there world. a big thumbs up from me
September 23, 2013
This is an excellent book if you like superheroes, supervillins, plot twists, gods and goddesses, egos, and so on.
October 2, 2013
Interesting twist on the paranormal romance genre.
August 2, 2014
A bit too close to sci-fi for me but still an interesting read.
July 10, 2022
Surefire is a UC agent tracking Raven. Raven has been one step ahead of Surefire but she has trailed him to a wearhouse with his latest item he stole from a musuem. Little do they know what is coming when they find the floor of the warehouse start to ahake like a earthquake and a crack in the flooring opens up and they are swallowed up and the earth shuts them in. Their journey and adventure starts from here. I enjoyed the book, well written, funny, and a great escape. read the book, you will ejoy has much as I did.
May 10, 2018
Interesting concept
The plot is certainly interesting. The prime characters were surprisingly boring. The first half of the book was sluggish and I almost quit reading it many times. Although the last part of the book improved, I am torn about reading Book Two. Ultimately, I am glad that I read this on Kindle Unlimited and didn't pay for it.
The plot is certainly interesting. The prime characters were surprisingly boring. The first half of the book was sluggish and I almost quit reading it many times. Although the last part of the book improved, I am torn about reading Book Two. Ultimately, I am glad that I read this on Kindle Unlimited and didn't pay for it.
September 6, 2017
Good book
You people should just read this book yourselves and write your own review on this novel yourself and I really enjoyed reading this book very much so. Shelley MA
You people should just read this book yourselves and write your own review on this novel yourself and I really enjoyed reading this book very much so. Shelley MA
March 11, 2014
I received a e-book of this from Netgalley in exchange for a review. So, even though I did not finish this book, and only therefore awarded it one star- I still want to give it a review, because a positive or negative review is still a piece of feedback regardless of the opinion of the reader.
There are people who enjoy this book- as proved on goodreads. But for some reason, this book just didn't work with me. I knew after the first chapter that to enjoy this story, I would have to just accept every cliché and contradiction it threw at me and just try to enjoy it. But that proved more difficult than I thought. Maybe I'm just too serious, personality-wise? is this going to be like the readers who claim they read 50 shades of grey "for a laugh" because they are too embarrassed to admit they liked it? Unfortunately, I'm not one of those readers- if it's bad, I admit it's bad. I really did think I would enjoy this book- sadly, I was wrong.
The characters, despite being overloaded with character background story in the first four chapters, don't feel very deep at all. The plot, despite being outlined in one chapter by a villain's speech, felt like it had no idea what it exactly wanted to do. The main girl, Synthia- or rather her codename “Surefire”, despite being described and constantly introduced as one of the “best” agents, is constantly getting either caught by the bad guys, or rescused by the love interest. And Insta-love is abundant in this story. To an overbearing amount. The “chemistry” between the characters, it just felt completely forced and fake. I reached 40% in this book before I decided I'd had enough.
There will be people who read this and think “awh yeah awesome, it's indiana jones/james bond with a girl as the main character” but for me? It just didn't impress at all.
For more of my reviews, please visit The Book Heap
http://thebookheap.wordpress.com
There are people who enjoy this book- as proved on goodreads. But for some reason, this book just didn't work with me. I knew after the first chapter that to enjoy this story, I would have to just accept every cliché and contradiction it threw at me and just try to enjoy it. But that proved more difficult than I thought. Maybe I'm just too serious, personality-wise? is this going to be like the readers who claim they read 50 shades of grey "for a laugh" because they are too embarrassed to admit they liked it? Unfortunately, I'm not one of those readers- if it's bad, I admit it's bad. I really did think I would enjoy this book- sadly, I was wrong.
The characters, despite being overloaded with character background story in the first four chapters, don't feel very deep at all. The plot, despite being outlined in one chapter by a villain's speech, felt like it had no idea what it exactly wanted to do. The main girl, Synthia- or rather her codename “Surefire”, despite being described and constantly introduced as one of the “best” agents, is constantly getting either caught by the bad guys, or rescused by the love interest. And Insta-love is abundant in this story. To an overbearing amount. The “chemistry” between the characters, it just felt completely forced and fake. I reached 40% in this book before I decided I'd had enough.
There will be people who read this and think “awh yeah awesome, it's indiana jones/james bond with a girl as the main character” but for me? It just didn't impress at all.
For more of my reviews, please visit The Book Heap
http://thebookheap.wordpress.com
June 8, 2019
Just past rookie UltraAgent Surefire tracks notorious, devastatingly sexy, accomplished master thief Raven to a seemingly abandoned warehouse where they share a flirty game of' catch me if you can. Hopeful she can arrest Raven on her own, Surefire swallows the embarrassment of being saved by her prey a third time just as the pair are swallowed into a concrete abyss.
Surefire and Raven find themselves being scrutinized by Ari, Raven's transhuman ex-partner who seems to have undergone a transformation. In the vein of many a movie villain, Ari needs one piece before he sets his plan for world betterment in motion and why not force his enemy, a renowned thief whose skills Ari knows firsthand.
Raven's dilemma isn't how to escape or locate and steal the coveted item to keep it out of Ari's hands but how to protect the fiercely cute, sexy Surefire and invasive thoughts of her away from 'work.' Unfortunately Ari's very aware of Surefire and he isn't shy about using any and all weapons he has to get Raven and Surefire to do his dirty work.
Not only does Raven have secrets to protect, he has no intention of letting Surefire become a casualty in this plot. Surefire's flabbergasted when she tumbles into Raven's complex and convoluted world but she doesn't forget Raven's her prisoner and her ticket to promotion. No matter how cute he is.
Surefire's humor-tinged, seemingly random, inner dialogue during an action scene is the price of admission for this over the top fun ride that's not without a few flaws. However, a reader would be mistaken in thinking this is a run of the mill paranormal romance. It is not. It is more of a quirky preternatural adventure outing with a dash of romance.
Rating 3.75stars
Surefire and Raven find themselves being scrutinized by Ari, Raven's transhuman ex-partner who seems to have undergone a transformation. In the vein of many a movie villain, Ari needs one piece before he sets his plan for world betterment in motion and why not force his enemy, a renowned thief whose skills Ari knows firsthand.
Raven's dilemma isn't how to escape or locate and steal the coveted item to keep it out of Ari's hands but how to protect the fiercely cute, sexy Surefire and invasive thoughts of her away from 'work.' Unfortunately Ari's very aware of Surefire and he isn't shy about using any and all weapons he has to get Raven and Surefire to do his dirty work.
Not only does Raven have secrets to protect, he has no intention of letting Surefire become a casualty in this plot. Surefire's flabbergasted when she tumbles into Raven's complex and convoluted world but she doesn't forget Raven's her prisoner and her ticket to promotion. No matter how cute he is.
Surefire's humor-tinged, seemingly random, inner dialogue during an action scene is the price of admission for this over the top fun ride that's not without a few flaws. However, a reader would be mistaken in thinking this is a run of the mill paranormal romance. It is not. It is more of a quirky preternatural adventure outing with a dash of romance.
Rating 3.75stars
July 11, 2013
This is the first book in the Ultrasecurity Series and the first book I have read from this author. I has all the things I usually love in a book. A strong, smart, capable heroine. A sexy, but not to broody hero. A power mad villain. Magic, Gods, Goddesses, romance, action, etc. Yet for some reason I could not connect with this book. As I said the heroine and hero were likable. The villain was okay too. The additional character’s were fine, the action was fine, the pacing was fine, the writing was fine, but I just couldn’t get into this story. If I put it down once, I put it down a thousand times. Something was missing, but for the life of me I couldn’t tell you what it was. Maybe Ari (the main villain) put a curse on it. Even the ending just kind of fizzled for me, and there was a lot going on. I won’t be continuing with this series, but if you like Superhero’s and urban fantasy than you will probably like this book. Maybe. I just don’t know…
June 23, 2016
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review; Thanks. =)*
I got through this book pretty quick and it was pretty good. It has the right amount of action mixed with romance. But something didn't really wow me. The writing was also good, so that's not the issue. I didn't really connect with the characters and I don't know why because I actually liked them. Hmm... I'm so torn! I wanted to like this book so much because it seemed so great and it is pretty good, but I guess something just didn't connect me to the novel. Weird. Maybe this isn't really my type of book.
If you love this genre, I really recommend it! It's a great book and fans of the genre will love it. I'm just not a big fan of action and stuff. :P Anyways, since this isn't a bad novel it deserves 3 stars!
I got through this book pretty quick and it was pretty good. It has the right amount of action mixed with romance. But something didn't really wow me. The writing was also good, so that's not the issue. I didn't really connect with the characters and I don't know why because I actually liked them. Hmm... I'm so torn! I wanted to like this book so much because it seemed so great and it is pretty good, but I guess something just didn't connect me to the novel. Weird. Maybe this isn't really my type of book.
If you love this genre, I really recommend it! It's a great book and fans of the genre will love it. I'm just not a big fan of action and stuff. :P Anyways, since this isn't a bad novel it deserves 3 stars!
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