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Cold Hard Truths #1
Vices
Seven years ago, Jones fell for a heartless man named Carver. A drug addiction, numerous sexual partners, and a lonely lifestyle weren’t enough to fill the void that Carver left in Jones’s chest.
Years later, the two meet under familiar circumstances, and Jones can’t help hoping for affection that Carver can never give him. While Jones tries his best to crawl under Carver’s skin and force him to feel something, he finds himself involved in a political war he had no idea he was fighting. Jones struggles to gasp for air in a dying city that’s sinking fast and pulling him under with wave after wave of addiction and betrayal.
Years later, the two meet under familiar circumstances, and Jones can’t help hoping for affection that Carver can never give him. While Jones tries his best to crawl under Carver’s skin and force him to feel something, he finds himself involved in a political war he had no idea he was fighting. Jones struggles to gasp for air in a dying city that’s sinking fast and pulling him under with wave after wave of addiction and betrayal.
169 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 19, 2014
1 person is currently reading
285 people want to read
About the author
Nash Summers
19 books577 followersNash Summers rarely has any idea what she’s doing. But when she likes to pretend, she pretends by writing stories at the pace of drying paint. As if that wasn’t exhilarating enough, Nash also enjoys absolute silence, general politeness, and waiting her turn in line.
Needless to say, she’s a bona fide hell raiser.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nash.summers...
Nash also has a super cool newsletter which can be found here: http://eepurl.com/boD5TP
Needless to say, she’s a bona fide hell raiser.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nash.summers...
Nash also has a super cool newsletter which can be found here: http://eepurl.com/boD5TP
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
September 2, 2014
Fast-paced and good entertainment.
Dystopian world with a segregated elite militant force funded by the government. Funded to do what exactly? All the fun toys that big boys and girls get to play with--Yay! You've got the usual team suspects that can be broken down into the following archetypes: Iceman, Smitten. Doll, Tech, Brute, Pretty Boy, and Boy Scout. And they're all lethal.
Missions with kills and the body count escalates.
I liked the interactions between the team members and the two MCs. Messed up describes that relationship, or what passes for a relationship when you're state owned property. There's bigger problems than fraternization being frowned upon.
Jones and Carver interactions are interesting. Nobody would call them healthy, but they are hot and riveting.
Who's in charge? What's going on? Whoa... There's some unanswered questions that beg for the sequel. Not like the book has a cliffhanger, but there are multiple characters' situations that need resolution. One side note, this had one of the best uses of a prologue I've seen in ages.
3.5 Stars
Overall, gritty, sexy and adrenaline junkie fun.
Favorite quote:
~~A copy was provided to me for a No Glitter Blown review~~
~~~Reviewed for Hearts On Fire Reviews~~~
Dystopian world with a segregated elite militant force funded by the government. Funded to do what exactly? All the fun toys that big boys and girls get to play with--Yay! You've got the usual team suspects that can be broken down into the following archetypes: Iceman, Smitten. Doll, Tech, Brute, Pretty Boy, and Boy Scout. And they're all lethal.
Missions with kills and the body count escalates.
I liked the interactions between the team members and the two MCs. Messed up describes that relationship, or what passes for a relationship when you're state owned property. There's bigger problems than fraternization being frowned upon.
Jones and Carver interactions are interesting. Nobody would call them healthy, but they are hot and riveting.
Some people think Carver is fucked up because he can shoot a man in the knees without blinking an eye, but what would they say about the man who fell for him because of it?Watching them is like trying to remember how long the fuse is on a stick of dynamite. It's going to go off, but when. The sex skirts dubious consent, forced submission and goes straight for aggressive with gunplay. Which brings in some salient questions.
Who's in charge? What's going on? Whoa... There's some unanswered questions that beg for the sequel. Not like the book has a cliffhanger, but there are multiple characters' situations that need resolution. One side note, this had one of the best uses of a prologue I've seen in ages.
3.5 Stars
Overall, gritty, sexy and adrenaline junkie fun.
Favorite quote:
I didn’t think that any other kiss I’d ever had counted, because none of them had felt like that kiss; none of them tore me open inside.
~~A copy was provided to me for a No Glitter Blown review~~
~~~Reviewed for Hearts On Fire Reviews~~~
September 1, 2016
Intense, gritty story set in a dystopian future. Not a typical romance, yet the love is there, just revealing itself in unconventional ways.
So well written, the words flowed beautifully, with the perfect amount of showing over telling. Any exposition was done seamlessly, a natural part of the story. The quality of the writing blew me away.
Some parts of the story hit me like a punch in the gut, and it hurt to breathe. I felt the characters' conflicted emotions, and their fears, and it caused much anxiety and worry.
At times an uncomfortable read, but this story definitely got its hooks into me. I was completely engaged from start to finish, and I await the next book with great anticipation :)
So well written, the words flowed beautifully, with the perfect amount of showing over telling. Any exposition was done seamlessly, a natural part of the story. The quality of the writing blew me away.
Some parts of the story hit me like a punch in the gut, and it hurt to breathe. I felt the characters' conflicted emotions, and their fears, and it caused much anxiety and worry.
At times an uncomfortable read, but this story definitely got its hooks into me. I was completely engaged from start to finish, and I await the next book with great anticipation :)
August 24, 2014
I will say this – Nash Summers, whose first published story I read in April, has slowly become one of my ‘watch-out’ authors of 2014. She has written three shorter stories before and I loved them all. Now she released this cyberpunk romance novel, and boy, she just blew me away. Even days after I finished this … I still had no idea what I wanted to say. So let’s just hope this review makes sense somehow.
“Vices” is the first entry of duo-logy cyberpunk dystopian series, called Cold Hard Truths. Jones is one of the soldiers of ENAD (Enforced Necessary Arms Division), a division of state who does dangerous sometimes dirty mission. They are the state’s rottweilers. Seven years ago, Jones fell for another ENAD member, heartless cold-without-emotion Carver. And now Carver is back into Jones’s life, since he is the Jones’s team leader.
That was all I could practically tell you about the synopsis, because after that, you just had to be ready for a roller-coaster ride. It involved some emotionally fucked-up characters – and of course I just ate that ALL up – betrayal, conspiracy, some techno-nano-bots actions, GUN PLAY (oh, yes, people, there was ONE GUN-PLAY INVOLVED!! Wait, let me REPHRASE that, there was an angry-sex-more-like-dub-con-involving-gun-involved ... AND IT WAS HOT AND CRAZY AND I COULDN’T EVEN BREATHE!!), and oh delicious kind of unsolved-tension!! This was raw, and dark, and gritty … and I didn’t know if I could even call it a romance. But it was the one that just pull my heart out of its socket because I loved it when the characters were flawed.
Reading it wasn’t easy – this definitely wasn’t fluffy story – and I was dying to see how Jones could penetrate Carver’s wall. They were messed-up but beautiful in their imperfection. With the huge betrayal plot that had not resolved and an ending that didn’t even felt like HFN – I would say it was more hopeful for now, rather than HFN – I couldn’t wait for the conclusion.
Please, Ms. Summers, please say that you are writing book #2 now? Because I am definitely ready to go back to this world again...
“Vices” is the first entry of duo-logy cyberpunk dystopian series, called Cold Hard Truths. Jones is one of the soldiers of ENAD (Enforced Necessary Arms Division), a division of state who does dangerous sometimes dirty mission. They are the state’s rottweilers. Seven years ago, Jones fell for another ENAD member, heartless cold-without-emotion Carver. And now Carver is back into Jones’s life, since he is the Jones’s team leader.
That was all I could practically tell you about the synopsis, because after that, you just had to be ready for a roller-coaster ride. It involved some emotionally fucked-up characters – and of course I just ate that ALL up – betrayal, conspiracy, some techno-nano-bots actions, GUN PLAY (oh, yes, people, there was ONE GUN-PLAY INVOLVED!! Wait, let me REPHRASE that, there was an angry-sex-more-like-dub-con-involving-gun-involved ... AND IT WAS HOT AND CRAZY AND I COULDN’T EVEN BREATHE!!), and oh delicious kind of unsolved-tension!! This was raw, and dark, and gritty … and I didn’t know if I could even call it a romance. But it was the one that just pull my heart out of its socket because I loved it when the characters were flawed.
Reading it wasn’t easy – this definitely wasn’t fluffy story – and I was dying to see how Jones could penetrate Carver’s wall. They were messed-up but beautiful in their imperfection. With the huge betrayal plot that had not resolved and an ending that didn’t even felt like HFN – I would say it was more hopeful for now, rather than HFN – I couldn’t wait for the conclusion.
Please, Ms. Summers, please say that you are writing book #2 now? Because I am definitely ready to go back to this world again...
August 19, 2014
I NEED THE NEXT BOOK NOW.
Holy cow. Wow. This review is going to be all over the shop...I can't think straight and I love every word I've just read.
Nash Summers is a talented author. Versatile doesn't even begin to cover her writing styles. From the sweetness of A Different Dance to the quirkiness ofOutshine the Stars to the understanding of Carte Blanche to the corrupt, hardness of this story, there is no way anyone could call her pigeon holed.
"So I'd lie there, lingering in that space between sleep and consciousness, and let him touch me in all the ways he wanted."
This story is about a dysfunctional, dystopian future. A world where the rich are rich, the poor are poor and for some like Jones the state owns your butt. As far as the world is concerned you don't exist. As far as you are concerned, you obey orders and don't feel...anything. The world Nash has created here is amazing. I can see so easily the bleak horror of the lives of these people, the corrupt and ugly world in which they live. For most the only light and joy is through the escapism of virtual realities. I'm really at a loss for words to describe how amazingly well the hopelessness of this future society was written.
This story reminded me of a Matrix/Bourne Identity hybrid. Yet it was completely different to both. It was clever and clear and freaking brilliant. This is not an MM book. It is a book whose MC likes other men. It is futuristic, dystopian, hard to read...but so bloody brilliant. God, I'm making no sense. I'll have to come back and tidy up this review.
The characters - I love Jones, Carver and Bruno. I am not ready to give these characters up - I need to know all about them. More...I want more. I love soft and cute and marshmallow-y...this was none of those things and I wanted to hug these characters better and promise them a better life a better future...but I'm just going to have to trust Ms Summers will do this in the next book. It is fair to say that in this story the characters did not have it easy, she was relentless with them.
I have to add in a note about the hotness - call me twisted but some of the scenes in this book were very hot! Being the romance vulture I am I had to find it in there, the promise of love beneath the pain. It's there...a little...in parts. Maybe.
"He kissed me. He kissed me like a thousand promises were being exchanged through that one kiss." ...my notes just say 'swoon'.
I think the long and the short of this review is, I loved this book. It's not an easy read if you don't like hurt but it's brilliant. Really, effing brilliant.
Holy cow. Wow. This review is going to be all over the shop...I can't think straight and I love every word I've just read.
Nash Summers is a talented author. Versatile doesn't even begin to cover her writing styles. From the sweetness of A Different Dance to the quirkiness ofOutshine the Stars to the understanding of Carte Blanche to the corrupt, hardness of this story, there is no way anyone could call her pigeon holed.
"So I'd lie there, lingering in that space between sleep and consciousness, and let him touch me in all the ways he wanted."
This story is about a dysfunctional, dystopian future. A world where the rich are rich, the poor are poor and for some like Jones the state owns your butt. As far as the world is concerned you don't exist. As far as you are concerned, you obey orders and don't feel...anything. The world Nash has created here is amazing. I can see so easily the bleak horror of the lives of these people, the corrupt and ugly world in which they live. For most the only light and joy is through the escapism of virtual realities. I'm really at a loss for words to describe how amazingly well the hopelessness of this future society was written.
This story reminded me of a Matrix/Bourne Identity hybrid. Yet it was completely different to both. It was clever and clear and freaking brilliant. This is not an MM book. It is a book whose MC likes other men. It is futuristic, dystopian, hard to read...but so bloody brilliant. God, I'm making no sense. I'll have to come back and tidy up this review.
The characters - I love Jones, Carver and Bruno. I am not ready to give these characters up - I need to know all about them. More...I want more. I love soft and cute and marshmallow-y...this was none of those things and I wanted to hug these characters better and promise them a better life a better future...but I'm just going to have to trust Ms Summers will do this in the next book. It is fair to say that in this story the characters did not have it easy, she was relentless with them.
I have to add in a note about the hotness - call me twisted but some of the scenes in this book were very hot! Being the romance vulture I am I had to find it in there, the promise of love beneath the pain. It's there...a little...in parts. Maybe.
"He kissed me. He kissed me like a thousand promises were being exchanged through that one kiss." ...my notes just say 'swoon'.
I think the long and the short of this review is, I loved this book. It's not an easy read if you don't like hurt but it's brilliant. Really, effing brilliant.
October 12, 2014
It's Blade Runner on Corx!
Vices is my first experience with this author. I figured I’d give this one a whirl since I like dystopia and cyberpunk. I’m glad I did because the pacing and political intrigue were both right up my alley. Vices is very dystopian, a true dystopian experience and, as you can imagine, bleak. Drugs, crime, poverty, environmental devastation and extreme class distinctions are rampant. That doesn’t even take into account the widespread corruption. How corrupt is the machine is the burning question?
I’m a HUGE political thriller fan. Trying to figure out who the good guys are, who the bad guys are, but I like it best when the good guy’s a little bit bad. Ok, a lot bad. Allegedly.
Jones is a member of ENAD (Enforced Necessary Arms Division) and a worker bee in the machine. He doesn’t question authority. He keeps his head down and does his job. Vices picks up just prior to him being called back into the fold. We find out later that his team got dispersed seven years ago, left to fend for themselves in the free world.
Why seven years? Not sure.
Once he gets back to the facility, he has to be detoxed from Corx, a popular street drug, which he’s developed an addiction to, though he denies it. He’s almost immediately sent out on a mission with his team. I admit I blinked at the dearth of time the team is given to reacquaint themselves with one another after such a long separation, but ENAD seems to operate on the fly. The soldiers are highly trained, but I still question their efficacy as a unit.
Anyway…
Carver is team leader. Jones has been pining for Carver for seven plus years. They, quite possibly, have the oddest relationship I’ve ever read. I really don’t understand why Jones is so horned up about Carver. Carver is portrayed as almost robotic, no emotionality, distanced. I’ve met glaciers more cozy than him. I, at one point, entertained the idea that he could be a cyborg and I’m fairly certain the “Cold” in the title refers to him. The Ice Man cometh. Literally. And Jones is fixated on him or obsessed, depending on your perspective.
“I’d dream of a world where Carver wanted to touch me, a world where he wanted me to be his.”
Why bro???
I’m chalking it up to the sex which is kinda kinky if you squint real hard and don’t put a whole lot of thought into it, otherwise it’s jacked up, in keeping with the rest of this world Ms. Summers has created.
Speaking of the world-building, it’s first-rate. If you’re like me and enjoy political maneuvering and espionage tales, this one will keep you on the edge of your seat. The secondary characters all bring something to the table. I’ve still got my fingers crossed for poor Bruno. Vices is book one of a series but it manages not to end on a cliff, though I still have loads of questions mostly about feasibility that I can’t go into lest I be labeled a spoiler. Hopefully, the questions will be answered in the next installment.
Intriguing opening to a series that could turn out to be a dystopian opera. Wait, is there such a thing?
Well, there should be.
Reviewed for
August 25, 2014
4,5 stars
Me, reading this book:
Have you read that blurb?
Ok, now forget everything about it, because blurb sounds like it's all about sex and that couldn't be farther from the truth. This is a kick-ass story that keeps you glued to your seat.
Plot: Per author's page this is a first book in gritty cyberpunk duology. The story opens up with a bang. We are in a head of guy who just completed the kill he was hired to do and he is contemplating should he tell his boss about the drug tabs he found or screw her over and take the comfort of oblivion they provide. Let's just say he didn't make the right choice because the next day he was called to report for duty. ;)
Jones (first name unknown or non-existent), is a bio-enhanced soldier who works for secret government organization. After they messed up last mission, Jones and his team were sent to the streets and left to their own devices for seven years. Now they are brought back. For Jones, being back is twice as hard, because he is reunited with a man he wasn't able to forget.
Being first book in series, there are some questions raised and things left unsolved, but no mean ciffhangers. ;)
Setting: Well, it's a dystopian, futuristic city with corrupted government. I loved how author subtly got us familiar with the setting: there is no big speech about history and new rules, just few strategically positioned hints, enough to give us pulse of the city. For example, Jones is thinking about vault doors, "like they had in banks before, when money was made of paper and coin". A lot of these, read-between-lines information and it's enough to give the feel of place. Now, I really, really love cyberpunk and Summers did a good job with showing us how technology dominates in all forms of life, especially with bioengineering. Details were awesome- there is this scene where Jones is describing his suit and magnetic gun made me grin in most embarrassing way.
Characters: Entire story is told from first person pov. Since we are in his head all the time, there are few things you need to know about Jones.
Jones is not the sharpest tool. In bigger scope of things, Jones is really a last person to find out most of things. This doesn't mean he is stupid or anything- no way. He is just a guy who likes routine, likes to follow orders and not ask too many questions... But he connects all dots pretty fast when he has them. ;)
Where Carver is glacier wrapped in flesh, Jones is such a goner. No, really... he is. :) He is pining over Carver something fierce. I can't tell you it's sweet, because these two share really fucked up, sometimes toxic and always explosive relationship. Fair warning: angry sex and gun play happen and it's hottt.;)
The reason I chucked half of star off is because few times author was telling instead of showing. For example there is a description of recap simulator and next sentence is "It was horrifying and cruel and usually extremely effective."- Just give a reader a bit of trust, we can make that conclusion on our own.:)
I can't write anything more without spoiling it, but I hope this is enough to hook you up. You can expect lies, loss, angst, alliances made and alliances betrayed and
October 20, 2017
4.3 Stars
What. The. Hell? That ending was not cool, Nash. Too much left up in the air; too many unanswered questions still demanding attention. I know it's been, what, 3 years? Well, I'mma need a follow up on this tout de suite, k?
This was one helluva book, though, and had it been complete, had the story been wrapped up, I'd have given it 5 fucking stars, it was that good. I loved the politics, the dystopian setting, the message (even that questionable one making you wonder if it's okay for someone like the opposition to do all of the same bad shit as the one in charge, so long as he has the welfare of more people in mind).
Damn.
I'll probably think about this a lot...
What. The. Hell? That ending was not cool, Nash. Too much left up in the air; too many unanswered questions still demanding attention. I know it's been, what, 3 years? Well, I'mma need a follow up on this tout de suite, k?
This was one helluva book, though, and had it been complete, had the story been wrapped up, I'd have given it 5 fucking stars, it was that good. I loved the politics, the dystopian setting, the message (even that questionable one making you wonder if it's okay for someone like the opposition to do all of the same bad shit as the one in charge, so long as he has the welfare of more people in mind).
Damn.
I'll probably think about this a lot...
Want to read
January 18, 2015
Read
August 22, 2014review percolation
***
oooh, I have a blurb crush
***
oooh, I have a blurb crush
July 9, 2015
Wow, I loved this book. It was dark, gritty and totally unique. I couldn't put it down. It is set in a futurist world that is totally falling apart. It is filled with poverty, drugs and crime. Jones is an ex-soldier who does free lance assassinations to get by. He sleeps with too many men to remember and uses drugs to get through the day. All because he can't get over his ex-lover Carver. It's been seven years and he hasn't even begun to get over the man. The man he thinks never loved him back. A call back into action by the government brings the two men and their messed up relationship back together. Jones knows their situation is not a good one but he has no idea the depth of betrayal his government is capable of. All of a sudden Jones is thrown in to a conspiracy that threatens his friendships, his life and mostly his heart.
This book was griping from the first page. The relationship between Jones and Carver is so messed up but you can't help but be drawn to them. The author does a great job of making you feel the heartache and desperation that Jones feels. She gives you just enough of Carver to make you think there is hope for him but not enough to know what he is going to do next. The plot was full of action and kept me guessing until the end. I can't wait until the next in the series comes out. I want more Jones and Carver right now.
This book was griping from the first page. The relationship between Jones and Carver is so messed up but you can't help but be drawn to them. The author does a great job of making you feel the heartache and desperation that Jones feels. She gives you just enough of Carver to make you think there is hope for him but not enough to know what he is going to do next. The plot was full of action and kept me guessing until the end. I can't wait until the next in the series comes out. I want more Jones and Carver right now.
December 26, 2022
Very sad that this book is from 2014 and the second hasn't been released. It ends on a semi cliffy.
September 30, 2014
Dysto & Sci-Fi aren't usually my thing but I've heard that there is one HELL of a gun scene in this book. So i'm willing to stretch those limits just so I can see what the hell happens with this gun! :)
3.5 Stars!
*thoughts soon*
3.5 Stars!
*thoughts soon*
August 20, 2014
What a great premise and what a skilled, magnetic writing style! Congrats and may there be many more in the series! Hooray! (and that cover ain't too shabby, neither, *winkwink*)
August 26, 2014
I don't really know how to describe this book, so I'll go crazy: This is the Soldier meets the Sin City.
In the not so bright future, the state owns a secret military/assassin unit call ENAD (Enforced Necessary Arms Division) which destroys the enemies of the state (we don't know which state it is or is it more than a corrupt city that we see in the novel, though it is somewhere on the territory of USA since the dollar is used in a metaphor once and all the names point to this). They believe they are the good guys. They were benched for seven years for screwing up and forced to make their own living in the corrupt, poor, crumbling city. The story is told from the POV of Jones and starts when the ENAD members are recalled to resume their duties. In the past, Jones was obsessed with Carver, another soldier, who seemingly has no human emotions and with whom he had a sexual relationship. Carver is cruel, cold and efficient. As the story progresses, Jones (with the help of his friend Bruno) realizes that not all the things are as they seem in his limited world not is Caver who he appeared to be.
To say that these two have a fucked up relationship would be an understatement. To say that this is romance would be a major mistake. Sure, some scenes are hot, but nothing about these two men is healthy. Jones is obsessed with a kind of single-mindedness found only in teenagers, with fixation of disorder quality. Nothing in Carver supports it (unless you think 'beautiful' is reason enough). Most healthy people would run and hide from Carver. And, Jones's other observations carry the mark of a juvenile, undeveloped mind. He is not stupid, just limited in his perception. He is educated, yet his world and experiences are so narrow that he is incapable (until slapped in the face) to comprehend the truth different from the one he is living with. When you find out the truth about Carver, you realize he suffers similar crippling damage - one that occurs from living TWO truths at the same time.
While I am curious to see what will happen in the sequel, these are the reasons I couldn't truly enjoy the book. I couldn't see the way these two men could even approach a healthy relationship. I could only imagine more damage. Also, I found the worldbuilding so vague that it could come from dozens of different dystopian books/movies. Still, it is fascinating to watch these two. In a way a train wreck is.
In the not so bright future, the state owns a secret military/assassin unit call ENAD (Enforced Necessary Arms Division) which destroys the enemies of the state (we don't know which state it is or is it more than a corrupt city that we see in the novel, though it is somewhere on the territory of USA since the dollar is used in a metaphor once and all the names point to this). They believe they are the good guys. They were benched for seven years for screwing up and forced to make their own living in the corrupt, poor, crumbling city. The story is told from the POV of Jones and starts when the ENAD members are recalled to resume their duties. In the past, Jones was obsessed with Carver, another soldier, who seemingly has no human emotions and with whom he had a sexual relationship. Carver is cruel, cold and efficient. As the story progresses, Jones (with the help of his friend Bruno) realizes that not all the things are as they seem in his limited world not is Caver who he appeared to be.
To say that these two have a fucked up relationship would be an understatement. To say that this is romance would be a major mistake. Sure, some scenes are hot, but nothing about these two men is healthy. Jones is obsessed with a kind of single-mindedness found only in teenagers, with fixation of disorder quality. Nothing in Carver supports it (unless you think 'beautiful' is reason enough). Most healthy people would run and hide from Carver. And, Jones's other observations carry the mark of a juvenile, undeveloped mind. He is not stupid, just limited in his perception. He is educated, yet his world and experiences are so narrow that he is incapable (until slapped in the face) to comprehend the truth different from the one he is living with. When you find out the truth about Carver, you realize he suffers similar crippling damage - one that occurs from living TWO truths at the same time.
While I am curious to see what will happen in the sequel, these are the reasons I couldn't truly enjoy the book. I couldn't see the way these two men could even approach a healthy relationship. I could only imagine more damage. Also, I found the worldbuilding so vague that it could come from dozens of different dystopian books/movies. Still, it is fascinating to watch these two. In a way a train wreck is.
November 17, 2014
Intrigue, enhanced super solders and rough sex are all rolled up into this futuristic suspense.
Conspiracy theorists will enjoy this m/m story as it covers underhanded dealings, espionage and government assignations. Jones is an orphan picked up when he was young by the government. Over the years, he's been physically changed into a killing machine. As part of an elite force, he and his team are the enforcers who put down dissensions so that the world can be a better and safer place. Yet the world doesn't seem to get any better. It's only become worse.
Ms. Summers creates a world filled with tangled webs. Who is friend and who is foe is hard to discern. For Jones who isn't the brightest bulb, he is constantly in the dark. It doesn't help he is strung out on drugs to keep him sane. In this dysfunctional world, there are plots within plots within plots. The only constants for Jones are his best friend and the stone cold killer Carver.
Jones' fatal attraction to Carver is his undoing. It doesn't help that Carver is the one who slips into Jones' secure room night after night. The sex in this story is hawt. The controlled violence in the sexual acts is arousing for those who enjoy dubious consent. For those who enjoy alpha males wrestling for top dog, this story is one to read. The underlying sexual tension through physical dominance in the dark will cause a submissive reader to whimper in desire. There are several moan-worthy scenes sprinkled throughout the deadly action.
This story reminds me of the Bourne Identity films in the way the government may or may not be the good guys. Ms. Summers does a good job of creating a world of gray where very little is definite. Just when the reader believes they know the facts, new information is revealed to convince the reader otherwise. This book is not predictable, which is a good thing.
A new-to-me author, Ms. Summers is one I will be watching. VICES ends in a rather startling manner and makes me yearn for the next book. Hopefully Ms. Summers will write a bit faster so the next book will be provided soon. This erotic suspense is recommended for m/m lovers who enjoy inhumane machination.
January 12, 2016
Not sure how I feel about this book, it took me some time to get into it.
Its set in the future in a dysopian city. Not really my kind of thing but it was interesting once I just went with the flow.
This is book 1 in the series and if book 2 comes out I will probably read that.
Its set in the future in a dysopian city. Not really my kind of thing but it was interesting once I just went with the flow.
This is book 1 in the series and if book 2 comes out I will probably read that.
August 31, 2014
I don't even have the time to write reviews anymore but I had to make an exception for this. That was one of the best goddamn roller coaster rides I've experienced. GIMME MOAR NOWWWW.
September 18, 2014
LOVED! The only bad thing about this book is that it ended! Cannot wait for more!
April 8, 2019
2/5
This would have been a 3 or maybe even 3.5, but the ruined the rest of the experience for me. Idk if the book is trying to be edgy or what, but it wasn't working. All it did was ruin the main character who was already deteriorated as we got to know him.
I got that this is dystopia, and Jone is supposed to be imperfect, but I feel like the author is at lost to how he want to construct this character.
However, I must kudos the author for the writing and the world building, but his character and plot just left little to be desire in this one. Idk, maybe it's me but dytopia just rarely seemed to work in this genre. *shrug*
This would have been a 3 or maybe even 3.5, but the ruined the rest of the experience for me. Idk if the book is trying to be edgy or what, but it wasn't working. All it did was ruin the main character who was already deteriorated as we got to know him.
I got that this is dystopia, and Jone is supposed to be imperfect, but I feel like the author is at lost to how he want to construct this character.
However, I must kudos the author for the writing and the world building, but his character and plot just left little to be desire in this one. Idk, maybe it's me but dytopia just rarely seemed to work in this genre. *shrug*
February 15, 2015
Review can be read at It's About The Book
This book was so damn good. I immediately started recommending it to my friends. The characters were damaged and dark. The cyberpunk secret special forces angle kept me intrigued the entire book. The unrequited
Review: love story left me heartbroken and yearning but desperately hopeful. I don’t have one gripe about this book. I’m left wanting more right this minute. This book is definitely open ended but I felt the ending was beautiful. Definitely the next chapter in their lives. An awakening of sorts.
The book begins with Jones as a hired hitman since being turned out after his secret military group named ENAD was made in photos 7 years before. They were essentially banished until a time they could show their faces and be useful to ENAD again. Soldiers are all these men and women are, so they wait and survive while living in the shadows. The world these people live in is set in the future. There’s a very defined social hierarchy that’s determined by wealth and power. Jones was banished to the poor and crime ridden part of the city to wait for the call to return. It finally comes and he’s returning to new team lead by the one man he can’t seem to escape. Carver.
When they were in training together years ago Carver would come to him at night. Those memories have haunted Jones in the most deliciously torturous way. It’s all he has left of their time together. So to suddenly be working again on a team under the man he can’t get over causes some intense emotions to present themselves. Carver is all business and stoic. Which just seems to fuel the fire more because how can Jones feel so much and Carver feel nothing?
The new team is receiving missions to take out a political opponent of the current leader. Someone questions it and secrets start to come unraveled. This is where things get super intense. Jones has no idea who he can trust and is constantly under surveillance. Through it all his biggest struggle is resisting the urge to resist showing Carver just how much he hurt him when he disappeared.
I feel like this quote from the book gives you a very good sense of how Jones needs Carver. It’s not just that he wants him. He’s drawn to him but it’s stronger than that.
“ I wanted his empty eyes on me, and they could stay empty for as long as he wanted, for as love as he lived, just so long as they were looking at me.
I loved a wild thing, a person without a heart to give me. But as long as I loved him the way I did, that would be enough.” OMG…I love it!
The MCs in the book are very dominant bad ass alpha types. Raw and emotionally crippled by their training and experiences. Molded by their purpose within ENAD. There’s just something about these type of gruff and tough men resisting but eventually falling in love that gets to me. I love the build up of it almost as much as the moment it happens. The love hate thing in this book was particularly good. It’s all told from the POV of Jones so you’re left guessing what Carver is feeling right along with Jones. It’s torture that he appears to feel nothing at all when Jones is slowly dying inside. The only thing he clings to were the moments they shared all those years ago. It was as close to happiness as Jones has ever known.
The intrigue in this story is good. You never really know who to trust. These incredibly power men and women are still under the thumb of others. Dispatched to kill under the assumption what they’re doing is for the greater good of the tax payers paying their salaries. But is it really? The cast of characters was great. There are quite a few and I feel like I got to know them all enough to be concerned about what’s happening to them.
I really enjoy the elements of cyberpunk in this as well. They certainly helped paint a picture of the world while making me paranoid for Jones and his friends. I loved the MCs. Both so strong and capable but totally screwed up. I can’t wait to read about them figuring out what to do next and how they’re going to expose the bad guys for what they are. Everything is against them now but they finally have each other. I need answers to so many things but the ending left me feeling satisfied the guys would be okay. It’s going to be a struggle but one I will absolutely be reading about. There’s so much left of this story thank goodness.
This book was so damn good. I immediately started recommending it to my friends. The characters were damaged and dark. The cyberpunk secret special forces angle kept me intrigued the entire book. The unrequited
Review: love story left me heartbroken and yearning but desperately hopeful. I don’t have one gripe about this book. I’m left wanting more right this minute. This book is definitely open ended but I felt the ending was beautiful. Definitely the next chapter in their lives. An awakening of sorts.
The book begins with Jones as a hired hitman since being turned out after his secret military group named ENAD was made in photos 7 years before. They were essentially banished until a time they could show their faces and be useful to ENAD again. Soldiers are all these men and women are, so they wait and survive while living in the shadows. The world these people live in is set in the future. There’s a very defined social hierarchy that’s determined by wealth and power. Jones was banished to the poor and crime ridden part of the city to wait for the call to return. It finally comes and he’s returning to new team lead by the one man he can’t seem to escape. Carver.
When they were in training together years ago Carver would come to him at night. Those memories have haunted Jones in the most deliciously torturous way. It’s all he has left of their time together. So to suddenly be working again on a team under the man he can’t get over causes some intense emotions to present themselves. Carver is all business and stoic. Which just seems to fuel the fire more because how can Jones feel so much and Carver feel nothing?
The new team is receiving missions to take out a political opponent of the current leader. Someone questions it and secrets start to come unraveled. This is where things get super intense. Jones has no idea who he can trust and is constantly under surveillance. Through it all his biggest struggle is resisting the urge to resist showing Carver just how much he hurt him when he disappeared.
I feel like this quote from the book gives you a very good sense of how Jones needs Carver. It’s not just that he wants him. He’s drawn to him but it’s stronger than that.
“ I wanted his empty eyes on me, and they could stay empty for as long as he wanted, for as love as he lived, just so long as they were looking at me.
I loved a wild thing, a person without a heart to give me. But as long as I loved him the way I did, that would be enough.” OMG…I love it!
The MCs in the book are very dominant bad ass alpha types. Raw and emotionally crippled by their training and experiences. Molded by their purpose within ENAD. There’s just something about these type of gruff and tough men resisting but eventually falling in love that gets to me. I love the build up of it almost as much as the moment it happens. The love hate thing in this book was particularly good. It’s all told from the POV of Jones so you’re left guessing what Carver is feeling right along with Jones. It’s torture that he appears to feel nothing at all when Jones is slowly dying inside. The only thing he clings to were the moments they shared all those years ago. It was as close to happiness as Jones has ever known.
The intrigue in this story is good. You never really know who to trust. These incredibly power men and women are still under the thumb of others. Dispatched to kill under the assumption what they’re doing is for the greater good of the tax payers paying their salaries. But is it really? The cast of characters was great. There are quite a few and I feel like I got to know them all enough to be concerned about what’s happening to them.
I really enjoy the elements of cyberpunk in this as well. They certainly helped paint a picture of the world while making me paranoid for Jones and his friends. I loved the MCs. Both so strong and capable but totally screwed up. I can’t wait to read about them figuring out what to do next and how they’re going to expose the bad guys for what they are. Everything is against them now but they finally have each other. I need answers to so many things but the ending left me feeling satisfied the guys would be okay. It’s going to be a struggle but one I will absolutely be reading about. There’s so much left of this story thank goodness.
September 24, 2014
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.5 stars
What a ride! Set in a technology-driven world with humans, cyborgs, bots, and a whole manner of personal upgrades, this dark, gritty world has a bit of everything.
Jones knows what he is and how the soldiers are looked upon and treated. As he describes them, “The state treated us like dogs, which we were. We were Rottweilers, starved and half-deranged, waiting for someone to let us off our leashes….I knew I was a dog to them, but at least I felt like a pet.” Just having food and some place to sleep is all Jones can hope to expect out of life.
The world building is fairly complete with a sense of the dying city they live in, what personal enhancements are available, co-existing with cyborgs, and the political unrest. We can smoothly follow along what is going on with the government as it’s explained in a concise, clear manner, although the situation has layers of complications. The only area missing for me is how far into the future we are, what specific location the story is taking place in, and how the cyber beings come to be a part of the every day world. (I like all those kinds of details.)
The heart of the story is Jones. Told through his eyes, he has no reason to think anything is not as it seems and he has a morality just below the surface that other soldiers don’t have, especially Carver. What makes the ride so full of adrenaline is that we see everything as Jones does and unravel it as he does, and of course nothing is as it seems.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
4.5 stars
What a ride! Set in a technology-driven world with humans, cyborgs, bots, and a whole manner of personal upgrades, this dark, gritty world has a bit of everything.
Jones knows what he is and how the soldiers are looked upon and treated. As he describes them, “The state treated us like dogs, which we were. We were Rottweilers, starved and half-deranged, waiting for someone to let us off our leashes….I knew I was a dog to them, but at least I felt like a pet.” Just having food and some place to sleep is all Jones can hope to expect out of life.
The world building is fairly complete with a sense of the dying city they live in, what personal enhancements are available, co-existing with cyborgs, and the political unrest. We can smoothly follow along what is going on with the government as it’s explained in a concise, clear manner, although the situation has layers of complications. The only area missing for me is how far into the future we are, what specific location the story is taking place in, and how the cyber beings come to be a part of the every day world. (I like all those kinds of details.)
The heart of the story is Jones. Told through his eyes, he has no reason to think anything is not as it seems and he has a morality just below the surface that other soldiers don’t have, especially Carver. What makes the ride so full of adrenaline is that we see everything as Jones does and unravel it as he does, and of course nothing is as it seems.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
October 3, 2014
There is a story here, but I didn't particularly like it -nor did I like the characters in this story. It just left me feeling cold and hopeless.
For a good review, please see Lady M's review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
For a good review, please see Lady M's review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
August 26, 2014
I NEED THE NEXT BOOK NOW.
Holy cow. Wow. This review is going to be all over the shop...I can't think straight and I love every word I've just read.
Nash Summers is a talented author. Versatile doesn't even begin to cover her writing styles. From the sweetness of A Different Dance to the quirkiness ofOutshine the Stars to the understanding of Carte Blanche to the corrupt, hardness of this story, there is no way anyone could call her pigeon holed.
"So I'd lie there, lingering in that space between sleep and consciousness, and let him touch me in all the ways he wanted."
This story is about a dysfunctional, dystopian future. A world where the rich are rich, the poor are poor and for some like Jones the state owns your butt. As far as the world is concerned you don't exist. As far as you are concerned, you obey orders and don't feel...anything. The world Nash has created here is amazing. I can see so easily the bleak horror of the lives of these people, the corrupt and ugly world in which they live. For most the only light and joy is through the escapism of virtual realities. I'm really at a loss for words to describe how amazingly well the hopelessness of this future society was written.
This story reminded me of a Matrix/Bourne Identity hybrid. Yet it was completely different to both. It was clever and clear and freaking brilliant. This is not an MM book. It is a book whose MC likes other men. It is futuristic, dystopian, hard to read...but so bloody brilliant. God, I'm making no sense. I'll have to come back and tidy up this review.
The characters - I love Jones, Carver and Bruno. I am not ready to give these characters up - I need to know all about them. More...I want more. I love soft and cute and marshmallow-y...this was none of those things and I wanted to hug these characters better and promise them a better life a better future...but I'm just going to have to trust Ms Summers will do this in the next book. It is fair to say that in this story the characters did not have it easy, she was relentless with them.
I have to add in a note about the hotness - call me twisted but some of the scenes in this book were very hot! Being the romance vulture I am I had to find it in there, the promise of love beneath the pain. It's there...a little...in parts. Maybe.
"He kissed me. He kissed me like a thousand promises were being exchanged through that one kiss." ...my notes just say 'swoon'.
I think the long and the short of this review is, I loved this book. It's not an easy read if you don't like hurt but it's brilliant. Really, effing brilliant.
(As reviewed by my alter ego Lori x
Holy cow. Wow. This review is going to be all over the shop...I can't think straight and I love every word I've just read.
Nash Summers is a talented author. Versatile doesn't even begin to cover her writing styles. From the sweetness of A Different Dance to the quirkiness ofOutshine the Stars to the understanding of Carte Blanche to the corrupt, hardness of this story, there is no way anyone could call her pigeon holed.
"So I'd lie there, lingering in that space between sleep and consciousness, and let him touch me in all the ways he wanted."
This story is about a dysfunctional, dystopian future. A world where the rich are rich, the poor are poor and for some like Jones the state owns your butt. As far as the world is concerned you don't exist. As far as you are concerned, you obey orders and don't feel...anything. The world Nash has created here is amazing. I can see so easily the bleak horror of the lives of these people, the corrupt and ugly world in which they live. For most the only light and joy is through the escapism of virtual realities. I'm really at a loss for words to describe how amazingly well the hopelessness of this future society was written.
This story reminded me of a Matrix/Bourne Identity hybrid. Yet it was completely different to both. It was clever and clear and freaking brilliant. This is not an MM book. It is a book whose MC likes other men. It is futuristic, dystopian, hard to read...but so bloody brilliant. God, I'm making no sense. I'll have to come back and tidy up this review.
The characters - I love Jones, Carver and Bruno. I am not ready to give these characters up - I need to know all about them. More...I want more. I love soft and cute and marshmallow-y...this was none of those things and I wanted to hug these characters better and promise them a better life a better future...but I'm just going to have to trust Ms Summers will do this in the next book. It is fair to say that in this story the characters did not have it easy, she was relentless with them.
I have to add in a note about the hotness - call me twisted but some of the scenes in this book were very hot! Being the romance vulture I am I had to find it in there, the promise of love beneath the pain. It's there...a little...in parts. Maybe.
"He kissed me. He kissed me like a thousand promises were being exchanged through that one kiss." ...my notes just say 'swoon'.
I think the long and the short of this review is, I loved this book. It's not an easy read if you don't like hurt but it's brilliant. Really, effing brilliant.
(As reviewed by my alter ego Lori x
back-burner-for-now
August 20, 2014Don't want to read this unless there is a love story attached. Need more info or a sequel.
October 16, 2015
Loved it. The first book in a long time that pulled me in from start to finish. I had no idea where it would end.
August 6, 2016
Gritty but excellent
September 15, 2014
I loved this! I want the next one right now.
Read
October 18, 2014I honestly don't know how to rate this book, it was a total mindfuck, and I'm still not sure what happened.....I usually love 1st POV, but in this book it didn't work for me. I'm going to rate it after the next book, maybe things will be more clear.
December 30, 2023
3.5 stars
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