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Enhanced World #1
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En devenant un humain augmenté, Talon Valdez savait que sa vie et ses rêves étaient terminés. Détestés, traités avec suspicion et souvent enfermés, les augmentés étaient perçus comme des monstres. Ils étaient méprisés par le public et on ne leur faisait jamais confiance pour servir dans l’armée ou dans n’importe quel autre organisme des forces de l’ordre.
Des années plus tard, Talon a l’opportunité de monter une unité d’élite composée d’humains augmentés qui sera mise au service du FBI, mais sous une condition non négociable : chaque augmenté devra faire équipe avec un humain ordinaire.
Finn Mayer rêve de rejoindre le FBI depuis qu’il a quatorze ans. Il a fait tous les sacrifices possibles pour y arriver, y compris vivre avec sa mère égoïste et son frère homophobe et tyrannique, et renoncer à avoir un petit ami. Mais sa dyslexie non diagnostiquée a coupé court à ses aspirations. Sa dernière chance est de faire équipe avec Talon, un augmenté aux capacités létales qui ne fait pas confiance aux humains ordinaires pour garder les secrets de ses semblables et qui veut voir Finn échouer.
Finn dispose de quatre semaines pour se montrer à la hauteur aux yeux de ses coéquipiers. L’équipe a quatre semaines pour faire ses preuves auprès du public. Et quand un autre groupe menace leur succès – et que leurs vies sont mises en danger – ils ont quatre semaines pour survivre.
312 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 2, 2016
393 people are currently reading
2057 people want to read
About the author
Victoria Sue
123 books1,019 followersBullets and Babies!
Victoria writes about guys loving other guys in between dodging bullets, kidnappers, and serial killers. She enjoys putting them through hell to get their happy ever after—it’s a character flaw she embraces.
She also believes that family is who you choose, that dogs are often much wiser than human beings, and that we’re steadily destroying the world we live in.
And if people read more books, they'd be much happier.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 554 reviews
December 27, 2023
I didn’t hate this, but I didn’t particularly enjoy it either. There’s potential, but sadly the execution wasn’t enough.
The characters are interesting enough. I’m super curious about the side characters more than the main ones, which is unfortunate because this is the story of Finn and Talon. However, the author wrote the side characters much more interestingly, more complex, making me curious to learn more about them and their HEA’s. Eli is my most curious one, no surprise there. The silent, grumpy types who don’t believe they can be loved will always be my kryptonite. I can’t wait to see how he and Daniel, Vance’s brother, make it together. Then there’s Gael, the soft, gentle giant with a harsh childhood. Next is Vance, who I like but have no thoughts about at the moment, only because there wasn’t much offered. However, compared to the rest, I like that he has a good relationship with his family and they don’t use his enchanted status to define him. And lastly, there’s Sawyer, but I won’t be reading his book because it’s a poly romance. It’s too bad Adam is one of the love interests because I was looking forward to Adam getting his own story after meeting him in this story.
Talon and Finn were, to put it mildly, boring. Not only did the relationship development not feel like enough, but both characters weren’t all that complex to learn more about. Their relationship is fairly quick, especially sexually. I was enjoying it at first, excited to see how Finn would prove Talon wrong and make him see his judgement has been wrong, but their own desire takes over. While there’s still potential for more development, it’s easy to see their relationship makes progression sexually much more than emotionally. There’s not enough intimacy outside the bedroom that gives them hope. The only scene I really liked was the time Talon took care of Finn.
The romance felt really underdeveloped. I couldn’t pinpoint what Finn saw in Talon besides physical features. Talon was also such an asshole, and not the good kind. He didn’t deserve Finn, in my opinion, and never did anything to earn his trust and ‘love.’ There was a little bit of push and pull, which I’d normally love, but not this kind, the kind that hurts the characters. Talon was rude and never earned Finn’s forgiveness. The way I saw it, Finn had rose-colored glasses and acknowledged Talon’s guilt only because he’s attracted to him. These two aren’t a couple I can see spending years and years together. They didn’t give me “forever” vibes. Adding on to that, I couldn’t see what Finn saw in Talon. The dude was strong, big and attractive, but other than that, his personality was very dull and hardly something to fawn over. Talon’s grumpiness isn’t just a personality trait, but he lashes at those weaker than him. Talon even went as far as using Finn’s dyslexia as a way to insult him, which I don’t like. I don’t like when people use some of our “weaknesses” against those we can’t change, and I don’t like it in my books either. I don’t like it when the supposed love interest is an asshole to the main character by using their disabilities against them. Not to say insulting is the way to go, but I do admit I love some characters who start off as assholes and insulting only to see them grow. Talon wasn’t that type though; he called Finn pathetic and useless because he’s dyslexic, was a B-average student, and only got accepted into the FBI because of his father’s recommendation. While somewhat true, those aren’t all of Finn’s characteristics, but Talon never really saw further than that. I don’t like it when they use personal flaws the character can’t change. If you’re going to criticize him, comment on things he can improve and change, like his reckless thinking, lack of speed, how he needs to change his format and standing, or anything that has to do with improving and changing his character. And he never really asked for forgiveness, which I think makes it worse. He only accepted his guilt (twice, actually, cause one time hurting Finn wasn’t enough), but never did anything to show Finn his love and trust. And while I knew Talon wasn’t likable at first, I would’ve been able to look away from his grumpy self had he had his own development, but there were no redeeming qualities about him. Sometimes it felt like he cared about Finn because of guilt and their partnership. And even though I couldn’t see what Finn saw in Talon, I also couldn’t understand what Talon saw in Finn either besides a slim, young-looking, and attractive young man.
I can’t root for two people when one of them doesn’t earn my love the same. There wasn’t anything about Talon that was likable, and his grumpy exterior didn’t help. Plus, the author doesn’t offer much for his character. We learn more about Gael than Talon, which only made it worse for the underdeveloped relationship between Finn and him. All I know Finn knows about Talon has to do with his physical features and looks, nothing much on his life outside how he looks. Who is Talon as a person? As an enhanced? What does he like and doesn’t like? What are his favorite things? Such simple but necessary things for me to get to know the characters more.
Finn wasn’t that much better in terms of who he is. I like that the author didn’t make him as traditional compared to others, but he was a bit too naive for my liking. He acts rashly, making quick decisions without really thinking them over. I love his determination to prove himself despite his regular human status, but I do think there’s still a lot he needs to learn. His training isn’t developed enough, his large intelligence doesn’t seem that worthy when it doesn’t help him in the FBI, and there isn’t much about himself that’s offered besides coming from a shitty mom and brother. I hope he learns more from his mistakes in book 2.
The author does a good enough of job of descriptions, both for the characters and outside of them. The imagery is easy to navigate, with no unnecessary information given that makes the read feel longer. The writing is easy to get through and to decipher, not making the read complex or confusing. There’s enough time spend and jumped to give the reader a full idea of what’s happening or what the characters are going through.
I will be moving on to book 2 because I’m curious, but I can’t say I have high hopes. I’ve read some reviews that mention how these two spend most of the book not communicating. This is such lazy writing to me. Why are you gonna give this couple (only) a sequel only for them to spend it on miscommunication? Did they not learn anything from the previous book? If they lack communication how am I gonna have faith they’re the type to continue moving forward? Their lack of communication skills seem to define their relationship. I’m just not a fan. *Sigh* Oh well, I’ll just move on.
The characters are interesting enough. I’m super curious about the side characters more than the main ones, which is unfortunate because this is the story of Finn and Talon. However, the author wrote the side characters much more interestingly, more complex, making me curious to learn more about them and their HEA’s. Eli is my most curious one, no surprise there. The silent, grumpy types who don’t believe they can be loved will always be my kryptonite. I can’t wait to see how he and Daniel, Vance’s brother, make it together. Then there’s Gael, the soft, gentle giant with a harsh childhood. Next is Vance, who I like but have no thoughts about at the moment, only because there wasn’t much offered. However, compared to the rest, I like that he has a good relationship with his family and they don’t use his enchanted status to define him. And lastly, there’s Sawyer, but I won’t be reading his book because it’s a poly romance. It’s too bad Adam is one of the love interests because I was looking forward to Adam getting his own story after meeting him in this story.
Talon and Finn were, to put it mildly, boring. Not only did the relationship development not feel like enough, but both characters weren’t all that complex to learn more about. Their relationship is fairly quick, especially sexually. I was enjoying it at first, excited to see how Finn would prove Talon wrong and make him see his judgement has been wrong, but their own desire takes over. While there’s still potential for more development, it’s easy to see their relationship makes progression sexually much more than emotionally. There’s not enough intimacy outside the bedroom that gives them hope. The only scene I really liked was the time Talon took care of Finn.
The romance felt really underdeveloped. I couldn’t pinpoint what Finn saw in Talon besides physical features. Talon was also such an asshole, and not the good kind. He didn’t deserve Finn, in my opinion, and never did anything to earn his trust and ‘love.’ There was a little bit of push and pull, which I’d normally love, but not this kind, the kind that hurts the characters. Talon was rude and never earned Finn’s forgiveness. The way I saw it, Finn had rose-colored glasses and acknowledged Talon’s guilt only because he’s attracted to him. These two aren’t a couple I can see spending years and years together. They didn’t give me “forever” vibes. Adding on to that, I couldn’t see what Finn saw in Talon. The dude was strong, big and attractive, but other than that, his personality was very dull and hardly something to fawn over. Talon’s grumpiness isn’t just a personality trait, but he lashes at those weaker than him. Talon even went as far as using Finn’s dyslexia as a way to insult him, which I don’t like. I don’t like when people use some of our “weaknesses” against those we can’t change, and I don’t like it in my books either. I don’t like it when the supposed love interest is an asshole to the main character by using their disabilities against them. Not to say insulting is the way to go, but I do admit I love some characters who start off as assholes and insulting only to see them grow. Talon wasn’t that type though; he called Finn pathetic and useless because he’s dyslexic, was a B-average student, and only got accepted into the FBI because of his father’s recommendation. While somewhat true, those aren’t all of Finn’s characteristics, but Talon never really saw further than that. I don’t like it when they use personal flaws the character can’t change. If you’re going to criticize him, comment on things he can improve and change, like his reckless thinking, lack of speed, how he needs to change his format and standing, or anything that has to do with improving and changing his character. And he never really asked for forgiveness, which I think makes it worse. He only accepted his guilt (twice, actually, cause one time hurting Finn wasn’t enough), but never did anything to show Finn his love and trust. And while I knew Talon wasn’t likable at first, I would’ve been able to look away from his grumpy self had he had his own development, but there were no redeeming qualities about him. Sometimes it felt like he cared about Finn because of guilt and their partnership. And even though I couldn’t see what Finn saw in Talon, I also couldn’t understand what Talon saw in Finn either besides a slim, young-looking, and attractive young man.
I can’t root for two people when one of them doesn’t earn my love the same. There wasn’t anything about Talon that was likable, and his grumpy exterior didn’t help. Plus, the author doesn’t offer much for his character. We learn more about Gael than Talon, which only made it worse for the underdeveloped relationship between Finn and him. All I know Finn knows about Talon has to do with his physical features and looks, nothing much on his life outside how he looks. Who is Talon as a person? As an enhanced? What does he like and doesn’t like? What are his favorite things? Such simple but necessary things for me to get to know the characters more.
Finn wasn’t that much better in terms of who he is. I like that the author didn’t make him as traditional compared to others, but he was a bit too naive for my liking. He acts rashly, making quick decisions without really thinking them over. I love his determination to prove himself despite his regular human status, but I do think there’s still a lot he needs to learn. His training isn’t developed enough, his large intelligence doesn’t seem that worthy when it doesn’t help him in the FBI, and there isn’t much about himself that’s offered besides coming from a shitty mom and brother. I hope he learns more from his mistakes in book 2.
The author does a good enough of job of descriptions, both for the characters and outside of them. The imagery is easy to navigate, with no unnecessary information given that makes the read feel longer. The writing is easy to get through and to decipher, not making the read complex or confusing. There’s enough time spend and jumped to give the reader a full idea of what’s happening or what the characters are going through.
I will be moving on to book 2 because I’m curious, but I can’t say I have high hopes. I’ve read some reviews that mention how these two spend most of the book not communicating. This is such lazy writing to me. Why are you gonna give this couple (only) a sequel only for them to spend it on miscommunication? Did they not learn anything from the previous book? If they lack communication how am I gonna have faith they’re the type to continue moving forward? Their lack of communication skills seem to define their relationship. I’m just not a fan. *Sigh* Oh well, I’ll just move on.
May 19, 2021
Re-read May 2021
I really love this book.
-----------------------------
4.5 stars
I really liked this. Especially because this had so much hurt/comfort!
Finn is a 24 year old guy who has always had one goal since he was 14 years old, and that was to join the FBI. But since reading is difficult for him, his school results have never been any more than average. And because the FBI get a lot of applications, it’s not likely they will go for a B average like Finn.
That’s why Finn is absolutely thrilled he gets a call from someone from the FBI to come in and talk. When Finn gets there he is surprised to find out they want him to join a new team with him as the only regular human. The rest will be Enhanced.
Enhanced are humans who woke up one day with a new mark underneath their eye and with all these new abilities . Most of them get this mark when they hit puberty, but some are younger. Each Enhanced has his own set of abilities. Some are incredibly strong, others can become invisible, some can disintegrate metal objects, or set things on fire.
Most people don’t like the Enhanced and a lot of children are kicked out by their parents as soon as their mark appears.
Finn is very surprised they want him for this job, since he is nothing special. Why would a team of superhumans want him? But that’s exactly the reason they want him. Finn is nice, he is kind, so the public will love him. He is also desperate enough to do everything in his power to make this a success.
But Talon, the Enhanced team leader is not so happy with Finn. He might be attracted to him, but he knows he has to make sure Finn fails the tests, because they do not want a regular human on their team…
I absolutely loved Finn. He was just so sweet and insecure about almost everything. But he was also fierce and feisty when it came down to it. Like when he stood up to a couple of armed guys beating the shit out of Talon. Finn never showed any fear.
And I was so excited every time it became clear Talon or one of the team members misjudged Finn and they had to grovel a little to admit they were wrong. Although the team tried to get rid of Finn from the first day, they became very protective of him as soon as they got to know him a bit better. And Finn definitely needed some looking after. Especially because he was all in his first week.
“He hasn’t had a good week, really.”
This also had the perfect balance of plot vs romance. I loved how it was clear from the start that Talon and Finn were attracted to each other. And when Talon finally gave in, the sex was explosive! But also sweet and caring, since Finn was a virgin and all.
At first Talon tried to not get attached to Finn and told himself it was just sex, but his actions said otherwise with the way he tried to protect and care for Finn all the time.
This doesn’t end in a cliffhanger, but not all loose ends were tied up, so I will definitely read the sequel.
I really love this book.
-----------------------------
4.5 stars
I really liked this. Especially because this had so much hurt/comfort!
Finn is a 24 year old guy who has always had one goal since he was 14 years old, and that was to join the FBI. But since reading is difficult for him, his school results have never been any more than average. And because the FBI get a lot of applications, it’s not likely they will go for a B average like Finn.
That’s why Finn is absolutely thrilled he gets a call from someone from the FBI to come in and talk. When Finn gets there he is surprised to find out they want him to join a new team with him as the only regular human. The rest will be Enhanced.
Enhanced are humans who woke up one day with a new mark underneath their eye and with all these new abilities . Most of them get this mark when they hit puberty, but some are younger. Each Enhanced has his own set of abilities. Some are incredibly strong, others can become invisible, some can disintegrate metal objects, or set things on fire.
Most people don’t like the Enhanced and a lot of children are kicked out by their parents as soon as their mark appears.
Finn is very surprised they want him for this job, since he is nothing special. Why would a team of superhumans want him? But that’s exactly the reason they want him. Finn is nice, he is kind, so the public will love him. He is also desperate enough to do everything in his power to make this a success.
But Talon, the Enhanced team leader is not so happy with Finn. He might be attracted to him, but he knows he has to make sure Finn fails the tests, because they do not want a regular human on their team…
I absolutely loved Finn. He was just so sweet and insecure about almost everything. But he was also fierce and feisty when it came down to it. Like when he stood up to a couple of armed guys beating the shit out of Talon. Finn never showed any fear.
And I was so excited every time it became clear Talon or one of the team members misjudged Finn and they had to grovel a little to admit they were wrong. Although the team tried to get rid of Finn from the first day, they became very protective of him as soon as they got to know him a bit better. And Finn definitely needed some looking after. Especially because he was all in his first week.
“He hasn’t had a good week, really.”
This also had the perfect balance of plot vs romance. I loved how it was clear from the start that Talon and Finn were attracted to each other. And when Talon finally gave in, the sex was explosive! But also sweet and caring, since Finn was a virgin and all.
At first Talon tried to not get attached to Finn and told himself it was just sex, but his actions said otherwise with the way he tried to protect and care for Finn all the time.
This doesn’t end in a cliffhanger, but not all loose ends were tied up, so I will definitely read the sequel.
February 12, 2025
May 2020: Audiobook = ***4.5 Stars*** ❤️
----------------------------------------
Re-read June 2017: still as good as the first time! ❤️
----------------------------------------
It was love at first sight…
Umm, no, I am not referring to the two main characters, but to me and this book.
It was so insta-cover-love!!! Yeah, I know, but I could not help myself. My eyes zoomed in on this book as soon as it popped up on the publisher site. Add the blurb to the mix and all I thought was ‘Yes, please! Give it to meeeeee!’
Now you just have to imagine me wiggling my grabby fingers and you get the right idea. And it did not disappoint. This book was so right up my alley!
It is a sad fact that people are quick to judge, fear and even hate the unknown. They fight things they don’t know and don’t understand, even if it might affect their own children, relatives or best friends. In this case it is enhanced humans with special and individual abilities you might even call superpowers. The abilities appear without prior warning, mainly in one’s youth and often overnight and those in question suddenly bear a mark, a small scar on their face. Parents who don’t dump their kids or even harm them are pretty rare and other people often consider the enhanced nothing less than monsters.
An agent with the FBI tries to build up a SWAT team consisting of enhanced humans partnered with a ‘normal’ person to unite their strength and cover all possibilities. It is still in a testing phase, for different reasons nobody is very fond of, not the enhanced team members and not even his own boss. At the same time this test opens a chance for Finn Mayer, a young man with not diagnosed dyslexia, whose dream is a career with the FBI.
This story was like S.W.A.T. meets X-men meets The Fantastic Four. I loved how Finn wormed his way into the team and into the heart of Talon, the team leader, with his sometimes innocent and naïve and at the same time smart and clever manner. Finn has a big and honest heart and although the team tries to put all kinds of obstacles in his way, he convinces each and every one of them at some point that he would be the right fit for their team. Sometimes his behavior was a tad too childish for me (he is 24 after all, not 18!), but since he realized it himself, it did not dim my enjoyment of the whole story.
And Talon?
A big badass team leader, built like a tank, who became the man he is now because of his difficult past and who develops a soft spot for his partner. Honestly? What’s not to love about him? The way he treats Finn when they are together was adorable and the sex scenes were simply hot.
So, if you love a great mix of action and romance, an excellent worldbuilding and characters who turn from rather anti-heroes into H.E.R.O.E.S., this might be just the right book for you! And I’m still doing a happy dance here since I found out yesterday that this is the great start to a new series! I want to get my grabby hands on the next book ASAP, because the other team members are more than interesting, so to speak, and I cannot wait to read more about them..
***4.5 stars and highly recommended***
This review has been posted on Dirty Books Obsession
----------------------------------------
Re-read June 2017: still as good as the first time! ❤️
----------------------------------------
It was love at first sight…
Umm, no, I am not referring to the two main characters, but to me and this book.
It was so insta-cover-love!!! Yeah, I know, but I could not help myself. My eyes zoomed in on this book as soon as it popped up on the publisher site. Add the blurb to the mix and all I thought was ‘Yes, please! Give it to meeeeee!’
Now you just have to imagine me wiggling my grabby fingers and you get the right idea. And it did not disappoint. This book was so right up my alley!
It is a sad fact that people are quick to judge, fear and even hate the unknown. They fight things they don’t know and don’t understand, even if it might affect their own children, relatives or best friends. In this case it is enhanced humans with special and individual abilities you might even call superpowers. The abilities appear without prior warning, mainly in one’s youth and often overnight and those in question suddenly bear a mark, a small scar on their face. Parents who don’t dump their kids or even harm them are pretty rare and other people often consider the enhanced nothing less than monsters.
An agent with the FBI tries to build up a SWAT team consisting of enhanced humans partnered with a ‘normal’ person to unite their strength and cover all possibilities. It is still in a testing phase, for different reasons nobody is very fond of, not the enhanced team members and not even his own boss. At the same time this test opens a chance for Finn Mayer, a young man with not diagnosed dyslexia, whose dream is a career with the FBI.
This story was like S.W.A.T. meets X-men meets The Fantastic Four. I loved how Finn wormed his way into the team and into the heart of Talon, the team leader, with his sometimes innocent and naïve and at the same time smart and clever manner. Finn has a big and honest heart and although the team tries to put all kinds of obstacles in his way, he convinces each and every one of them at some point that he would be the right fit for their team. Sometimes his behavior was a tad too childish for me (he is 24 after all, not 18!), but since he realized it himself, it did not dim my enjoyment of the whole story.
And Talon?
A big badass team leader, built like a tank, who became the man he is now because of his difficult past and who develops a soft spot for his partner. Honestly? What’s not to love about him? The way he treats Finn when they are together was adorable and the sex scenes were simply hot.
So, if you love a great mix of action and romance, an excellent worldbuilding and characters who turn from rather anti-heroes into H.E.R.O.E.S., this might be just the right book for you! And I’m still doing a happy dance here since I found out yesterday that this is the great start to a new series! I want to get my grabby hands on the next book ASAP, because the other team members are more than interesting, so to speak, and I cannot wait to read more about them..
***4.5 stars and highly recommended***
This review has been posted on Dirty Books Obsession
January 12, 2018
4 Stars!
Enhanced humans are feared. They get their mark as children and with the mark comes supernatural abilities that differ from each other in many forms. Since they are feared by most that means these children are usually kicked out of their homes and are taken to a home for enhanced children. But some parents (not many) look past the mark and still see their child and learn to live with their children's new abilities.
This had a semblance of Charlie Crochet's series, THIRDS. I think that semblance is what made me pick this book up because I've really enjoyed Crochet's series. Just because I said there is a semblance to the other series doesn't mean that the books are alike at all because they're not. This story is completely different.
Finn has had one goal since high school; to make it in the FBI. He's had to work harder than most since he has a hard time reading and his family has been difficult and lazy in getting him diagnosed and treated for dyslexia. So the paper work and written tests have been harder for him. The FBI also interviews your family and his is pretty awful to him, but he doesn't rock the boat and keeps a lot locked up in hopes his family will say the appropriate things to help him along to achieving his dream. Finn does get his dream job but it comes from no help from his family and it isn't exactly the job he was wanting.
Talon is enhanced and will be heading the new enhanced FBI team. The only catch is that they want to team the enhanced with non-enhanced agents. Talon nor his team is very happy with this news. Unfortunately Finn is thrown in as the sacrificed lamb being partnered with Talon and having to learn everything within weeks instead the normal time an agent is given. Talon is unimpressed with Finn and even more annoyed to find himself attracted to the young man. Finn is just as surprised as his enhanced team to be chosen for this new operation. But soon he is thrown into the spotlight and all the reasons of 'why' come to light. Finn is young, innocent looking, kind, and has a big heart. Knowing he was chosen for this job just to be the face of it makes Finn want to prove himself to them even more.
This story really hooked me in and I really enjoyed the story-line and all of the characters on the enhanced team. I am completely intrigued by them all and hope they all get their own story.
Happy reading dolls! xx
Enhanced humans are feared. They get their mark as children and with the mark comes supernatural abilities that differ from each other in many forms. Since they are feared by most that means these children are usually kicked out of their homes and are taken to a home for enhanced children. But some parents (not many) look past the mark and still see their child and learn to live with their children's new abilities.
This had a semblance of Charlie Crochet's series, THIRDS. I think that semblance is what made me pick this book up because I've really enjoyed Crochet's series. Just because I said there is a semblance to the other series doesn't mean that the books are alike at all because they're not. This story is completely different.
Finn has had one goal since high school; to make it in the FBI. He's had to work harder than most since he has a hard time reading and his family has been difficult and lazy in getting him diagnosed and treated for dyslexia. So the paper work and written tests have been harder for him. The FBI also interviews your family and his is pretty awful to him, but he doesn't rock the boat and keeps a lot locked up in hopes his family will say the appropriate things to help him along to achieving his dream. Finn does get his dream job but it comes from no help from his family and it isn't exactly the job he was wanting.
Talon is enhanced and will be heading the new enhanced FBI team. The only catch is that they want to team the enhanced with non-enhanced agents. Talon nor his team is very happy with this news. Unfortunately Finn is thrown in as the sacrificed lamb being partnered with Talon and having to learn everything within weeks instead the normal time an agent is given. Talon is unimpressed with Finn and even more annoyed to find himself attracted to the young man. Finn is just as surprised as his enhanced team to be chosen for this new operation. But soon he is thrown into the spotlight and all the reasons of 'why' come to light. Finn is young, innocent looking, kind, and has a big heart. Knowing he was chosen for this job just to be the face of it makes Finn want to prove himself to them even more.
This story really hooked me in and I really enjoyed the story-line and all of the characters on the enhanced team. I am completely intrigued by them all and hope they all get their own story.
Happy reading dolls! xx
July 3, 2024
This book really took my by surprise. I absolutely loved it !!!
Guess I am a huge sucker for badass men with superpowers !! This book kind of reminded me of the "Thirds" series, though it was completely different. For one...it's not about shifters... It's about "Enhanced Humans"
What are "Enhanced Humans" you say ??
Well they are boys, who have yet to hit puberty, who wake up one day, with a special ability (think X-men) and a mark on their face. There aren't very many enhanced around ,and the reason why and how this genetic condition manifests in some children, is still unknown.
What isn't unknown, is that the enhanced are treated very poorely by the rest of the human population. As is often the case...people fear and hate what they don't know....
Parents literally kick their kids out when they suddenly bare a mark. These kids are send to "homes" and some with very special/dangerous powers are even send to "kiddie prison". The thought alone made me sick !!!
Things are about to change though. A part of the government wants to change the way people see the "enhanced". This is where the FBI comes in. The idea is to form a team of enhanced with human partners.
Finn has wanted to join the FBI since he was a young boy. His dyslectia however makes it hard for him. His grades aren't as high as they should be, even though Finn is extremely smart. He doesn't just give up though and he works his ass off. He needs to get away from his bitch mother and asshole brother. When he gets a rejection letter, all his hopes are crushed.
So imagine his surprise, when he gets a phonecall saying there has been a mistake and to report in at the Florida filed office.
In Florida it is explained to him that he is to be part of a human/ enhanced team. There are 5 enhanced members already....and Finn is about to be the first human one. He is supposed to be partners with Talon, who makes it very clear right from the start that he doesn't want a human partner. In fact non of them want a regular human on the team.
So they try to make things hard on Finn...they want him to fail. But Finn...he has come this far and he isn't new to rejection. He is not about to just give up. If all things fail...maybe he will still have a chance in Quantico.
Talon was a real asshole at first. I wanted to hate him, but we all know how much I love assholes... :P He and his team don't trust regular humans and with all that they have been through.. I uderstood where they were coming from.
Finn is hard to resist though and it's even harder not to like the guy. Talon especially has a very hard time ignoring Finn. One by one they slowly fall for Finn's charming and sweet personality. Their distrust slowly changes to protectiveness.
Talon can't fight his attraction to Finn and the more he gets to know him...the harder he falls. These two were great together,hough there was a lot of miscommunication....or rather Talon's "foot in mouth syndrome"...
I really liked Finn the most. He might have just been a "regular" human but he was the strongest character among them all. He was also pretty funny ;)
“I mean,” Finn continued, deciding to go for broke, “you’re my team leader. Don’t you have to check all my injuries?”
“You hurt your dick?” Talon drawled.
Finn swallowed, drawn to Talon’s full lips. “It’s very painful. I think you ought to check it out.”
I really enjoyed this one and all the side characters were awesome !! This book end on a HFN but thankfully book 2 is already out ;)
April 8, 2019
Why did I wait so long to listen this delightful book? 🤦♀️ Guys, the hype is legit! 😱 I love this new series of Victoria Sue. 💙 How come she rocks in every sub genre when it comes to MM romance? 🤔 I discovered her with her ABO books which I loved and gushed over several times, and I loved her contemporary “Rainbow Cove” series and damn, I loved this urban fantasy, sci-fi book! The world building is simply refreshing and fascinating. 👏
Talon is an enhanced, a human with special abilities most normal humans feared and ostracized. Needless to say, Talon is really mistrustful of normal humans so when his superior officer said he’s brining in a normal human to their special task force, he was all against it. Finn thought becoming an FBI Agent is a hopeless dream. After all, he has dyslexia that he kept secret so diligently and as a result his college scores were mediocre at best. That is until he got a call from FBI asking him to join them on a special task force, a task force that each enhanced human will pair with a normal human as a partner. Finn has no problems working with enhanced humans, in fact he’s all for enhanced human rights. But his teammates are aloof and distrustful and Talon who’s supposed to be his partner is the worst among them. 😁 But you can be attracted to someone even when you dislike them. Right? Right? 😉
There’s no way around it, Finn’s family is just shitty. I wanted to bash his mom and his older brother several times. 🤬 And I saw so many people having problems with Talon’s attitudes towards Finn but I get it. I mean enhanced humans are so feared and criticized, it’s difficult for them to accept that there are some normal people who don’t think they are monsters and will treat them different. The chemistry! 🔥 Oh the chemistry!!! 😍That I want you but I don’t like you but oh, I want you more!!! 🔥 I am ALL for it. 👍 I loved Finn, such a sweetheart with a heart of gold and I loved all the other secondary characters in this story. And I know Talon can be a bastard most of the times but he can be a boyfriend of the year when he wants to. 😁 I especially loved the UST and relationship development between these two. And of course, popping butt cherry is always a plus in my book! 😂 So hot! 🔥 And I loved all the thrilling and mystery aspect of the story. Didn’t see that one coming! The villain!!! *gasp* 😱 As always, Nick J. Russo did a damn fine job narrating this story. I loved his Talon voice, so gruff and sexy! 😏 I’m glad I have the book 2 ready in my hands because I can’t wait to start listening ASAP. 💜
4.75 love is the most special ability stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟
Audio rating
Story - 4.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Narration - 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Performance - 4.75 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟
Overall - 4.75 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟
Talon is an enhanced, a human with special abilities most normal humans feared and ostracized. Needless to say, Talon is really mistrustful of normal humans so when his superior officer said he’s brining in a normal human to their special task force, he was all against it. Finn thought becoming an FBI Agent is a hopeless dream. After all, he has dyslexia that he kept secret so diligently and as a result his college scores were mediocre at best. That is until he got a call from FBI asking him to join them on a special task force, a task force that each enhanced human will pair with a normal human as a partner. Finn has no problems working with enhanced humans, in fact he’s all for enhanced human rights. But his teammates are aloof and distrustful and Talon who’s supposed to be his partner is the worst among them. 😁 But you can be attracted to someone even when you dislike them. Right? Right? 😉
There’s no way around it, Finn’s family is just shitty. I wanted to bash his mom and his older brother several times. 🤬 And I saw so many people having problems with Talon’s attitudes towards Finn but I get it. I mean enhanced humans are so feared and criticized, it’s difficult for them to accept that there are some normal people who don’t think they are monsters and will treat them different. The chemistry! 🔥 Oh the chemistry!!! 😍That I want you but I don’t like you but oh, I want you more!!! 🔥 I am ALL for it. 👍 I loved Finn, such a sweetheart with a heart of gold and I loved all the other secondary characters in this story. And I know Talon can be a bastard most of the times but he can be a boyfriend of the year when he wants to. 😁 I especially loved the UST and relationship development between these two. And of course, popping butt cherry is always a plus in my book! 😂 So hot! 🔥 And I loved all the thrilling and mystery aspect of the story. Didn’t see that one coming! The villain!!! *gasp* 😱 As always, Nick J. Russo did a damn fine job narrating this story. I loved his Talon voice, so gruff and sexy! 😏 I’m glad I have the book 2 ready in my hands because I can’t wait to start listening ASAP. 💜
4.75 love is the most special ability stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟
Audio rating
Story - 4.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Narration - 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Performance - 4.75 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟
Overall - 4.75 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟
April 12, 2018
4.5*
I really really enjoyed this one and this review is going to be short so I can move straight onto the next book.
The world that’s been created here has enhanced humans. Not the first book I’ve read with this but the difference here and what makes it really interesting is regular humans go to bed and wake up enhanced.
No one has any idea why or how, there seems to be no determining factor.
A mark on their cheek distinguishes all of them. Special abilities appear along with the mark.
But the enhanced are feared and treated like second class citizens. Prejudice and discrimination is always upsetting and this is no exception.
Finn has wanted to be an FBI agent for years and he’s studied, worked and sacrificed for years and years to obtain this. But despite his efforts he’s dyslexic and struggles to attain the grades.
Talon is enhanced and has therefore suffered hatred and discrimination but unlike a lot of the enhanced he had a supportive family.
While it becomes apparent Finn would never make it into the FBI as such he gets a chance to join a new human/enhanced FBI task force. He’s to partner with Talon and it’s a learning experience for both of them.
As I said I really enjoyed this book and I was hooked from the first page to the last. The only reason I’ve not given 5* is Talon was a bit hot and cold too often that it started to annoy me.
December 13, 2016
3.75 Hearts
Great start to a series?
I'm not sure if this is going to be one or not but the foundation has certainly been laid with Five Minutes Longer. We're introduced to an AU which contains enhanced humans confined to the US. Why only the US? No one knows. Also intriguing is why certain people become enhanced to begin with; it's something that crops up in childhood, usually prior to puberty. I'm not sure if it's solely a male phenomenon or not but there is never any mention of a girl waking enhanced. At any rate, a mark shows up on their faces and typically all hell breaks loose.
Many parents disown their kids leaving them in the care of the state in usually subpar accommodations that are more like prisons to protect the public ostensibly because their powers aren't well controlled. As you can imagine many of them do not stay in these homes and some wend up in the care of malcontents.
Finn's dream is to be an FBI agent. His brother is a bully and his mother doesn't deserve the moniker and one day when he receives a letter to arrive in Tampa to start work on a new project within the FBI. Needless to say, he leaves a vapor trail.
Finn is introduced to his new team which consists of enhanced only excepting him. The plan is to pilot he and Talon Valdez as partners to build trust with the general population and if that goes well then the rest of the team will be paired with humans as well.
Gael, Vance, Sawyer, Eli. These guys are like superheroes! With an edge. The things that they can do are pretty boss and what makes it even cooler is their powers are still evolving! There seems to be an even split among them regarding just how welcome Finn is, but as the action unfolds they warm to him and become stronger as a unit.
If you're averse to communication issues between the protags you'll probably want to steer clear of this one. Talon and Finn couldn't find an adult conversation with a compass AND a map. I'm not averse to communication problems but what did become old was the martyring. It made both of them look like wishy washy amateurs which, I guess, they actually are, but wouldn't one try to avoid looking like a wishy washy amateur if one were one to begin with? It made me seriously question Talon's fitness to lead the team. He's very rash whereas Gael is possesses a sangfroid or even Vance whose gregariousness is infectious, so why not make one of them team leader? The other thing that nagged was Finn's thin skin. I would think someone raised in the environment in which he was raised would have a well fortified defense system. Evidently not.
The thriller aspects may have slightly outweighed the romantic ones and I do wish there had been more showing Talon and Finn's connection rather than telling, but their chemistry is clear. The sex is in the medium range and Finn is a virgin, if that's your jam.
I liked Talon and Finn but I think I'm more smitten with the team which is why I'm hoping this will turn into a series. I'd also like to know what happens to some of these kids.
Recommend to thriller and AU fans.
A copy was provided by the publisher.
Great start to a series?
I'm not sure if this is going to be one or not but the foundation has certainly been laid with Five Minutes Longer. We're introduced to an AU which contains enhanced humans confined to the US. Why only the US? No one knows. Also intriguing is why certain people become enhanced to begin with; it's something that crops up in childhood, usually prior to puberty. I'm not sure if it's solely a male phenomenon or not but there is never any mention of a girl waking enhanced. At any rate, a mark shows up on their faces and typically all hell breaks loose.
Many parents disown their kids leaving them in the care of the state in usually subpar accommodations that are more like prisons to protect the public ostensibly because their powers aren't well controlled. As you can imagine many of them do not stay in these homes and some wend up in the care of malcontents.
Finn's dream is to be an FBI agent. His brother is a bully and his mother doesn't deserve the moniker and one day when he receives a letter to arrive in Tampa to start work on a new project within the FBI. Needless to say, he leaves a vapor trail.
Finn is introduced to his new team which consists of enhanced only excepting him. The plan is to pilot he and Talon Valdez as partners to build trust with the general population and if that goes well then the rest of the team will be paired with humans as well.
Gael, Vance, Sawyer, Eli. These guys are like superheroes! With an edge. The things that they can do are pretty boss and what makes it even cooler is their powers are still evolving! There seems to be an even split among them regarding just how welcome Finn is, but as the action unfolds they warm to him and become stronger as a unit.
If you're averse to communication issues between the protags you'll probably want to steer clear of this one. Talon and Finn couldn't find an adult conversation with a compass AND a map. I'm not averse to communication problems but what did become old was the martyring. It made both of them look like wishy washy amateurs which, I guess, they actually are, but wouldn't one try to avoid looking like a wishy washy amateur if one were one to begin with? It made me seriously question Talon's fitness to lead the team. He's very rash whereas Gael is possesses a sangfroid or even Vance whose gregariousness is infectious, so why not make one of them team leader? The other thing that nagged was Finn's thin skin. I would think someone raised in the environment in which he was raised would have a well fortified defense system. Evidently not.
The thriller aspects may have slightly outweighed the romantic ones and I do wish there had been more showing Talon and Finn's connection rather than telling, but their chemistry is clear. The sex is in the medium range and Finn is a virgin, if that's your jam.
I liked Talon and Finn but I think I'm more smitten with the team which is why I'm hoping this will turn into a series. I'd also like to know what happens to some of these kids.
Recommend to thriller and AU fans.
A copy was provided by the publisher.
July 19, 2017
I'm gonna have to take a star of for Talon's back-and-forth and inability to apologize for his shitty behaviour.
Finn was EPIC, except for his sort of doormat-tendencies when it came to Talon.
Otherwise fantastic mystery-'shifter'-romance!!
Finn was EPIC, except for his sort of doormat-tendencies when it came to Talon.
Otherwise fantastic mystery-'shifter'-romance!!
January 23, 2018
*3.5 stars*
I'm always looking out for new paranormal/sci-fi series, and Five Minutes Longer caught my eye. It's really more of a superhero-type of story, sort of X-Men-ish crossed with A THIRDS book (Hell & High Water), which worked for me.
I LOVE me a virgin hero, and Finn was a sexually inexperienced, closeted, driven guy determined to be in the FBI. I wish there was a little more building of the sexual tension before things became all bow-chica-wow-wow, but I still enjoyed the sexual chemistry between Finn and Talon (that name tho...).
The story was fun overall, even if it felt a little choppy, and I really enjoyed the narration by the always impressive, Nick J. Russo. He brought the characters to life, and I'd recommend him to any audiobook lover.
A promising start to a series, I'll be tuning in to see what else Victoria Sue has in store.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
January 21, 2018
3 stars
I liked this one, even if it took me a while to warm up on the characters.
I'm not a fan of paranormal stories, but I picked this one because the blurb was so promising and most of my friends loved it.
This was my first book by this author and mostly I enjoyed the writing. But I would have wanted more hot scenes.
This story is interesting enough. I like characters with supernatural abilities, but when it comes to the relationship between our main characters, I just wanted more.
Talon is an enhanced human and the leader of a hidden squad in the FBI. They want to prove that enhanced humans are not dangerous and can help the FBI with their superpowers.
Finn was chosen to work with them and he had to prove he can make it work in only 4 weeks. He was determined to show his awful brother and mother that he can make it, he was also determined to show the world that enhanced can be useful, but he didn't expect the huge attraction to Talon.
What it ruined it for me would be Talon's hot and cold attitude towards Finn. Especially after they had a super hot night together.
We get a lot of action, but this story isn't focused enough on the romance.
I really liked the secondary characters, and would love to read their own stories. But I saw the next book in the series is also about Talon and Finn, and I'm not really curious to read more about them. What we got here was enough for me.
I liked this one, even if it took me a while to warm up on the characters.
I'm not a fan of paranormal stories, but I picked this one because the blurb was so promising and most of my friends loved it.
This was my first book by this author and mostly I enjoyed the writing. But I would have wanted more hot scenes.
This story is interesting enough. I like characters with supernatural abilities, but when it comes to the relationship between our main characters, I just wanted more.
Talon is an enhanced human and the leader of a hidden squad in the FBI. They want to prove that enhanced humans are not dangerous and can help the FBI with their superpowers.
Finn was chosen to work with them and he had to prove he can make it work in only 4 weeks. He was determined to show his awful brother and mother that he can make it, he was also determined to show the world that enhanced can be useful, but he didn't expect the huge attraction to Talon.
What it ruined it for me would be Talon's hot and cold attitude towards Finn. Especially after they had a super hot night together.
We get a lot of action, but this story isn't focused enough on the romance.
I really liked the secondary characters, and would love to read their own stories. But I saw the next book in the series is also about Talon and Finn, and I'm not really curious to read more about them. What we got here was enough for me.
August 13, 2017
Second read July 2017. Still love it!
****************************
Oh, look. JL just found a new author to
I loved this!
More to come...
October 22, 2017
4.5 stars rounded down to 4 because still no 1/2 stars here on GR and while I loved this one it didn't wasn't quite 5 star for me but definitely awesome and worth reading.
I need a H.E.R.O. I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night...
I'm not really sure what I can add to the already wonderful reviews that are out there but I'm going to try...so here goes nothing...
First thing I'm going to do is link you all to the song that's been bouncing around in my brain since this book...Holding Out for a Hero by Bonnie Tyler (It's the orginal 80s video...because hey, who doesn't enjoy all that 80s big hair goodness, lol! Enjoy)
If you went into a bookstore looking for a copy of 'Five Minutes Longer' by Victoria Sue, you'd probably find it in the fantasy section along with the other Urban Fantasy books and while it technically fits in that genre, like Charlie Cochet's 'THIRDS' or Cari Z's 'Panopolis' there's a slightly different edge to these books that for me sets them apart from other books in this genre. So when one of my Buddy Read Besties said "You need to read this." and I then saw that it was on audio...who was I to argue...me and my money went to the audible store and a few seconds later it was mission accomplished. I had me a copy.
Talon Valdez is an enhanced human and for him there's no love lost to regular humans. Since his transformation he's been reviled, mistrusted and just generally hated by the public and all because he developed powers that he never asked for and yet somehow in spite of all this he's still chosen law enforcement as his career. He's the leader for an elite and new FBI team that's going to partner enhanced with normals to protect society from the criminal element...both enhanced and normal. But if Talon and his enhanced teammates have their way there won't be any normals on their team.
Finn's wanted to join the FBI every since an agent visited his school to promote the FBI as a career choice. While Finn's dream of attending Quantico doesn't happen he suddenly finds himself being recruited for a new and secret FBI team of enhanced and normals. But if Finn thinks this is going to be either easy or a dream come true, he's about to get a very rude awakening.
Talon and Finn are oil and water from the word go. Talon doesn't want Finn there and Finn very quickly starts to wonder if he wants to be there. But going home to his idiot of a mother and waste of a brother isn't an option.
I was totally rooting for Finn in this one. He deserved this chance for a better life so much more than anyone even he realized and I loved that no matter how much things sucked he never really let go of his positive attitude and just generally being a good and kind person. Ironically Talon shared a lot of those qualities. Repeatedly stepping in to help Finn when he felt like the odds were stacked against him. He kept saying he didn't want to succeed but at the same time it was frequently Talon who kept Finn from unfairly getting disqualified from his training.
'Five Minutes Longer' is an awesome new entry into the world of Urban Fantasy and along with Talon and Finn, MCs that I can totally get behind each of them are awesome in their own right and together well they're pretty adorable and hot as well, we get some other potentially interesting characters in the form of Talon's enhanced teammates. I'm looking forward to what comes next in this series for this team.
Before I forget I listened to the audio edition of this story which was narrated by one of my absolute favorite narrators...Nick J. Russo and as always he did a fantastic job on this one and I loved it...a lot...so much so that even though I have the e-book for the next one in this series and hopefully I'll get the chance to read it, I have zero doubt that if there's an audio book for 'Who We Truly Are', book #2 and it's narrated by Mr. Russo...I'm so there.
I admit I'm not sure where I'll find the time to fit this into my reading schedule but for a series this good I'll find it...I mean really, sleeps highly overrated after all. Ok, that's if or me. I'm outta' here, seriously I've got books to read all the books, so if you want to find out more about this book just follow the link here... Book Page: 'Five Minutes Longer' by Victoria Sue and you can read all the awesome reviews...Oh and before I forget, make sure you check out my friend Simone's review because me reading this...all her fault, I like to make sure blame is properly assigned for these things...thanks for the awesome rec Simone, I loved it (also, she's got some vary, vary pretty pictures in her review...just sayin').
I need a H.E.R.O. I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night...
I'm not really sure what I can add to the already wonderful reviews that are out there but I'm going to try...so here goes nothing...
First thing I'm going to do is link you all to the song that's been bouncing around in my brain since this book...Holding Out for a Hero by Bonnie Tyler (It's the orginal 80s video...because hey, who doesn't enjoy all that 80s big hair goodness, lol! Enjoy)
If you went into a bookstore looking for a copy of 'Five Minutes Longer' by Victoria Sue, you'd probably find it in the fantasy section along with the other Urban Fantasy books and while it technically fits in that genre, like Charlie Cochet's 'THIRDS' or Cari Z's 'Panopolis' there's a slightly different edge to these books that for me sets them apart from other books in this genre. So when one of my Buddy Read Besties said "You need to read this." and I then saw that it was on audio...who was I to argue...me and my money went to the audible store and a few seconds later it was mission accomplished. I had me a copy.
Talon Valdez is an enhanced human and for him there's no love lost to regular humans. Since his transformation he's been reviled, mistrusted and just generally hated by the public and all because he developed powers that he never asked for and yet somehow in spite of all this he's still chosen law enforcement as his career. He's the leader for an elite and new FBI team that's going to partner enhanced with normals to protect society from the criminal element...both enhanced and normal. But if Talon and his enhanced teammates have their way there won't be any normals on their team.
Finn's wanted to join the FBI every since an agent visited his school to promote the FBI as a career choice. While Finn's dream of attending Quantico doesn't happen he suddenly finds himself being recruited for a new and secret FBI team of enhanced and normals. But if Finn thinks this is going to be either easy or a dream come true, he's about to get a very rude awakening.
Talon and Finn are oil and water from the word go. Talon doesn't want Finn there and Finn very quickly starts to wonder if he wants to be there. But going home to his idiot of a mother and waste of a brother isn't an option.
I was totally rooting for Finn in this one. He deserved this chance for a better life so much more than anyone even he realized and I loved that no matter how much things sucked he never really let go of his positive attitude and just generally being a good and kind person. Ironically Talon shared a lot of those qualities. Repeatedly stepping in to help Finn when he felt like the odds were stacked against him. He kept saying he didn't want to succeed but at the same time it was frequently Talon who kept Finn from unfairly getting disqualified from his training.
'Five Minutes Longer' is an awesome new entry into the world of Urban Fantasy and along with Talon and Finn, MCs that I can totally get behind each of them are awesome in their own right and together well they're pretty adorable and hot as well, we get some other potentially interesting characters in the form of Talon's enhanced teammates. I'm looking forward to what comes next in this series for this team.
Before I forget I listened to the audio edition of this story which was narrated by one of my absolute favorite narrators...Nick J. Russo and as always he did a fantastic job on this one and I loved it...a lot...so much so that even though I have the e-book for the next one in this series and hopefully I'll get the chance to read it, I have zero doubt that if there's an audio book for 'Who We Truly Are', book #2 and it's narrated by Mr. Russo...I'm so there.
I admit I'm not sure where I'll find the time to fit this into my reading schedule but for a series this good I'll find it...I mean really, sleeps highly overrated after all. Ok, that's if or me. I'm outta' here, seriously I've got books to read all the books, so if you want to find out more about this book just follow the link here... Book Page: 'Five Minutes Longer' by Victoria Sue and you can read all the awesome reviews...Oh and before I forget, make sure you check out my friend Simone's review because me reading this...all her fault, I like to make sure blame is properly assigned for these things...thanks for the awesome rec Simone, I loved it (also, she's got some vary, vary pretty pictures in her review...just sayin').
November 5, 2017
**3.5 stars**
First part of the “Enhanced” series. I was in a mood for “superheroes” and decided to give it a try.
For the past decades, an uncommon phenomenon has occurred : some kids suddenly wake up with a scar and enhanced abilities. They have their detractors and supporters. Cautiously, the FBI has decided to put up a team with a mix of enhanced and regular humans. Talon is the leader of this team and so far has rejected all the regular human prospects. Until Finn makes his appearance.
Finn’s dream was to join the FBI and did his best, despite his dyslexia and his shitty family and background, to apply to the FBI. He soon realizes that he’s less than welcome in this new team, but he won’t give up. Even if he’s young, out of his comfort zone and inexperienced. Even if his attraction to Talon is messing up with his head and his heart, and if Talon is sending mixed signals.
I really enjoyed this world-building, all the difficulties around the set-up of this special unit and all the characters involved. The plot is solid, even though I found the last action part a bit far fetched. However, I had a hard time to warm up to the romance between Talon and Finn : in a nutshell, Talon is a douche imo with all his push and pull.
In overall, it was entertaining. This FBI unit is really interesting, the plot is gripping, I really liked Finn and I hope that the relationship between Talon and Finn will be more swooning for me in the second instalment.
First part of the “Enhanced” series. I was in a mood for “superheroes” and decided to give it a try.
For the past decades, an uncommon phenomenon has occurred : some kids suddenly wake up with a scar and enhanced abilities. They have their detractors and supporters. Cautiously, the FBI has decided to put up a team with a mix of enhanced and regular humans. Talon is the leader of this team and so far has rejected all the regular human prospects. Until Finn makes his appearance.
Finn’s dream was to join the FBI and did his best, despite his dyslexia and his shitty family and background, to apply to the FBI. He soon realizes that he’s less than welcome in this new team, but he won’t give up. Even if he’s young, out of his comfort zone and inexperienced. Even if his attraction to Talon is messing up with his head and his heart, and if Talon is sending mixed signals.
I really enjoyed this world-building, all the difficulties around the set-up of this special unit and all the characters involved. The plot is solid, even though I found the last action part a bit far fetched. However, I had a hard time to warm up to the romance between Talon and Finn : in a nutshell, Talon is a douche imo with all his push and pull.
In overall, it was entertaining. This FBI unit is really interesting, the plot is gripping, I really liked Finn and I hope that the relationship between Talon and Finn will be more swooning for me in the second instalment.
July 31, 2017
3.5 stars
I mostly enjoyed this and the whole enhanced human concept is really cool. I love the X-men so anything with that kind of vibe will pull me in. I wasn’t thrilled with Talon though. His hot and cold attitude towards Finn was a turn off. He should have been made to grovel. I’m hoping he is less of an asshole in book 2.
I mostly enjoyed this and the whole enhanced human concept is really cool. I love the X-men so anything with that kind of vibe will pull me in. I wasn’t thrilled with Talon though. His hot and cold attitude towards Finn was a turn off. He should have been made to grovel. I’m hoping he is less of an asshole in book 2.
July 1, 2018
4 Stars!!
I can totally see why this is a well liked book and hence, a well liked series.
This appeals to all I love about the genre. You’ve got law enforcement heroes, not so gentle giants in the form of genetically enhanced everything (unf), and an endearing wonderful protagonist with a heart of gold.
Suffice it to say in this harsh world of bigotry, prejudice, and quite honestly, lots of injustice, there’s a bright light shining in the form of Finn. He may be a brand new newbie to the FBI, but he's no pushover. He's determined, smart, and just so so good with his optimistic and no fail attitude. Life gives him an overwhelming amount of lemons but he makes lemonade, meringue pie, lemon squares, … you name it. Finn holds his own against his intimidating team of enhanced tough guys, and shows just how valuable a member he can be bringing the most stubborn asshole to his knees (that’s you Talon). Uh huh.
Definitely a great start with plenty of action and suspense with some nice sexy to top it off. Even better, this has wonderful parallels to the well loved series THIRDS! I can only hope this will be just as prolific and fabulous!
I can totally see why this is a well liked book and hence, a well liked series.
This appeals to all I love about the genre. You’ve got law enforcement heroes, not so gentle giants in the form of genetically enhanced everything (unf), and an endearing wonderful protagonist with a heart of gold.
Suffice it to say in this harsh world of bigotry, prejudice, and quite honestly, lots of injustice, there’s a bright light shining in the form of Finn. He may be a brand new newbie to the FBI, but he's no pushover. He's determined, smart, and just so so good with his optimistic and no fail attitude. Life gives him an overwhelming amount of lemons but he makes lemonade, meringue pie, lemon squares, … you name it. Finn holds his own against his intimidating team of enhanced tough guys, and shows just how valuable a member he can be bringing the most stubborn asshole to his knees (that’s you Talon). Uh huh.
Definitely a great start with plenty of action and suspense with some nice sexy to top it off. Even better, this has wonderful parallels to the well loved series THIRDS! I can only hope this will be just as prolific and fabulous!
August 5, 2022
*3.35* This is a MM, law enforcement, enhanced humans (think X-Men), virgin H, movie-like story. It had SO MUCH potential.
Finn has wanted to be an FBI agent sense he was 14. He has a shitty home life including an a-hole brother, a father who was a wounded veteran (eventually took his own life), and an awful, self-centered mother.
Talon is an enhanced human who doesn't want a human partner.
You can clearly see what the author had in mind for these two, but the relationship isn't developed very well, it's clunky and disjointed. Finn had decent character development, but Talon was a complete mystery.
The story reminded me of one of those old MF historical romances were the h gets injured, she proves herself over and over again and the hero is a complete ass. And then at the very end of the book the H is like nvm my past behavior, I was a jerk and now I love you.
The biggest drag on this story was the multiple on top of multiple misunderstandings.
Finn has wanted to be an FBI agent sense he was 14. He has a shitty home life including an a-hole brother, a father who was a wounded veteran (eventually took his own life), and an awful, self-centered mother.
Talon is an enhanced human who doesn't want a human partner.
You can clearly see what the author had in mind for these two, but the relationship isn't developed very well, it's clunky and disjointed. Finn had decent character development, but Talon was a complete mystery.
The story reminded me of one of those old MF historical romances were the h gets injured, she proves herself over and over again and the hero is a complete ass. And then at the very end of the book the H is like nvm my past behavior, I was a jerk and now I love you.
The biggest drag on this story was the multiple on top of multiple misunderstandings.
June 29, 2022
This book was so good. The whole concept was so interesting and I got a superhero vibe the whole time I was reading it. Too much goes on for me to explain it. There are people who can do it much better. I loved Finn, Talon and the whole team. I'm assuming this isn't going to be the only book. If it is going to be a series it's going to be good. This is my first book by this author and I love when I love a book when reading an author for the first time. Once again I loved it...
June 10, 2020
Five Minutes Longer by Victoria Sue
Enhanced book 1. M-M paranormal romantic suspense. The human population has taken the next genetic step in advancement. Special abilities manifest in children as young as eight years old. Their abilities come with a toll in a marking on the face that cannot be covered or removed.
A new FBI task force is made up of the genetically advanced but most of the population either fears or doesn’t trust the enhanced. The team has a lot of prejudice to overcome.
Reminds me a bit of Paige Tyler’s SWAT series, or Charlie Cochet’s Thirds series in terms of the team and the building comradely.
An action fill adventure with great suspense and one tortured and heroic character that keeps getting knocked down. You can’t help rooting for him to win in the end.
I will definitely read more of this series to see if this FBI team can convince the public they truly are heroes that can be counted on to win the day.
Enhanced book 1. M-M paranormal romantic suspense. The human population has taken the next genetic step in advancement. Special abilities manifest in children as young as eight years old. Their abilities come with a toll in a marking on the face that cannot be covered or removed.
A new FBI task force is made up of the genetically advanced but most of the population either fears or doesn’t trust the enhanced. The team has a lot of prejudice to overcome.
Reminds me a bit of Paige Tyler’s SWAT series, or Charlie Cochet’s Thirds series in terms of the team and the building comradely.
An action fill adventure with great suspense and one tortured and heroic character that keeps getting knocked down. You can’t help rooting for him to win in the end.
I will definitely read more of this series to see if this FBI team can convince the public they truly are heroes that can be counted on to win the day.
November 6, 2017
Well that was a bit disappointing. The plot reminded me too much of other series I love (most notably the THIRDS and PsyCop) but I didn't feel the author really pulled it off. I didn't buy the concept of the 'enhanced' - and I definitely didn't buy the attraction between Finn and Talon. The whole thing was formulaic and predictable.
My first time reading this author and I doubt I'd look for more by her.
Re the audio - Nick J. Russo delivered a pretty standard performance, just what I expect from him.
My first time reading this author and I doubt I'd look for more by her.
Re the audio - Nick J. Russo delivered a pretty standard performance, just what I expect from him.
no-thank-you
June 19, 2019You're not qualified to write U.S.-based M/M romance if you're unaware of Ronald Reagan's role in killing so many gay men during the AIDS crisis. End of story. And this makes me regret ever spending money with this publisher, too, because what the hell: https://twitter.com/devinharnois/stat...
August 5, 2017
This book reminded me of THIRDS. But that did not bother me, I still liked it, I am a huge fan of superheroes.
I loved Finn he was sweet, determined and just lovely. Talon, well let’s just say he really frustrated me the way he treated Finn , he should have had to grovel like on his knees.
The rest of the team I Loved.... Gael, Vance, Sawyer and Eli were amazing secondary characters.
There were some smexy scenes which I liked.
January 27, 2018
2.5 stars
I think this was case of "It's not you, it's me." Meaning, that the writing wasn't particularly bad overall, and the story had interesting and engaging elements to it that had potential for me. But overall it just didn't do it for me.
First it was just...Talon and Finn didn't have any chemistry together. Talon was an asshole but I thought that would make for an interesting dynamic between these two (I love where one's an asshole, realizes the error of their ways and totally falls for the other), but Talon was not the type of asshole I could feel sympathy for or like. He was just an asshole.
I did love Finn, I thought he was a wonderful character and was treated SO unfairly by everyone but Gael and Vance in this.
I warmed up to Sawyer, though. But Eli, still a major asshole - although we get to know basically NOTHING about him so all I had to go off on judging him was his behavior.
Now, the reason Talon wasn't the the type of asshole character you can love? For me, it was because he NEVER apologized. NOT. ONCE.
And Finn fucking took it and forgave Talon! ALL. THE. FUCKING. TIME. And for what? What did Talon do except continue to be an asshole when he has the opportunity to apologize, or run away?
I honestly have no idea what Finn saw in him. Like, maybe if Finn was an asshole back it would have not only felt more heated (I love me some love/hate relationship. But this was more...one guy loves the other, other guy treats him like an asshole because he can't handle ~feelings, and of course that totally makes up for said behavior! NOT.) but more equal, but nah. Finn was nothing but kind and sweet and nice from the very beginning, and yet Talon always treated him like crap.
Talon's "softer" moments where Finn could have potentially seen a different side to him were few and far between.
The writing tactic I hated in this was that instead of having them talk out ANY of their issues (or hey, maybe just having Talon say a quick "I'm sorry, I was an asshole" to Finn, which wouldn't have been very hard to fit in!) something big or dramatic happened to derail any such talk, and then in all the action and drama it was like it had all blown over for Finn, for some reason.
Look, someone treats you like shit - not even once! But repeatedly! (And Talon even ADMITS IT TO HIMSELF!) - and I'm gonna hold a grudge on that for awhile, especially if I don't get an apology and a sign of changing behavior. But Finn didn't even "give in" it was like he fucking forgot that Talon was a complete asshole in the first place.
Man, it had me wondering why Finn wasn't falling for Gael or Vance. They treated Finn x1000 times better than Talon did.
Talon faces the consequences ONCE for his behavior towards Finn and that's it. And included in his awful behavior is after their one night together, him fucking running off and avoiding Finn without an explanation. And with what happens in the end, he runs off AGAIN.
And while at the end I do understand it more than the first time, because what happens would be hard to deal with, doesn't change the fact that he still ran off, and Finn was hurt once again by his actions. And no fucking apology.
Like maybe the author was saving the big talks for the second book, maybe the ending was so unsatisfying because it's the first of two. I don't care. Everything else in this book insured that I wouldn't care enough to pick up the second.
Also, at the end? Talon says "I don't deserve you" and he's fucking right. At least he fucking knows. Still doesn't change the fact that fuck yeah, he doesn't deserve Finn. But Finn doesn't see it. Other than that the whole end scene is basically Finn making Talon feel better, which WTF? This bitch.
I'm sorry, but I honestly hated Talon. No amount of his background story made me sympathize with him enough to forgive him for how he behaves in this book and for his actions.
Plus, again, no chemistry for me, honestly because Talon is trying to sabotage Finn's chance with their team from the beginning, so not a lot of moments happen for them to gain a believable connection for me.
Also, I just never truly got into this book. Near the 75% mark I just wanted to be done with it. Around 80% I skimmed a little.
The story was promising, the plot line was promising, some of the characters were promising (Finn, Gael and Vance in particular) but it just didn't connect right. And honestly, if Talon had been a likable character, my rating would have been higher than this, much higher. (Also, if there had been chemistry. But the main thing was Talon).
When one of the MC's doesn't work well - when the romance of the two MC's is supposed to be what carries a romance book - it kind of ruins the whole book (among other things).
Honestly, I'm just glad I finished this book so I can move on. This one was just not for me. And obviously I'm in the minority here because I saw a lot of 4 and 5 star reviews, so hey, you might end up enjoying this one if you haven't started it yet.
But I personally didn't. Thumbs down from me.
I think this was case of "It's not you, it's me." Meaning, that the writing wasn't particularly bad overall, and the story had interesting and engaging elements to it that had potential for me. But overall it just didn't do it for me.
First it was just...Talon and Finn didn't have any chemistry together. Talon was an asshole but I thought that would make for an interesting dynamic between these two (I love where one's an asshole, realizes the error of their ways and totally falls for the other), but Talon was not the type of asshole I could feel sympathy for or like. He was just an asshole.
I did love Finn, I thought he was a wonderful character and was treated SO unfairly by everyone but Gael and Vance in this.
I warmed up to Sawyer, though. But Eli, still a major asshole - although we get to know basically NOTHING about him so all I had to go off on judging him was his behavior.
Now, the reason Talon wasn't the the type of asshole character you can love? For me, it was because he NEVER apologized. NOT. ONCE.
And Finn fucking took it and forgave Talon! ALL. THE. FUCKING. TIME. And for what? What did Talon do except continue to be an asshole when he has the opportunity to apologize, or run away?
I honestly have no idea what Finn saw in him. Like, maybe if Finn was an asshole back it would have not only felt more heated (I love me some love/hate relationship. But this was more...one guy loves the other, other guy treats him like an asshole because he can't handle ~feelings, and of course that totally makes up for said behavior! NOT.) but more equal, but nah. Finn was nothing but kind and sweet and nice from the very beginning, and yet Talon always treated him like crap.
Talon's "softer" moments where Finn could have potentially seen a different side to him were few and far between.
The writing tactic I hated in this was that instead of having them talk out ANY of their issues (or hey, maybe just having Talon say a quick "I'm sorry, I was an asshole" to Finn, which wouldn't have been very hard to fit in!) something big or dramatic happened to derail any such talk, and then in all the action and drama it was like it had all blown over for Finn, for some reason.
Look, someone treats you like shit - not even once! But repeatedly! (And Talon even ADMITS IT TO HIMSELF!) - and I'm gonna hold a grudge on that for awhile, especially if I don't get an apology and a sign of changing behavior. But Finn didn't even "give in" it was like he fucking forgot that Talon was a complete asshole in the first place.
Man, it had me wondering why Finn wasn't falling for Gael or Vance. They treated Finn x1000 times better than Talon did.
Talon faces the consequences ONCE for his behavior towards Finn and that's it. And included in his awful behavior is after their one night together, him fucking running off and avoiding Finn without an explanation. And with what happens in the end, he runs off AGAIN.
And while at the end I do understand it more than the first time, because what happens would be hard to deal with, doesn't change the fact that he still ran off, and Finn was hurt once again by his actions. And no fucking apology.
Like maybe the author was saving the big talks for the second book, maybe the ending was so unsatisfying because it's the first of two. I don't care. Everything else in this book insured that I wouldn't care enough to pick up the second.
Also, at the end? Talon says "I don't deserve you" and he's fucking right. At least he fucking knows. Still doesn't change the fact that fuck yeah, he doesn't deserve Finn. But Finn doesn't see it. Other than that the whole end scene is basically Finn making Talon feel better, which WTF? This bitch.
I'm sorry, but I honestly hated Talon. No amount of his background story made me sympathize with him enough to forgive him for how he behaves in this book and for his actions.
Plus, again, no chemistry for me, honestly because Talon is trying to sabotage Finn's chance with their team from the beginning, so not a lot of moments happen for them to gain a believable connection for me.
Also, I just never truly got into this book. Near the 75% mark I just wanted to be done with it. Around 80% I skimmed a little.
The story was promising, the plot line was promising, some of the characters were promising (Finn, Gael and Vance in particular) but it just didn't connect right. And honestly, if Talon had been a likable character, my rating would have been higher than this, much higher. (Also, if there had been chemistry. But the main thing was Talon).
When one of the MC's doesn't work well - when the romance of the two MC's is supposed to be what carries a romance book - it kind of ruins the whole book (among other things).
Honestly, I'm just glad I finished this book so I can move on. This one was just not for me. And obviously I'm in the minority here because I saw a lot of 4 and 5 star reviews, so hey, you might end up enjoying this one if you haven't started it yet.
But I personally didn't. Thumbs down from me.
September 24, 2020
I liked these characters so much that the second book in this series is already on my kindle. I have some doubts if I will remember the story in a few weeks, but the heroes definitely stole my heart.
The characters are by far the strongest part of this book. Anyone who has a weakness for the tortured heroes will be satisfied. It's really nice to watch Finn find himself and begin to live in harmony with himself. And I'm glad Talon supports him in this efforts. Talon is also a very interesting character, just like the other boys in the squad. I definitely liked them all.
The world created by the author is nice. The idea of genetic modification that gives special powers and leads to rejection by society is interesting and quite innovative. Although it could be a tad more developed. The skills of the people affected by the modification are very random, maybe some pseud-science explanation of this. I also lacked information about some speculations regarding the origin of these changes or treatment attempts. The reasons why children with changes are rejected could also be highlighted more. But when I read the book, I didn't have a big problem with it, so it's more of a reflection after finishing it.
The plot is alright, although it mainly focuses on Finn's training and his relationship with Talon. After the initial scene with Talon in the garage, I thought one of the threads would be finding the guys responsible for the attack. I was surprised it didn't. It's hard to talk about any single major crime case the team is trying to solve. It doesn't bother me much, but I would probably remember this book more if I could say that they were working on such and such case.
Anyway, there is something in this story that made me have another book on my kindle. Even though I was hoping that she would be about another of the guys from the band, not Finn and Talon again. I think I'll read it soon.
The characters are by far the strongest part of this book. Anyone who has a weakness for the tortured heroes will be satisfied. It's really nice to watch Finn find himself and begin to live in harmony with himself. And I'm glad Talon supports him in this efforts. Talon is also a very interesting character, just like the other boys in the squad. I definitely liked them all.
The world created by the author is nice. The idea of genetic modification that gives special powers and leads to rejection by society is interesting and quite innovative. Although it could be a tad more developed. The skills of the people affected by the modification are very random, maybe some pseud-science explanation of this. I also lacked information about some speculations regarding the origin of these changes or treatment attempts. The reasons why children with changes are rejected could also be highlighted more. But when I read the book, I didn't have a big problem with it, so it's more of a reflection after finishing it.
The plot is alright, although it mainly focuses on Finn's training and his relationship with Talon. After the initial scene with Talon in the garage, I thought one of the threads would be finding the guys responsible for the attack. I was surprised it didn't. It's hard to talk about any single major crime case the team is trying to solve. It doesn't bother me much, but I would probably remember this book more if I could say that they were working on such and such case.
Anyway, there is something in this story that made me have another book on my kindle. Even though I was hoping that she would be about another of the guys from the band, not Finn and Talon again. I think I'll read it soon.
July 17, 2018
4.5 Stars
Five Minutes Longer is like the reading equivalent of watching a quality Hollywood blockbuster. It has some questionable plot moments, sure, but overall it is so jam-packed with fun and thrills that I found myself consumed by the sheer entertainment value of it all.
This story is an amalgamation of so many of my favourite genres and tropes. It is an M/M romance set in an awesomely imagined science-fiction world, with elements of action, mystery and suspense, and just enough drama to keep things interesting. Throw in a bunch of men in uniform with an array of nifty (maybe secret) superpowers, all of whom are not-so-gentle but definitely loveable giants, and pair them with one new and enthusiastic human teammate who happens to be a gay virgin to boot, and then factor in a side plot involving world domination, and suddenly you have yourselves the makings of a really good time. Oh, and there is some really delicious hurt-comfort moments throughout, just in case you needed more of a selling point.
It helps that the writing quality is also super impressive. This is my first experience with Victoria Sue and I found myself connecting with her skills and storytelling style immediately – I even messaged a friend three pages in to share my excitement of having found a book I just knew I’d love. It’s a rare experience, but when that shit happens you know it’s the kind of magic worth celebrating.
I’m honestly not going to bother discussing or dissecting the plot in any depth, because I actually went into this completely unknowing and I think that served me really well in my overall enjoyment. (In truth, I may or may not have gone in confusing this with Hailey Turner’s Metahuman Files series, which I hear is also awesome and worth checking out).
Ultimately, I believe I’ve found myself a new series to obsess over and I eagerly look forward to seeing where Sue takes these characters in the sequels.
Five Minutes Longer is like the reading equivalent of watching a quality Hollywood blockbuster. It has some questionable plot moments, sure, but overall it is so jam-packed with fun and thrills that I found myself consumed by the sheer entertainment value of it all.
This story is an amalgamation of so many of my favourite genres and tropes. It is an M/M romance set in an awesomely imagined science-fiction world, with elements of action, mystery and suspense, and just enough drama to keep things interesting. Throw in a bunch of men in uniform with an array of nifty (maybe secret) superpowers, all of whom are not-so-gentle but definitely loveable giants, and pair them with one new and enthusiastic human teammate who happens to be a gay virgin to boot, and then factor in a side plot involving world domination, and suddenly you have yourselves the makings of a really good time. Oh, and there is some really delicious hurt-comfort moments throughout, just in case you needed more of a selling point.
It helps that the writing quality is also super impressive. This is my first experience with Victoria Sue and I found myself connecting with her skills and storytelling style immediately – I even messaged a friend three pages in to share my excitement of having found a book I just knew I’d love. It’s a rare experience, but when that shit happens you know it’s the kind of magic worth celebrating.
I’m honestly not going to bother discussing or dissecting the plot in any depth, because I actually went into this completely unknowing and I think that served me really well in my overall enjoyment. (In truth, I may or may not have gone in confusing this with Hailey Turner’s Metahuman Files series, which I hear is also awesome and worth checking out).
Ultimately, I believe I’ve found myself a new series to obsess over and I eagerly look forward to seeing where Sue takes these characters in the sequels.
October 5, 2018
Audiobook
I am really confused on how to rate this one. Although I enjoyed the premise of the story--Enhanced humans with extraordinary abilities partnering up with “regular” humans to form a new FBI task force. My main problem was the leader of the task force, Talon. He was the first one to partner up with a human, Finn, and for lack of a better term, he was a jerk face to Finn. I could not handle all the back and forth without any groveling on Talon’s part. It just happened one too many times, and I found myself having to walk away from the story a few times.
All in all, I did like the story and the narrator did a really good job of capturing Finn’s naivety in his voice. Of course I will continue on with the series, because I think I struggled with this one because of the mood I was in. All my friends did enjoy it, so please read their reviews before deciding.
I am really confused on how to rate this one. Although I enjoyed the premise of the story--Enhanced humans with extraordinary abilities partnering up with “regular” humans to form a new FBI task force. My main problem was the leader of the task force, Talon. He was the first one to partner up with a human, Finn, and for lack of a better term, he was a jerk face to Finn. I could not handle all the back and forth without any groveling on Talon’s part. It just happened one too many times, and I found myself having to walk away from the story a few times.
All in all, I did like the story and the narrator did a really good job of capturing Finn’s naivety in his voice. Of course I will continue on with the series, because I think I struggled with this one because of the mood I was in. All my friends did enjoy it, so please read their reviews before deciding.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 10, 2017
Great M/M PNR
Great writing. Great characters. Great story. Not too angsty or melodramatic. I have nothing to complain about. It's the perfect story to take a break with.
Great writing. Great characters. Great story. Not too angsty or melodramatic. I have nothing to complain about. It's the perfect story to take a break with.
November 20, 2020
Re-read November 2020
___________
4.5 stars
Really excited for the next one!!
___________
4.5 stars
Really excited for the next one!!
January 25, 2018
Warning, the below might come off as a ranty review which might give you the impression I didn't enjoy the story. Let me reassure you, I did enjoy this 3 stars worth and I do indeed look forward to reading the rest of the series. I don't even feel the need to return the book, which if I actually hated it, I would be all over. Since I did enjoy it I will be keeping this and looking for the next. :) Read on only if you dare.
October 6, 2017
3.5 Stars rounded up!
Five Minutes Longer was a thrill ride! Action-packed from almost the beginning, so much happens to these characters and the story takes place in less that two weeks! There is strong pace that doesn't let up, some sexy times, and the beginning of a romance between human Finn and enhanced Talon.
Mostly I was really happy this was told in a dual POV, because without it I might have really hated Talon based on his actions. But for real though? I just felt bad for Finn in this. Man, the guy has had a really rough week.
I'm so happy I grabbed this up on audio! Nick J. Russo doesn't disappoint. He makes this a fun listen, with great character voices, a steady pace, and good tone. Every audio I listen to Russo seems to be getting better - honing his craft and giving great performances.
All in all I thought it was an interesting story, but I would have liked a little more world building. Though this doesn’t end in a cliffhanger, not all loose ends were tied up, so it's a nice set up for a series.
I am definitely down for listening to the sequel if Nick is narrating it.
Audio copy of Five Minutes Longer (Enhanced #1) provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange of an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
Five Minutes Longer was a thrill ride! Action-packed from almost the beginning, so much happens to these characters and the story takes place in less that two weeks! There is strong pace that doesn't let up, some sexy times, and the beginning of a romance between human Finn and enhanced Talon.
Mostly I was really happy this was told in a dual POV, because without it I might have really hated Talon based on his actions. But for real though? I just felt bad for Finn in this. Man, the guy has had a really rough week.
“He hasn’t had a good week, really.”
I'm so happy I grabbed this up on audio! Nick J. Russo doesn't disappoint. He makes this a fun listen, with great character voices, a steady pace, and good tone. Every audio I listen to Russo seems to be getting better - honing his craft and giving great performances.
All in all I thought it was an interesting story, but I would have liked a little more world building. Though this doesn’t end in a cliffhanger, not all loose ends were tied up, so it's a nice set up for a series.
I am definitely down for listening to the sequel if Nick is narrating it.
Audio copy of Five Minutes Longer (Enhanced #1) provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange of an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
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