Transformed: San Francisco

Transformed #1

by Suzanne Falter, Jack Harvey

Charley McElroy is a handsome, well-heeled travel writer and CIA informant who also happens to be an F to M transman. And he’s having a midlife crisis.

Charley gets suspended by the Agency after forgetting to pay his taxes. Only days earlier, yet another marriage proposal has been spurned. In his grief and confusion, Charley befriends Electra, a high-powered Manhattan socialite-turned-dominatrix rebuilding her life in San Francisco. Then he meets Frankie, a disgruntled lesbian police sergeant who has been demoted by the SFPD for being a whistle blower.

Together they uncover a Christian fundamentalist’s lethal plot to destroy the ‘hedonists’ of San Francisco. Yet, neither the SFPD nor the CIA will take the threat seriously due to the trio’s outsider status.

Can they get anyone to listen to them? Or are they on their own?

Find out in this funny thriller filled with San Francisco’s spectacular scenery and inimitable, quirky characters.

Genres: LGBT, Fiction, Mystery, Queer, Transgender, Romance, Amazon

247 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 9, 2016

About the author

Suzanne Falter is an author, speaker, blogger and podcaster who has published both fiction and non-fiction, as well as essays. She also speaks about self-care and the transformational healing of crisis, especially in her own life after the death of her daughter Teal. Her non-fiction books also include How Much Joy Can You Stand? and Surrendering to Joy . Suzanne is also the host of podcast Self-Care for Extremely Busy Women.

Suzanne’s essays have appeared in O Magazine, The New York Times, Elephant Journal, Tiny Buddha and Thrive Global among others. Her fiction titles include the Oaktown Girls series of lesbian romances, and the romantic suspense series, Transformed. Her non-fiction work, blog, podcasts and her online course, Self-Care for Extremely Busy Women, can be found at suzannefalter.com and on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Pinterest.

She lives with her wife in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Reviews

[Reece · Rating 2 out of 5]

Let me be explicitly clear right off the bat: This book is not LGBTQ+ friendly

This is a poorly devised, poorly executed novel filled with transphobic comments, the f slur dropped around like it's candy, and the homophobic trope that all homophobic people are secretly gay themselves. The "villain" (who is set up to conjure up actual sympathy) is cartoony to a degree of near hilarity and makes light of the very real threat of violent evangelism and hate crimes that real LGBTQ+ people face. He is not layered or nuanced, he is a poorly executed trope.

Electra is just a horrifically unrelatable, unlikeable character who drops transphobic comments but is instantly forgiven because Charlie is just filled with that much self loathing and doubt about his ability to maintain a relationship with anyone.

Frankie is halfway decent but starts the book out by "just knowing" who is trans and who isn't because they "aren't like all the other men", and then continues to do things like joke about him hitting menopause and then immediately follow it with demanding when he is going to "get his dick".

Vile, problematic trash that CIS readers will just eat up because the entire book feeds into the obsession with trans folk's genetalia, topped off by asking in the book club questions if Charlie should get bottom surgery.

And for the actual plot? It's horrid, hinged on plot holes and things that make no sense, combined with a sheer, willful lack of knowledge on laws and police procedures.

This book gets a whole whopping two stars because the authors somehow managed to cobble together vaguely coherent English sentences.

[Tiff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting characters and great dialogue are what makes a book standout to me. I want a character or characters that are memorable. I want dialogue that sounds like real people talking. Easy right, yeah you would think so, but this takes real skill by a really good author. A few weeks ago I was contacted by Suzanne Falter and asked if I would be interested in reading her novel, Transformed: San Francisco (Charley & Electra #1). Let me tell you, this book is so much fun, and a really fantastic read.

Charley McElroy is a kind, witty, an exceptionally smart guy. He also happens to be a transman and an undercover CIA agent. Upon meeting Charley you learn that this amazing character is suffering from a touch of loneliness. His recent breakup is the cause. Not so much that he lost his great love, but from the fact that another lover has left because of they can’t commit to a life with Charley for the one reason that he doesn’t have a male appendage, you know which one I’m referring to. His recent ex wanted “real sex”, she wanted kids, the novelty of having a trans lover was over for her as she walked out his front door. Talk about OUCH!!! Charley has been dealt another blow, another heart break because he is who he is. He begins to wonder should he have bottom surgery, and would this change the outcome of his personal relationships.

Pamela Delacroix is on the front page of smut magazines being referred to as the Society Dom. Why? Well, because Pamela is a New York socialite who has recently been outed as a dominatrix. Messy divorce, public scandal, and ridicule, you name it and it has been hurled her way. So Pamela has fled from her penthouse in Manhattan to begin a new life in San Francisco. Pamela is conflicted. She feels guilt for hurting her daughter as she emerges as herself, as Electra the dominatrix, but she is also desperately seeking acceptance to be who she needs to be. It has taken her years to embrace who she really is, San Francisco is her refuge. This move is her chance at finding a community that will not shun her, not make her a public mockery, but as she settles in she realizes that it is actually harder than she had ever imagined, and social circles have become closed to her no matter the size of her check. Well that is until she meets Charley.

I adored both Charley and Electra these characters are so much more than a dominatrix and a transman. They are fun, quirky, almost comical at times, and not because of their labels but because they have big personalities. They are relatable and that what makes the reader grab on to them and want to go on their journey. You feel their “heart” in the story. I really enjoyed their path to romance, I could have spent all day just reading their story but this book has so much more to offer than just a romance. Oh yes, you have a thriller as well.

The book also has a crime oriented. You see a sub character Randy Tytus is fanatical evangelistic psycho that wants to eliminate the sexual deviants from Earth, specifically the hedonistic mecca of SF. Randy has suppressed his urges and has heeded his dead father’s evil ways and has decided that the only way to memorialize his father is to keep the hate going. So Randy travels to SF to find his prey. EEEKKK! The only problem is that Randy begins to have urges again and begins to sees the human side of things. That doesn’t mean he stops his crazy plan, nope this cuckoo bird and his villainous way just keeps on trucking. No worries though Electra, Charley and their upstanding police friend, Frankie will save the day and the City by the Bay.

This book has personality, it has heart, and it has characters that are more than just a label. This book is fun and really has moments of lightheartedness while it tackles hard hitting subjects. I think if you take one thing away from this book it will be the fact that love really does make life better. Cliché absolutely, but also totally true.

Stop by my site: https://theromanticreaderblog.com/

[Ottilee B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm starting this review with a low(er) number of stars as I have-- sing with me now-- high hopes for this series. I LOVE so much about this book it's ridiculous. The mc, a transman named Charley, is on suspension from the CIA. He meets what newspapers have named, the Society Dom ("Electra"). SHE has a stalker: Charley helps her and alongside a Lesbian cop of the SFPD (who is looking into corruption), they thwart a terrorist attack at the Bay to Breakers footrace.

I admit I wasn't happy the Villian was a Bible-thumper, nor was I happy with his agenda. However, it needed to be so why not?! I can hardly wait for the next!!!

There was very little bdsm. It was mostly spoken words.

[Pixie · Rating 1 out of 5]

No.... DNF'd at 11%.

[S.B. (Beauty in Ruins) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charley is a transsexual CIA informant. Frankie is a lesbian police sergeant. Pamela is a Manhattan socialite tuned high-profile Dominatrix. Randy is an evangelical Christian fundamentalist. All four are experiencing something of a crisis in their lives, leading them to question their identities. Precisely how and where those lives intersect will leave them Transformed.

Suzanne Falter & Jack Harvey have crafted an intriguing novel that is both funny and disturbing, thrilling and romantic. It is origins are rather dark - a “Kill the Fags” campaign has birthed a terrorist plot to destroy the ‘hedonists’ of San Francisco - but the characters serve to bring some light (and even some romance) into it. It is a very emotional story, as you might expect, but be prepared for those emotions to shift over the course of the story.

While the terrorist campaign and overlapping CIA/SFPD investigations serve to propel the plot forward, it is the characters who make it worth following. Charley is brilliantly portrayed, capturing the fears and the doubts of a man still on the edge of his final transition, while Pamela is a warm, engaging, sympathetic woman who is slowly reclaiming her freedom and her sexuality. Frankie was a little too hard-boiled for me, but still a solid character, while Randy has enough depth to overcome our initial hatred as his own identity crisis comes to a height.

The cover blurb calls this a "funny thriller", but I would expand that somewhat to call it a "funny thriller with a lot of heart." Transformed could have played it straight (no pun intended), but the humor and the romance put the darker hatreds in context, and help guide the reader through to hopes of a happily ever after.


As reviewed by Sally at Bending the Bookshelf

[Kate]

I'm not a big reader of thrillers, but I enjoyed this one because it brings something new to the genre with its quirky characters. And yet, they aren't just quirk. Beyond their labels, (transman CIA agent, lesbian cop and high-society-woman-cum dominatrix) the three main characters have heart. Even the bad guy--an insane evangelist who plots to murder San Francisco's hedonists--shows signs of humanness.

This book is very readable. I kept going, wondering what was going to happen next. And the writing style flows like buttah, although I did notice a couple of plot/consistency gaps. Not enough, though, to mar my enjoyment of the book.

I think my favorite part of the book was the loving depiction of San Francisco.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A transman has a chance meeting with a newly outed Society Dominatrix. There is an element of s love story, but the story focuses on the Christian extremist that is plotting against the dominatrix! I was given the story for a honest review, so didn't really have any idea what to expect. It isn't a book I would have picked out just looking at its description. However, I really enjoyed it. Read it in a couple of days, which meant I wanted to keep reading. If you're looking for something different that you haven't seen before, this is it! Looks like there maybe a sequel, if so I will read it.

[Ellen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bad in the expected ways. Also bad because the homophobic dude was a sympathetically presented point of view character. Also, bisexual.

I'm also amused that there are discussion questions in the end. So here are my answers:
1. Frankie, I guess.
2. Frankie.
3. The race.
4. The terrorism.
5. Men suck. No.
6. BACK OFF AND GO AWAY.
7. Idk.
8. No.
9. No.
10. No.
11. People feel more comfortable invading a stranger's life, plus many people don't know a trans person in real life.
12. Yes.
13. Idk.
14. The fuck...?

[Melissa Williams · Rating 1 out of 5]

Charley MacElroy is a spy working for the CIA who happens to also be trans, and he’s recently had his security clearance suspended because he forgot to pay his taxes. Electra is an aspiring dominatrix who just moved to San Francisco on the heels of a devastating divorce that has left her notorious in the society pages and estranged from her daughter. Frankie is a lesbian police sergeant who was originally assigned to clean up corruption in the SFPD, but was quickly demoted when a new chief arrived on the scene. When Charley meets and befriends these two women, they begin to uncover a crazed Christian fundamentalist’s plan to terrorize a popular San Francisco race and destroy the city’s hedonists. Because of their “outsider status,” they are unable to convince anyone to investigate the threat that they see brewing, leading to a race to stop the terrible attack on their own before it’s too late.

Let me just start out by saying that I wanted to like this book. The summary seemed interesting and had characters I genuinely wanted to get to know. One of the problems is that I’ve finished the book and I still don’t know them. The book itself is fast-paced, and rarely lags on the plot, although it sometimes detours extensively into the relationships between the characters instead. I think a lot of the problems I have with this book boil down to one major issue: these authors shouldn’t have written this book, or if they were going to, they should have asked for a lot more help than they seemed to have. There was nothing malicious about the plot or characterizations, but there was some pervasive transphobia and kink-shaming, as well as basic misunderstandings as to how either of those things actually work. Charley’s identity as a spy is also somewhat misleading, as the only way it really relates to the plot is that he gets suspended.

The antagonist is another major issue for this book. Having his point of view throughout the book released entirely too much tension, and left the plot of this supposed “thriller” with nowhere to go in its resolution. His full identity and motivations, once they are revealed at the book’s end (through extremely dubious methods, might I add), are pretty trite and problematic. Honestly, considering the antagonist’s resolution, the book kind of reads as an extended “come-to-Jesus” moment for a violently homophobic terrorist.

Transformed: San Francisco has enough positive reviews that it clearly appeals to some readers. I could see the fast-pace of the narrative appealing to readers who would like a quick and engaging read. The characters could also be a draw for those who enjoy interpersonal relationships in their thrillers, although I would caution that those relationships may develop a bit too quickly for some. The setting of San Francisco is crucial to the plot and atmosphere of the book, so anyone looking for a sense of place should be able to find it in this novel.

[Jule · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3,5

I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

"Shouldn't we be exactly who we are, no matter how unconventional? It's our birthright."

Welcome to the maybe most unconventional crime novel since a long time. Let's do a roll call here: there is a pansexual transman CIA-agent, a badass ex-navy lesbian police officer and a proud 50+ dominatrix fighting against an ultra-conservative, ultra-devout Christian criminal. Those are quite some main characters! They are quirky and bizarre, bordering on comical but never crossing the line. Although their accumulation seems maybe a bit too much, they work nicely together. I especially liked that they all had doubts about their identity at some point. I think more people can relate to a trans* protagonist still questioning the necessity of "bottom surgery" and still having certain issues with his identity than a protagonist who is all out and proud and 110 percent self-confident. Their questions and their complexity made the characters especially nice.

The crime plot had sufficient amounts of suspense, while the romance and friendship parts counterbalanced that. I found the writing style and the language wort mentioning as well, since it created on easy flow of the story with precise but simple descriptions (especially well done when concerning emotions). However, there were also tiny errors in repetition, continuity and sometimes choice of words.

To sum up: this is a quirky crime novel with an assortment of weird and unusual characters that could be too much for some readers. It is funny, but in my opinion the idea is not interesting enough to carry over into a sequel.

[Dharma · Rating 1 out of 5]

UGH
I wanted to like this more but the romance aspect was so "romance novelly". Unfinished story line on the person who framed Charly. And Electra? Oh please.

It's certainly an easy read, and I did get one HUGE laugh out of a line in the book but overall, kind of embarrassing.

[Ela The Queer Bookish · Rating 4 out of 5]

I nearly dnf-ed this book. The beginning is so hectic and the characters seem rather random. But I read on and suddenly I was hooked. Everything comes smoothly together... well, mostly. I was confused why they get from stalker to terrorist. Maybe I read over something, but I am sure I didn't.

Anyway, I really liked Charley's doubts about his own body and how he helps Electra discover herself. At first I couldn't take her seriously as a dominatrix, because in her everyday life she truly isn't dominant (not saying you have to be), but later on the reader gets to read her in a scene and: mh, yes.

It isn't the most intellectual read, but I was entertained. Nearly entertained enough to ignore the mistakes. There were a few repetitions (like how plastic bags are forbidden in San Francisco).

At the end of the book you learn what inspired the authors to this novel and I may be checking those books out.

Disclaimer: I was provided with a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.

[Luisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

i was lucky enough to win an advance copy of this book in the goodreads giveaway,
i wasn't sure what to expect but did enjoy it, it has a great mix of characters from all walks of live, (dominatrix, transman, lesbian), but while you are aware of their lifestyle it does not define them (with the exception of religion), the fact that one of the main characters is a transman is interesting but is only mentioned now and then and while it clearly effects the character i was actually more drawn to him as cia agent, its a good story with complex characters and plenty of drama both internal and external,

[Kibbin · Rating 2 out of 5]

A trans man, a dominatrix, and a gay cop walk into a bar. This may sound like the set up for a gag and it may well be but it’s also the set up for a book. This may also sound a little redundant for the characters who are no doubt far more deep and nuanced than that but it should be noted that the book really wants you to know that they are a trans man, a dominatrix, and a lesbian. Take Charley for instance. He’s a dam good super spy, the son of a billion dollar rum business and yet the book seems to always want to emphasise that he is transman Charley. About the only one who doesn’t get this is Frankie the widowed cop and a more suspicious man would say that this is because homosexuality is seen as more mainstream now and they were all emphasising the other two to stir up some controversy to get attention to their book. Either way if you are the kind who doesn’t approve any aspect of the rainbow spectrum then you will not enjoy this book.

Speaking of the book let’s begin and some time does need to spent on the opening few chapters as they’re not great. The book feels a little disjointed especially in the presentation of Charley. We open on him in tears due to rejection, over not having had bottom surgery, by some one night stand. The next chapter sees him playing Mr smooth to gather the party for the book ahead. Now it could be argued that we’re trying to show the multiple sides of him but it ends up looking a little all over the place rather than a multifaceted character. This is even in comparison to Electra who seems more consistent over the first third of the novel and evenly introduced to us the reader. It’s made a bit worse by his initiation into all this. The suave super spy, who happens to be the son of a billionaire business, is terrible with money. That wouldn’t be so bad, and as brit I haven’t had the burden of trying to work out how to pay my taxes at year’s end, so I can see him flubbing on this. But I can’t help but ask why, considering he is aware of this flaw, he hasn’t just hired an accountant. These aren’t great problems but I think they stuck out as they are at the start of the book.

Overall the first half of the book seeks to sooth these teething problems as Charley meets Electra and Charley meets Frankie. They follow our would be mad bomber and figure out, very slowly, what he’s doing. However it’s the second half of the book that it seems to run into real problems. If you’re wanting to avoid any spoilers then I suggest skipping the next three paragraphs and possibly the book with it.

At pretty much the fifty percent mark our villain decides to head home, with information in hand, to plot out the rest of his evil scheme and return at the height of season next year. Charley figures this and tells Electra, the lead target for our mad bomber, also mentioning that he will thus be working with Frankie a bit over the coming months to help them both out with work issues they have before their villains return. Electra freaks out at this, chucks him out, and refuses to ever speak to him again. Now despite the fact that Charley is correct that their would be killer is out of town for a few months I got the feeling that the book wanted me to side with Electra on this. This is despite the fact that I’m fairly certain that this is only done to pad out page time before the end of the book. We even repeat this again later on to explain why there is now backup surrounding her house before the big show down. She apparently just couldn’t be bothered to answer the police’s phone calls so they took her off the books. None of this leads to anything nor even really complicates the plot. Charley and Frankie find out who their assailant is but Electra won’t answer the phone. Even when they have this information in hand. She figures that she doesn’t need them, as she now hates them for some reason, but he calls to arrange a meeting and she not only calls Charley straight up but he is over before she can get the kettle on.

It just means that they can write in a sweet reuniting of the love birds but you never feel like they have earned it. Though I guess they need this scene in the finale as it gets pretty dull other wise. So Randy Roscoe wants to meet with professional dominatrix Electra to kill her as the centre piece for his attack on the centre of San Francisco. He does this by booking a session with her. Which seems fair enough. He’s even considering having his wicked way with her as this may be his last night of freedom or even on this earth. Okay fine; this sounds good so far. He turns up at her house. She commands him to strip down which he finally does so. She then handcuffs him and leads him to her bedroom where she leaves him alone for a few hours. By the time she returns he’s complete broken and tells her everything. This is such an underwhelming finale it would be farcical and that’s without getting into his accomplice who gets stuck in traffic.

The whole thing has the air of comedy about it. Our villain is a fundamentalist Christian out to kill all the deviant’s going against God. He is of course a deeply closeted gay man who keeps getting distracted by all the people dressed in leather. Add onto this scenes such as Electra having to hide from him in a masturbation-thon for charity at the local sex library and you’d think this was a comedy. But the thing is that it was never funny. The whole playing up of fundamental Christians made me think this might be a turned around Dragnet but while I don’t remember that film being that good it had the benefit of Dan Ackroyd and Tom Hanks.

[Just_me · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant! Really enjoyed this book. Loved the characters, loved the setting, the way the story unfolded and the way it was written. Can't find fault at all.

Despite being a straight married woman, I love reading about people from all walks of life and also love meeting people to. This book introduced me to a world I know little about - BDSM, it was a gentle introduction and I can't wait to read more.

[Danie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was awesome. I went into it not knowing what to expect at all, and then, boom, it swept me off my feet and I got quite sucked into the story. Very cool.

I got this book through Netgalley on behalf of New Heights Publishing. (And boy am I glad I did).

[Layce Gardner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! I loved every second!

[Heather Henkel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book

This was a very nice story that incorporated several subjects that don't get a lot of coverage. It was nice to read about them while also reading a law enforcement story.

[Katie Simmons · Rating 3 out of 5]

Come meet Charley, a transman that hasn't fully gone through the change; Electra, a dominatrix that has come to California for a change of scenery; and Frankie, a lesbian San Francisco police officer, trying to clean up her precinct. Charley has never had anyone stay with him. Electa basically got kicked out of her former life. Frankie has been on the outskirts of her job, since getting a new chief. They all meet because of their circumstances.

In the beginning, I found this book hard to get into. Once I had met all the characters and the intrigue started, I couldn't put the book down. Who is Roscoe and where will he show up next? Will they get together? To me it seems like Charley and Frankie already know who they are and what they want to do, but Electra is trying to figure out her place in the world.

The characters seem to be thought out. The timeline, however, seems a bit thin. Several months go buy in some chapters, but others aren't even a full day.

For my honest review, I must thank New Heights (the publisher) and NetGalley for the digital ARC!

[Laura Larson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I see a lot of people saying this isn't LGTBQ+ friendly because they say "fag". I almost let this turn me away. I'm so glad I didn't.
This is a story about a Westboro Baptist Church-esque religion nutjob that wants to rid to world of sin and believes God told him to stage chemical attacks in San Francisco. The only time anything derogatory is said against non-cis people is from his POV. Taking the haters viewpoint out of it, I found everything very realistic. Charley is a transman that was helped to transition pre-puberty by his Southern grandpa who works for the CIA gathering intelligence in some sticky situations. Electra is a NY socialite finding her way after a very public divorce. Her lawyer husband found out she had become a dominatrix and was practicing with his friends. The two met, sparks fly, and they save San Francisco with the help of a lesbian cop and a liberal dash of good luck. It's NSFW, but not explicitly sexual. Some of the content can't help but be a bit blushworthy for the less open readers.

Enough of that. I'm going to dive right in to #2!

[Peg McMahon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kind of thoughtful and kind of funny

It's hard to know how to rate this book. It is not great literature. But it's a long way from a formulaic romance. The main characters are interesting people, not cardboard cutouts. What is even more interesting is that the protagonists and antagonist are going through exactly the same struggles, heading toward their destinies with a combination of hope and doubt. Normally I am completely over having Christians as psycho-villains. It's a cheap shot, I think. But in this case, it works because underneath everything, the characters are really struggling with faith, especially faith in themselves. I don't want to make the book sound somber. It is light hearted, fast moving and frequently funny. I will read the sequel. And PS I wish Randy his happy ending. Somehow.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny intriguing read

Charlie is a trans man and also a secret agent, due to bad paper management and his taxes end up on suspended leave.
During this time he meets two women Frankie a police officer and widow dealing with her own work issues, a corrupt police force.
Elektra is a high society women who has left new York for San Fransisco due to her high profile divorce and her now celebrity name is Society Dom.
This book teaches you all the fun that goes on in the bay area while showing some peoples close mindedness instead of just letting people live their own lives.
Elektra annoyed me with her attitude to Charlie and how he couldn't help her initially she acted like a spoiled little prima Donna and felt like she needed a good shake.

[Mary Pomerantz · Rating 2 out of 5]

I almost quit reading this as I started it. The subject matter seemed to be about bondage. And while that is what one of the main characters were involved in, there were no real sex scenes in the book. It was a mediocre mystery involving a domimatrix, a disgraced CIA agent and a cop who was trying to revive her career. It wasn't a bad book and I'll probably read the others in the series.

[Elizabeth Tanner · Rating 5 out of 5]

An entertaining book that kept me hooked. I look forward to reading the next in the series. Exciting thriller, mystery, that had a shadow of Amistad Maupin. Characters were fun to follow and I could picture the area in SF the author took pains in researching to describe.

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

As you can see by how long it took me to read this book, I had to put it down.

It was an interesting book. I wasn't sure where it was going, but a very interesting read where you mix LGBT with BDSM, religion and the 12 steps....interesting how you can squish that all into one book.

[charlotte rose · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ok

Transformed: San Francisco (quirky queer spy novels is not a bad book its just not for me. But much still I read and paid for worst book

[Lori Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very fun read.

[Esther Jones · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh

I found this difficult. The main trans character misgenders himself and the ending is too neat and easy. The writing is clean but it was just meh for me.

[Kathy Stibal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my usual choice of reading but enjoyed the story as it was full of action & easy to read. Characters are rather quirky but interesting when combined within the story.

[Grace Hudson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quirky, fun read featuring diverse characters. I loved Charley and Electra and I will probably read the next ones as I enjoyed the writing style and sense of fun throughout the novel.