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The Mimics #1
Bioluminescent
They look like us, know all about us, and can even blend in perfectly. That doesn't make them human.
When an alien science vessel crashes into the shore of Haven, Hailey has a front row seat. Little does she know that her normal life is about to be turned upside down by the man she bumps into on her way home. He looks completely human.
He isn't.
He also can't stop thinking about her. There’s something about this girl but he can’t quite figure out what it is. Humans are aggressive and primitive, but she’s nothing like that. He only knows because he can't make himself stay away from her.
And she's the only one not getting sick.
Because the crash brought more than just strange aliens to Earth. It also released bacteria that humans have never experienced. The clock is ticking and human medicine can't even detect the pathogens spreading through the population. Humanity’s only hope for survival lies with one alien doctor - and he needs a miracle. Lucky for him, it comes in the form of the woman he can’t get enough of.
Helping him might kill her. Not helping definitely will. Introducing her to the rest of his people? Well, it might be the riskiest move yet - because he won't be the only one unable to resist her allure. But if they want to get back to their homeworld, sacrifices will need to be made.
Her life.
His love.
Their people.
The entire world.
Something has to give. The only question is what.
Bioluminescent is a 140,000 word complete story that is the beginning to a new epic series by Auryn Hadley. This is a slow burn romance with multiple love interests so may not be suitable for all readers.
When an alien science vessel crashes into the shore of Haven, Hailey has a front row seat. Little does she know that her normal life is about to be turned upside down by the man she bumps into on her way home. He looks completely human.
He isn't.
He also can't stop thinking about her. There’s something about this girl but he can’t quite figure out what it is. Humans are aggressive and primitive, but she’s nothing like that. He only knows because he can't make himself stay away from her.
And she's the only one not getting sick.
Because the crash brought more than just strange aliens to Earth. It also released bacteria that humans have never experienced. The clock is ticking and human medicine can't even detect the pathogens spreading through the population. Humanity’s only hope for survival lies with one alien doctor - and he needs a miracle. Lucky for him, it comes in the form of the woman he can’t get enough of.
Helping him might kill her. Not helping definitely will. Introducing her to the rest of his people? Well, it might be the riskiest move yet - because he won't be the only one unable to resist her allure. But if they want to get back to their homeworld, sacrifices will need to be made.
Her life.
His love.
Their people.
The entire world.
Something has to give. The only question is what.
Bioluminescent is a 140,000 word complete story that is the beginning to a new epic series by Auryn Hadley. This is a slow burn romance with multiple love interests so may not be suitable for all readers.
526 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 11, 2020
357 people are currently reading
851 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 188 reviews
August 11, 2020
Loved the cover, loved the summary, didn't like anything else.
The premise holds plenty of potential that is unfortunately never realized. From the very beginning, the MC appears more like a bored bratty twelve-year-old than an actual adult, making any "sexy" encounters particularly awkward to read through. The male lead's sole character trait is "horny". I thought I'd be reading an epic slow burn with plenty of tension and relationship building but it's 140,000 words of nothing. The same plot points are repeated over and over (alien on earth lusts after MC, quirky and special MC is quirky and special, the spooky government is threatening and looming overhead but conveniently incompetent). I'm almost impressed that a book can go on for so long with so little substance. Things pick up in about the last 80% of the book but there is barely any change from the beginning.
The premise holds plenty of potential that is unfortunately never realized. From the very beginning, the MC appears more like a bored bratty twelve-year-old than an actual adult, making any "sexy" encounters particularly awkward to read through. The male lead's sole character trait is "horny". I thought I'd be reading an epic slow burn with plenty of tension and relationship building but it's 140,000 words of nothing. The same plot points are repeated over and over (alien on earth lusts after MC, quirky and special MC is quirky and special, the spooky government is threatening and looming overhead but conveniently incompetent). I'm almost impressed that a book can go on for so long with so little substance. Things pick up in about the last 80% of the book but there is barely any change from the beginning.
May 25, 2020
Aliens Crash Land
I hate reviews that sound like they are written by obsessive fans, but I also want to tell the truth. Therefore this review sounds like it was written by an obsessive fan, sorry.
I make no secret of the fact I love Auryn Hadley’s writing, and of course I bought this book the day it released and devoured it as quickly as possible. I’m pretty sure I’ll be re-reading it many times in the future, because at the back of the book the author states that this is the first in a 6 book series (YAY!!!!!) and I always re-read earlier books as new ones become available as a refresher.
Hailey Evans is a 29 barista who’s life’s ambition of living on a beach has been met. Wandering aimlessly through life suits her. She’s not unhappy but she’s not exactly skipping with joy either. Then she goes to watch an object due to burn up in the atmosphere and land in the ocean, and instead witnesses a space ship crash into the land near town. After watching as long as there was something to see, she wanders back home, passing a stranger on the way, little knowing that the meeting will change her life forever.
Tsij is a doctor on board a space ship forced to crash land on earth. He knows that the crash will cause the release of pathogens alien to Earth which will cause widespread and dangerous illness throughout the population. He needs to find subjects who are resistant to the pathogens to help him find a cure, to right the wrong their crash has inflicted on this backwards and primitive planet.
This is a wonderful story of two cultures clashing in dire circumstances. It reveals the best and worst of both as they are put into jeopardy. Working together as friendships and alliances are made.
Auryn Hadley has once more created a wonderful culture that is conveyed with a deft hand throughout the story. Each detail is well thought out before it is revealed. The culture of the ‘Mimics’ is rich and built around a single concept and from that concept everything flows. It’s intelligently and beautifully done.
We have a large cast of characters and they are all interesting. We meet people from all walks of life, both aliens and humans and the diverse backgrounds make this book even more interesting to me.
The plot is fantastic, everything moves quickly and keeps the reader on the edge of their seat, wanting to know what happens next, what block is going to be raised and which way round it will they construct.
Basically this book has plot, characters and world building in spades and I loved every page. I know we are going to have to wait for the next book, but this book finishes well, with not too much of a cliffhanger. I know I’ll be happy to re-read it when the next book comes out because if I know Auryn Hadley’s work, the book will be even better with each read of it.
In short, read this book, you’ll enjoy it!
I hate reviews that sound like they are written by obsessive fans, but I also want to tell the truth. Therefore this review sounds like it was written by an obsessive fan, sorry.
I make no secret of the fact I love Auryn Hadley’s writing, and of course I bought this book the day it released and devoured it as quickly as possible. I’m pretty sure I’ll be re-reading it many times in the future, because at the back of the book the author states that this is the first in a 6 book series (YAY!!!!!) and I always re-read earlier books as new ones become available as a refresher.
Hailey Evans is a 29 barista who’s life’s ambition of living on a beach has been met. Wandering aimlessly through life suits her. She’s not unhappy but she’s not exactly skipping with joy either. Then she goes to watch an object due to burn up in the atmosphere and land in the ocean, and instead witnesses a space ship crash into the land near town. After watching as long as there was something to see, she wanders back home, passing a stranger on the way, little knowing that the meeting will change her life forever.
Tsij is a doctor on board a space ship forced to crash land on earth. He knows that the crash will cause the release of pathogens alien to Earth which will cause widespread and dangerous illness throughout the population. He needs to find subjects who are resistant to the pathogens to help him find a cure, to right the wrong their crash has inflicted on this backwards and primitive planet.
This is a wonderful story of two cultures clashing in dire circumstances. It reveals the best and worst of both as they are put into jeopardy. Working together as friendships and alliances are made.
Auryn Hadley has once more created a wonderful culture that is conveyed with a deft hand throughout the story. Each detail is well thought out before it is revealed. The culture of the ‘Mimics’ is rich and built around a single concept and from that concept everything flows. It’s intelligently and beautifully done.
We have a large cast of characters and they are all interesting. We meet people from all walks of life, both aliens and humans and the diverse backgrounds make this book even more interesting to me.
The plot is fantastic, everything moves quickly and keeps the reader on the edge of their seat, wanting to know what happens next, what block is going to be raised and which way round it will they construct.
Basically this book has plot, characters and world building in spades and I loved every page. I know we are going to have to wait for the next book, but this book finishes well, with not too much of a cliffhanger. I know I’ll be happy to re-read it when the next book comes out because if I know Auryn Hadley’s work, the book will be even better with each read of it.
In short, read this book, you’ll enjoy it!
August 7, 2020
The fourth book of Auryn Hadley that I have tried and the first that I have ever finished. And surprisingly I loved it.
I wasn’t expecting to love it, in fact I thought it would be another DNF and I almost did several times. I love interspecies alien romance. I love to see the couple struggle to learn about each other’s cultures, worlds, anatomies etc. I love to see them overcome these differences and proof that love conquers all. I was uncomfortable with the way Tsij and Mixac were introduced. There were things that I did not like about them that I thought I would not be able to forgive but somehow because Hailey confronted them and addressed the issues I was also able to get over them.
What changed the tone for me was not the fact that these issues were explained as a cultural difference, I wouldn’t have been satisfied with that explanation alone. What turned it for me is because Hailey confronted them head on and in no uncertain terms, she made it clear to both that it was unacceptable. I could get behind “unacceptable” and the heroine who could stand up to the assholes.
After this huddle I actually enjoyed the book. Granted, I could not remember all the color schemes, or make heads or tails of all the scientific jargons, but I loved the story. I sort of understand how Tsij and Hailey happened, but the other seemed out of the blue. And Mixac just disappeared towards the end, he wasn't as visible. I am not sure if I missed what happened to him but he sort of blended into the background.
I definitely want to see where the story is going.
I wasn’t expecting to love it, in fact I thought it would be another DNF and I almost did several times. I love interspecies alien romance. I love to see the couple struggle to learn about each other’s cultures, worlds, anatomies etc. I love to see them overcome these differences and proof that love conquers all. I was uncomfortable with the way Tsij and Mixac were introduced. There were things that I did not like about them that I thought I would not be able to forgive but somehow because Hailey confronted them and addressed the issues I was also able to get over them.
What changed the tone for me was not the fact that these issues were explained as a cultural difference, I wouldn’t have been satisfied with that explanation alone. What turned it for me is because Hailey confronted them head on and in no uncertain terms, she made it clear to both that it was unacceptable. I could get behind “unacceptable” and the heroine who could stand up to the assholes.
After this huddle I actually enjoyed the book. Granted, I could not remember all the color schemes, or make heads or tails of all the scientific jargons, but I loved the story. I sort of understand how Tsij and Hailey happened, but the other seemed out of the blue. And Mixac just disappeared towards the end, he wasn't as visible. I am not sure if I missed what happened to him but he sort of blended into the background.
I definitely want to see where the story is going.
May 16, 2020
❤❤👍👍❤❤👽
A master of her craft, Auryn Hadley has once again bestowed one of her masterpieces upon us. The world building is done beautifully with a complex and riveting plot that keeps the pages flipping. The characters are so well done that they seem real. I cannot stress enough how wonderful this book was and how it needs to be read and enjoyed by all.
A master of her craft, Auryn Hadley has once again bestowed one of her masterpieces upon us. The world building is done beautifully with a complex and riveting plot that keeps the pages flipping. The characters are so well done that they seem real. I cannot stress enough how wonderful this book was and how it needs to be read and enjoyed by all.
August 6, 2020
3.5 star Not a bad start.
This book suffers from world building but that’s to be expected. This author makes some epic books but their worlds need to be understood a bit more before we can progress over all.
I don’t always read Sci-fi so a lot of the technical, science and medical jargon was boring for me and since I didn’t pay attention to a lot of the science stuff it was mostly skimmed for me. Though the concept made sense I don’t know all the technicals if it’s possible what the authors suggests.
I do like this book, Hailey is nice, Tsij is kind. I’m still learning how to spell and say their names. I would LOVE a glossary on how to pronounce the alien names. I like the cast of characters but Hailey seemed too trusting early on, and some of the things seemed a bit too fantastical to be happening or with her go with the flow attitude. Still I did enjoy the book I have suspicions of who will be in the harem and I can’t wait to see where this goes. Definitely a new and interesting take on aliens but I most liked how this related to the Fae! Which made the story even more intriguing.
This book suffers from world building but that’s to be expected. This author makes some epic books but their worlds need to be understood a bit more before we can progress over all.
I don’t always read Sci-fi so a lot of the technical, science and medical jargon was boring for me and since I didn’t pay attention to a lot of the science stuff it was mostly skimmed for me. Though the concept made sense I don’t know all the technicals if it’s possible what the authors suggests.
I do like this book, Hailey is nice, Tsij is kind. I’m still learning how to spell and say their names. I would LOVE a glossary on how to pronounce the alien names. I like the cast of characters but Hailey seemed too trusting early on, and some of the things seemed a bit too fantastical to be happening or with her go with the flow attitude. Still I did enjoy the book I have suspicions of who will be in the harem and I can’t wait to see where this goes. Definitely a new and interesting take on aliens but I most liked how this related to the Fae! Which made the story even more intriguing.
May 15, 2020
REVIEW UPDATED
I want to give it more than 5 bloody stars!
I was one of the lucky ones to recieve an Arc!
this book damn this book was so good.
one again Auryn outdone herself again! Bioluminescence, what an amazing book! Slow Burn RH. I have to say this book , even just book 1 , I put it as high as the love I have for ROTI! Yes it's that good in my eyes! I fell in love.
2 world's collide in this story Earth (humans) and Chajek ( Ghanek) or let's call them simple Aliens.
Hailey is a compassionate strong Female , who is somewhat insecure but that doesn't mean she isn't strong! she jumped right in with helping the Ghanek!
Tsij he is one hell of Ghanek doctor/ Scientist. Aliens have stranded /crashed on earth , and with them they brought a Virus. Not intentionally, but there Bio chemistry is a little different then Humans, so now it is a race again the clock to find and Create a Vaccine , and that is where Hailey comes in.
I always said that I love the family dynamic that Auryns writes and this one is no different. its different than what I have read about that's for sure but thats what makes this story so great! I also cant wait How Hailey will handle this , and if this will become a mixed RH. and I really cant wait for you guys to experience this.
We meet these great new and Funny amazing Characters. You will fall in love I can guarantee you that.
Hailey and Tsij's Chemistry is off the charts. I love the Loyalty and friendship that Biqos gave her
I laughed so so hard about the Oral scene! between Hailey and Tsij
Please pick up this book you won't be disappointed!
I want to give it more than 5 bloody stars!
I was one of the lucky ones to recieve an Arc!
this book damn this book was so good.
one again Auryn outdone herself again! Bioluminescence, what an amazing book! Slow Burn RH. I have to say this book , even just book 1 , I put it as high as the love I have for ROTI! Yes it's that good in my eyes! I fell in love.
2 world's collide in this story Earth (humans) and Chajek ( Ghanek) or let's call them simple Aliens.
Hailey is a compassionate strong Female , who is somewhat insecure but that doesn't mean she isn't strong! she jumped right in with helping the Ghanek!
Tsij he is one hell of Ghanek doctor/ Scientist. Aliens have stranded /crashed on earth , and with them they brought a Virus. Not intentionally, but there Bio chemistry is a little different then Humans, so now it is a race again the clock to find and Create a Vaccine , and that is where Hailey comes in.
I always said that I love the family dynamic that Auryns writes and this one is no different. its different than what I have read about that's for sure but thats what makes this story so great! I also cant wait How Hailey will handle this , and if this will become a mixed RH. and I really cant wait for you guys to experience this.
We meet these great new and Funny amazing Characters. You will fall in love I can guarantee you that.
Hailey and Tsij's Chemistry is off the charts. I love the Loyalty and friendship that Biqos gave her
I laughed so so hard about the Oral scene! between Hailey and Tsij
Please pick up this book you won't be disappointed!
May 26, 2020
If you loved the Rise of the Iliri series, you will love this book! Hailey is your normal everyday barista, when an alien spaceship crashes and she finds herself trying to help save the world. I loved Hailey - she isn’t a trained warrior/soldier, but she is fierce in her belief and willing to stand up for what she believes him. Hadley has created an interesting cutler with the Mimics. I liked seeing both the human and Mimics confronting and overcoming their preconceived ideas about the other. I can’t wait to see what happen next. The ending does leave you with some suspense, so hopefully book 2 is out soon!
I
***And if you have read the Rise of the Iliri series you should check that out too :)
I
***And if you have read the Rise of the Iliri series you should check that out too :)
May 29, 2020
My feelings for this are probably skewed because I'm coming off a five star read, but I'm at 40% and I just don't care....
The pacing is slow and there is a lot of political shoveling. Maybe it's just too close to the current climate with the quarantine. Maybe it's because i'm seeing the main female character as a doormat? I don't know, but for whatever the reason it boils down to the fact that I don't care how this ends and therefore I'm choosing to dnf.
Oh you threatened to rape me, but it's my fault because I just don't understand your culture. Ughhh, honestly it was just too much to swallow. Moving on!
The pacing is slow and there is a lot of political shoveling. Maybe it's just too close to the current climate with the quarantine. Maybe it's because i'm seeing the main female character as a doormat? I don't know, but for whatever the reason it boils down to the fact that I don't care how this ends and therefore I'm choosing to dnf.
Oh you threatened to rape me, but it's my fault because I just don't understand your culture. Ughhh, honestly it was just too much to swallow. Moving on!
October 27, 2020
Recommend
This was a surprising treat to be devoured! This was a great first installment of the series. I will definitely be looking for book 2
This was a surprising treat to be devoured! This was a great first installment of the series. I will definitely be looking for book 2
March 26, 2021
That was amazing!! Also frustrating since it leaves you hanging at the end. Arggh!!! And the author has posted that the series is on hold until COVID passes since much of the book mirrors the pandemic and may hit too close to home for those who have lost someone. .... but, 🥺 but, I need to know what happens next! 😭
Seriously, this book was absolutely fascinating. It’s a long book and the romance develops quite naturally. Book one is not quite a reverse harem, but it’s almost there by the end and will definitely go there in book two. And the author does a fantastic job of setting it up! Everything in this book is very well explained by logical evolutionary reasons and science (okay the science might be stretched in a few places, but it’s an alien sci-fi romance, so I’m fine with minor stretching of the rules).
This book is an ingenious look at what would happen if aliens crashed on earth and humans all saw it happen on the news and social media. And because their ship was burning and already torn open, they had to bail out of their city-size ship without going through decontamination. So now earth has been exposed to alien bacteria that it’s never experienced before. Think Spanish & English colonization of America and the native Americans being exposed to smallpox. The Spanish didn’t do it on purpose (at least initially) it just came with them and the natives had no naturally built up resistance. Same thing, but it’s alien microbes and bacteria that our doctors can’t detect and our bodies can’t fight off.
So, while some of the aliens were able to slip away and escape, most were rounded up by the military. The aliens look very human... well, the ones able to control their pigmentation do at least. It’s not a skill they all have. Part of why the aliens were in our area of the universe is because they were studying why humanity and their race seem so similar. I was absolutely engrossed for the first half of the book as evolutionary traits and cultural differ were explained. The author did a fantastic job with this.
One alien who got away from the crash and the military was the ships lead doctor, and he knew what their crash would do to the human population, so he immediately sets out to find a cure to save humanity. He hides among the humans in the town that’s now quarantined by the military and begins his research, and he meets our heroine in the process. This simple barista who’s really not much when we meet her slowly gets wrapped up in the aliens efforts and she grows so much over the course of the book. I like how normal of a girl she is, but she also finds the strength to step up and do what’s needed at times. And of course when two people work together, emotions happen. The alien learns that humans aren’t as primitive and aggressive as they believed and she falls for his kindness and strength. It’s not an easy path they take, because his people initially look down on it and later some humans will think less of her for her association with them, but it’s a beautiful, natural romance with a lot of openness to talk through their cultural differences.
This book grows chapter by chapter and what starts as a few events in a quiet town in NC slowly grows to be a global issue that they are racing to fight. And while some humans join the aliens efforts, other humans stand in their way.
I. Can’t. Wait. For book 2! ❤️
Seriously, this book was absolutely fascinating. It’s a long book and the romance develops quite naturally. Book one is not quite a reverse harem, but it’s almost there by the end and will definitely go there in book two. And the author does a fantastic job of setting it up! Everything in this book is very well explained by logical evolutionary reasons and science (okay the science might be stretched in a few places, but it’s an alien sci-fi romance, so I’m fine with minor stretching of the rules).
This book is an ingenious look at what would happen if aliens crashed on earth and humans all saw it happen on the news and social media. And because their ship was burning and already torn open, they had to bail out of their city-size ship without going through decontamination. So now earth has been exposed to alien bacteria that it’s never experienced before. Think Spanish & English colonization of America and the native Americans being exposed to smallpox. The Spanish didn’t do it on purpose (at least initially) it just came with them and the natives had no naturally built up resistance. Same thing, but it’s alien microbes and bacteria that our doctors can’t detect and our bodies can’t fight off.
So, while some of the aliens were able to slip away and escape, most were rounded up by the military. The aliens look very human... well, the ones able to control their pigmentation do at least. It’s not a skill they all have. Part of why the aliens were in our area of the universe is because they were studying why humanity and their race seem so similar. I was absolutely engrossed for the first half of the book as evolutionary traits and cultural differ were explained. The author did a fantastic job with this.
One alien who got away from the crash and the military was the ships lead doctor, and he knew what their crash would do to the human population, so he immediately sets out to find a cure to save humanity. He hides among the humans in the town that’s now quarantined by the military and begins his research, and he meets our heroine in the process. This simple barista who’s really not much when we meet her slowly gets wrapped up in the aliens efforts and she grows so much over the course of the book. I like how normal of a girl she is, but she also finds the strength to step up and do what’s needed at times. And of course when two people work together, emotions happen. The alien learns that humans aren’t as primitive and aggressive as they believed and she falls for his kindness and strength. It’s not an easy path they take, because his people initially look down on it and later some humans will think less of her for her association with them, but it’s a beautiful, natural romance with a lot of openness to talk through their cultural differences.
This book grows chapter by chapter and what starts as a few events in a quiet town in NC slowly grows to be a global issue that they are racing to fight. And while some humans join the aliens efforts, other humans stand in their way.
I. Can’t. Wait. For book 2! ❤️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 26, 2020
Probably the best book I've read this year. Well-written with intriguing plot, though that can be expected from Hadley. The relationships up to this point are believable (considering the highly unusual situation the characters are thrown into), even if the attraction was fast and everyone realized quite soon that they want something from each other, figuring out the details takes time. But even as romantic relationships are important parts of the story, the book would be interesting even without it. As a romance junkie I usually prefer at least a bit of ...you know...love here and there, but with everything happening in Bioluminescent I honestly think I would adore it just as much, if it were romance-free. Without a boring moment, the reader gets to live through the aftermatch of an alien ship crash in america, with all it's concequences. I really enjoy when a book forces me to think a bit and I got that here, even if the story (and the portraying of american citizens) felt a bit idealized. Looking back, that movie-like feeling might have been part of the appeal.
June 5, 2020
Excellent start to a series. This book is really well developed. The world building is phenomenal and the plot is so creative. We have a science fiction romance that manages to be relevant to modern events and politics. I’m actually amazed that the author was able to incorporate so many parallels to current events that have literally JUST happened. She also does this without being obvious or cheesy. In a way this story is very reminiscent of political sci-fi from the 60s and 70s. I got a lot of those Vonnegut/Atwood/Heinlein vibes which are very rare to find in modern romance novels. I can tell this is going to shape up to be a really epic series.
May 17, 2020
I really liked Bioluminscent. It was an interesting and entertaining story, a great first book in a new series. I enjoyed the characters and the dynamics between them. Hailey is a likeable main character, just a normal woman going through life with no grand ambitions. In this story she gains a purpose and it gives her the confidence and drive to become stronger and more asserrive, a leader.
The alien culture as well as the aliens themselves were intriging. There is romance between Hailey and one male in this book with the development of another two in the works, one more so then the other. I see the potential for another as well.
I look forward to the next book in the series.
The alien culture as well as the aliens themselves were intriging. There is romance between Hailey and one male in this book with the development of another two in the works, one more so then the other. I see the potential for another as well.
I look forward to the next book in the series.
August 15, 2020
Revolution
Hailey is a normal woman who just happens to be able to see the Ghanek man at a party. The coincidences are pretty blaring but I love how it all works out with her becoming a stronger woman. I wasn't expected such a slow burn but I like the world building that occurred. Starting a revolution is never easy.
Hailey is a normal woman who just happens to be able to see the Ghanek man at a party. The coincidences are pretty blaring but I love how it all works out with her becoming a stronger woman. I wasn't expected such a slow burn but I like the world building that occurred. Starting a revolution is never easy.
May 16, 2020
Flipping awesome book!
I LOVE every single book Auryn Hadley has written!! And this one is no different! It will be so hard to wait for the next book to come out! The anticipation will kill me lol.
I LOVE every single book Auryn Hadley has written!! And this one is no different! It will be so hard to wait for the next book to come out! The anticipation will kill me lol.
May 15, 2020
Loved!
Auryn Hadley's world building is on par with Tolkien, Rowling, and Martin...you get sucked in and consumed! This book is so relevant right now even if it does have the fantastic in it. I really like the characters, they are complex and I know we're only seeing the surface. I'm really excited for this series and can't wait for book two!
Auryn Hadley's world building is on par with Tolkien, Rowling, and Martin...you get sucked in and consumed! This book is so relevant right now even if it does have the fantastic in it. I really like the characters, they are complex and I know we're only seeing the surface. I'm really excited for this series and can't wait for book two!
May 19, 2020
Bioluminescent, book 1 of the Mimics series, is a book I picked up through Kindle Unlimited. Another intriguing set of characters and interesting world-building by this author. While I found the pacing a lot slower than other series, I loved the gradual and tentative growth of the relationship between Tsij and Hailey, who need to develop an understanding and compromise between two different cultures (races?). There is a lot of pandemic-related politics involved in the story-line, but readers experiencing current COVID pandemic events can relate to the sub-plots in the story. A great start to a new series.
May 16, 2020
Ok,
So I really tried with this and I liked where it was going. But it was sooo dense?! Like the story line is simple enough but it's so packed with monologues and chatter and plans that it got boring.
I made it 75%.
Was waiting for more romance but it didn't come and it get stale.
So I really tried with this and I liked where it was going. But it was sooo dense?! Like the story line is simple enough but it's so packed with monologues and chatter and plans that it got boring.
I made it 75%.
Was waiting for more romance but it didn't come and it get stale.
July 14, 2021
Her liberal bias ruined her creative story plot
Auryn Hadley called the Holocaust "racial discrimination" yet hypes that gays and transgenders have to deal with violence perpetrated against them. (Not a new rant for the author as she makes antisemitic/catholic/white comments in her wolf series). She glorifies illegal immigrants that run drugs and produce fake US id's. She calls marines "cops and pigs" and blames them for negative actions without acknowledging that they are following orders from the government. She appropriated covid -19 , theme in this book, and made it sound like anyone not taking the vaccine was ignorant/wrong. These aspects ruined a good book concept in my opinion.
Auryn Hadley called the Holocaust "racial discrimination" yet hypes that gays and transgenders have to deal with violence perpetrated against them. (Not a new rant for the author as she makes antisemitic/catholic/white comments in her wolf series). She glorifies illegal immigrants that run drugs and produce fake US id's. She calls marines "cops and pigs" and blames them for negative actions without acknowledging that they are following orders from the government. She appropriated covid -19 , theme in this book, and made it sound like anyone not taking the vaccine was ignorant/wrong. These aspects ruined a good book concept in my opinion.
March 7, 2024
Great start to new series
I really, really enjoyed this, and basically didn't put it down from start to finish. I loved the characters, the storyline isn't earth shattering but is extremely well done. There is some romance but it's very slow burn, and never takes over from the actual plot. The only downside is having to wait for the next book.
I really, really enjoyed this, and basically didn't put it down from start to finish. I loved the characters, the storyline isn't earth shattering but is extremely well done. There is some romance but it's very slow burn, and never takes over from the actual plot. The only downside is having to wait for the next book.
December 12, 2021
Did it again, Auryn
Absolute rookie move reading an Auryn Hadley series with only one book out. I’m hella impatient.
Was actually pretty sceptical about this one - not really an alien kinda gal - but I really enjoyed it. I need the next one now, lmao.
For some reason Jared is my favourite? Not sure why, maybe humanoids with squid skin isn’t my thing.
Absolute rookie move reading an Auryn Hadley series with only one book out. I’m hella impatient.
Was actually pretty sceptical about this one - not really an alien kinda gal - but I really enjoyed it. I need the next one now, lmao.
For some reason Jared is my favourite? Not sure why, maybe humanoids with squid skin isn’t my thing.
May 21, 2020
Mimics among us
Hailey is a working stiff. Her entire life revolves around earning enough money to survive, and maybe finding someone better than her on again/off again mooch of a boyfriend. Especially after the jerk ditched her, again. But, his loss right? Because he missed what was supposed to be an asteroid breaking in the atmosphere, but turned out to be a crashing alien ship. And the aliens? They looked awfully human. Different colors. Ok, lots of different colors, and some really bright florescent stripes, but still human. Two legs, two arms, one head; just painted like they were ready for a blacklight rave. The government showed up really quickly and rounded them up, but the odd thing is no one is being allowed to talk about it. Media has been gagged, the whole town quarantined, and now everyone seems to be getting sick.
Spoilers ahead.
Auryn picks a genre and makes it hers. This is no different. Hailey is a simple barista in a coastal Carolina town. Nothing special, a struggling stiff like the rest of us. Until aliens land. Well, crash. Events are laid out logically. Government reactions, civilian reactions, all of it within normal parameters. This is fiction, but it doesn't make you suspend reality to the nth degree. People are people. You have food, bad, greedy, those following orders, every spectrum. The humans are lucky because the species that landed are not violent. They are group of scientists trying to figure out how these 2 species, Gahnek and human, look so similar when they evolved so differently. Because while structurally they are similar, the color changing abilities, and some defense adaptations, make some startling differences. Humans came from primates and became the dominant species on our planet. Gahnek were aquatic originally, a type of cephalopod, complete with visual acuity and chromatophores. They are still prey on their planet. Advanced, yes, but they have to deal with much larger and more aggressive predators than we do. And their culture and family groups reflect the dangerous loves they lead. Families are groups not pairbonds, children are raised by everyone to impart every bit of knowledge possible. The goal is to diversify genetics to enhance the next generation. Strong is great, smart is better. Combining those? Ideal. So, while love may develop, who you love may not be chosen to create the next generation. Because the very real reality is that many children do not make it to adulthood. And to be able to leave the planet in exploration you have to have at least 2 kids to pass on your line. You can't just remove the advantages you have by making it to adulthood by removing your genes from the pool. It's an interesting system. Our world is described as soft and luxurious, except for our weather fluctuations which seem chilly to them. Their communication is partly visual, color changes and brightening/dimming of colors. Ack. I can't ramble too much without hideous, story ruining spoilers. But, the base of the story is that after an accident, their air supply was damaged. It caused them to have to land to fix it. Because it was an emergency they were unable to follow decontamination procedures, so what is harmless skin bacteria (which every living animal carries) to them becomes a very dangerous illness for humans. The aliens try to start on a cure but with the majority of them incarcerated by the government, the handful left are racing against time, a tech greedy government, crossed military wires and human panic as this sickness spreads. It's hard to believe that this was written so far before Covid 19 and yet parallels it in so many ways that the release of this book is a little too spot on. Oh, this is a RH novel. I can't remember if the blurb mentioned it, and I know some people are dead set against it. But for the Gahnek it is literally the difference between life and death for their species. And the transference to another dangerous (for them, humans do tend to be a little violent when confused and panicking about invasions) means that way of family bonding isn't going to change. I love that neither species here is good or bad. For a woman who writes such vivid stories, with such colorful characters (in many cases literally), her peoples cover a lot of grey areas. I knew Auryn was going to make me fall in love with another of her series, I just didn't realize how quickly I would.
Hailey is a working stiff. Her entire life revolves around earning enough money to survive, and maybe finding someone better than her on again/off again mooch of a boyfriend. Especially after the jerk ditched her, again. But, his loss right? Because he missed what was supposed to be an asteroid breaking in the atmosphere, but turned out to be a crashing alien ship. And the aliens? They looked awfully human. Different colors. Ok, lots of different colors, and some really bright florescent stripes, but still human. Two legs, two arms, one head; just painted like they were ready for a blacklight rave. The government showed up really quickly and rounded them up, but the odd thing is no one is being allowed to talk about it. Media has been gagged, the whole town quarantined, and now everyone seems to be getting sick.
Spoilers ahead.
Auryn picks a genre and makes it hers. This is no different. Hailey is a simple barista in a coastal Carolina town. Nothing special, a struggling stiff like the rest of us. Until aliens land. Well, crash. Events are laid out logically. Government reactions, civilian reactions, all of it within normal parameters. This is fiction, but it doesn't make you suspend reality to the nth degree. People are people. You have food, bad, greedy, those following orders, every spectrum. The humans are lucky because the species that landed are not violent. They are group of scientists trying to figure out how these 2 species, Gahnek and human, look so similar when they evolved so differently. Because while structurally they are similar, the color changing abilities, and some defense adaptations, make some startling differences. Humans came from primates and became the dominant species on our planet. Gahnek were aquatic originally, a type of cephalopod, complete with visual acuity and chromatophores. They are still prey on their planet. Advanced, yes, but they have to deal with much larger and more aggressive predators than we do. And their culture and family groups reflect the dangerous loves they lead. Families are groups not pairbonds, children are raised by everyone to impart every bit of knowledge possible. The goal is to diversify genetics to enhance the next generation. Strong is great, smart is better. Combining those? Ideal. So, while love may develop, who you love may not be chosen to create the next generation. Because the very real reality is that many children do not make it to adulthood. And to be able to leave the planet in exploration you have to have at least 2 kids to pass on your line. You can't just remove the advantages you have by making it to adulthood by removing your genes from the pool. It's an interesting system. Our world is described as soft and luxurious, except for our weather fluctuations which seem chilly to them. Their communication is partly visual, color changes and brightening/dimming of colors. Ack. I can't ramble too much without hideous, story ruining spoilers. But, the base of the story is that after an accident, their air supply was damaged. It caused them to have to land to fix it. Because it was an emergency they were unable to follow decontamination procedures, so what is harmless skin bacteria (which every living animal carries) to them becomes a very dangerous illness for humans. The aliens try to start on a cure but with the majority of them incarcerated by the government, the handful left are racing against time, a tech greedy government, crossed military wires and human panic as this sickness spreads. It's hard to believe that this was written so far before Covid 19 and yet parallels it in so many ways that the release of this book is a little too spot on. Oh, this is a RH novel. I can't remember if the blurb mentioned it, and I know some people are dead set against it. But for the Gahnek it is literally the difference between life and death for their species. And the transference to another dangerous (for them, humans do tend to be a little violent when confused and panicking about invasions) means that way of family bonding isn't going to change. I love that neither species here is good or bad. For a woman who writes such vivid stories, with such colorful characters (in many cases literally), her peoples cover a lot of grey areas. I knew Auryn was going to make me fall in love with another of her series, I just didn't realize how quickly I would.
November 7, 2020
Please please be gentle Auryn Hadley. You have me fall in love with your characters now I must trust you with my heart.❤️
THIS FLIPPING COVER CALLED MY NAME! It is perfect.
Extremely interesting and hard to put down. This book engulfed me like a slow building wind and then swept me up and away. It is so easy to read that the end snuck up on me. It was over far too quickly. My greatest concern is that this author has torn my heart out in a previous series and I'm not sure I could take that big of a crying jag again. My other concern is that I might be forced to simmer silently for a long time waiting on the next book in the series. These are hard on the heart of and a self proclaimed reading addict. Please be gentle Auryn Hadley it's been a tough year on everyone and all. Thank you for such a flipping wonderful read with such beautifully colored characters.
Lots of tourists and townies in beach side Haven excitedly gather in order to view a passing asteroid event only to witness a crashing spaceship landing. Strangely enough everyone does not go absolutely mindlessly crazy. As brightly colored, very humanoid aliens flee their burning ship they immediately and peacefully surrender to human forces. Only a few slip away undetected into the night. Haven is put in quarantine for the "worlds protection" but it is poorly done and fails. The alien's (Gahnek is their proper title) "normal flora" is deadly to humans and because of their crash landing decontamination was not possible. The detained Gahnek are disregarded when they warn humans will become ill and die in less than 2 weeks if a cure is not found. The billion dollar conspiracy to "own" advanced technology on the ship is much more lucrative. So the unlikely partnership is born between an alien doctor and a small town barista in an effort to literally save the human race.
THIS FLIPPING COVER CALLED MY NAME! It is perfect.
Extremely interesting and hard to put down. This book engulfed me like a slow building wind and then swept me up and away. It is so easy to read that the end snuck up on me. It was over far too quickly. My greatest concern is that this author has torn my heart out in a previous series and I'm not sure I could take that big of a crying jag again. My other concern is that I might be forced to simmer silently for a long time waiting on the next book in the series. These are hard on the heart of and a self proclaimed reading addict. Please be gentle Auryn Hadley it's been a tough year on everyone and all. Thank you for such a flipping wonderful read with such beautifully colored characters.
Lots of tourists and townies in beach side Haven excitedly gather in order to view a passing asteroid event only to witness a crashing spaceship landing. Strangely enough everyone does not go absolutely mindlessly crazy. As brightly colored, very humanoid aliens flee their burning ship they immediately and peacefully surrender to human forces. Only a few slip away undetected into the night. Haven is put in quarantine for the "worlds protection" but it is poorly done and fails. The alien's (Gahnek is their proper title) "normal flora" is deadly to humans and because of their crash landing decontamination was not possible. The detained Gahnek are disregarded when they warn humans will become ill and die in less than 2 weeks if a cure is not found. The billion dollar conspiracy to "own" advanced technology on the ship is much more lucrative. So the unlikely partnership is born between an alien doctor and a small town barista in an effort to literally save the human race.
May 19, 2020
**I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review**
Auryn Hadley does it again, y'all. One of these days I'll stopped being surprised by her creativity and never-ending imagination. This woman creates entire universes off of a single word that inspires her and it's truly incredible. Auryn must also be prophetic, because gosh-darn if this series doesn't contain a pandemic and world-wide pandemonium. This book hits on racism, sexism, classism, global issues, bad boyfriends, *good* boyfriends, etc. Basically, most real-life issues you can think of.
The Mimics series is setting itself up to be an amazing reverse-harem, alien saga. Yes, I said it--ALIENS. Beautiful, neon chameleon-like aliens. The plot is thick and ever-evolving without being too convoluted to follow. All of the characters stand apart from one another, and while she always has a full cast, it's easy to keep track of everyone. Each point of view is vivid, different, and refreshing. You can truly hear the character's inner thoughts while you're walking around in their heads with them as they go through their day.
I am extremely excited for the future books as I'm curious to see where this series leads. I highly recommend it for anyone that enjoys romance, plagues, aliens, chameleons, and small town girls doing big things.
Auryn Hadley does it again, y'all. One of these days I'll stopped being surprised by her creativity and never-ending imagination. This woman creates entire universes off of a single word that inspires her and it's truly incredible. Auryn must also be prophetic, because gosh-darn if this series doesn't contain a pandemic and world-wide pandemonium. This book hits on racism, sexism, classism, global issues, bad boyfriends, *good* boyfriends, etc. Basically, most real-life issues you can think of.
The Mimics series is setting itself up to be an amazing reverse-harem, alien saga. Yes, I said it--ALIENS. Beautiful, neon chameleon-like aliens. The plot is thick and ever-evolving without being too convoluted to follow. All of the characters stand apart from one another, and while she always has a full cast, it's easy to keep track of everyone. Each point of view is vivid, different, and refreshing. You can truly hear the character's inner thoughts while you're walking around in their heads with them as they go through their day.
I am extremely excited for the future books as I'm curious to see where this series leads. I highly recommend it for anyone that enjoys romance, plagues, aliens, chameleons, and small town girls doing big things.
July 27, 2021
The good
+ Hailey's desire to help the aliens (and that it came from herself, without needing to be convinced by outside sources)
+ Tsij. He's so good!
+ The amazingly fleshed out alien species
+ Tsij using a whiteboard for the first time
+ How many people want to help the aliens
+ Hailey's ease with adapting to the alien lifestyle (she didn't even bat an eye at the polyamory!)
+ Biqos and Tsij communicating by painting on Hailey
+ Hailey's banter with the aliens and how she could joke about the primitivity of humans without actually demeaning herself and her own species. I liked that the aliens slowly came around too
The neutral
o The aggressive alien that tried to intimidate Hailey. I feel like the author tries to explain away his aggressive behavior by saying it's "normal" for his species, but judging by the reactions of the other aliens it really wasn't. I just really don't want Hailey to warm up to him, he's just a dick to me
The bad
- The end confused me a bit.
I can't wait for the sequel! I want to read about Biqos courting Hailey, and I really hope Jared also gets his chance :) He's so sweet! Definitely would recommend this book.
+ Hailey's desire to help the aliens (and that it came from herself, without needing to be convinced by outside sources)
+ Tsij. He's so good!
+ The amazingly fleshed out alien species
+ Tsij using a whiteboard for the first time
+ How many people want to help the aliens
+ Hailey's ease with adapting to the alien lifestyle (she didn't even bat an eye at the polyamory!)
+ Biqos and Tsij communicating by painting on Hailey
+ Hailey's banter with the aliens and how she could joke about the primitivity of humans without actually demeaning herself and her own species. I liked that the aliens slowly came around too
The neutral
o The aggressive alien that tried to intimidate Hailey. I feel like the author tries to explain away his aggressive behavior by saying it's "normal" for his species, but judging by the reactions of the other aliens it really wasn't. I just really don't want Hailey to warm up to him, he's just a dick to me
The bad
- The end confused me a bit.
I can't wait for the sequel! I want to read about Biqos courting Hailey, and I really hope Jared also gets his chance :) He's so sweet! Definitely would recommend this book.
May 15, 2020
I’ll admit I am not a fan of sci fi/alien books, I generally find they just aren’t written well enough but I can absolutely 100% say that Auryn Hadley does not have that problem! Her world building and storylines are so unique, she takes you on a journey that is crazy but it sucks you in and makes you fall in love (and occasionally hate) the characters.
I’m also pretty sure she is some kind of psychic! This book was first drafted in 2017 and yet it could have been based on our current situation.
The cover is amazing. I don’t generally judge a book by it’s cover but I could hang this on my wall it’s so pretty!
The Blurb is great, says enough to intrigue but as always the book is so much more than the blurb let’s on.
The dedication is lovely and heartwarming.
The characters are amazing. Hailey the FMC is just a normal young lady that you relate to as she could be any of us, she does what she thinks is right even if that puts her in danger.
The aliens are cool, not just their colouring but they are an intelligent, strong but caring race. They learned as much as the could about humans and earth and honestly put some humans to shame.
I throughly enjoyed this book and can not wait for book 2.
I’m also pretty sure she is some kind of psychic! This book was first drafted in 2017 and yet it could have been based on our current situation.
The cover is amazing. I don’t generally judge a book by it’s cover but I could hang this on my wall it’s so pretty!
The Blurb is great, says enough to intrigue but as always the book is so much more than the blurb let’s on.
The dedication is lovely and heartwarming.
The characters are amazing. Hailey the FMC is just a normal young lady that you relate to as she could be any of us, she does what she thinks is right even if that puts her in danger.
The aliens are cool, not just their colouring but they are an intelligent, strong but caring race. They learned as much as the could about humans and earth and honestly put some humans to shame.
I throughly enjoyed this book and can not wait for book 2.
August 7, 2020
I liked it. I did not love it definitely. The super- altruistic heroine was meh and the total obeisance she received from every character was ridiculous.She went from being a doormat at the beginning to a doormat everyone found attractive.
I loved the alien culture and the in-depth exploration of that.
I have read other Hadley books and especially BloodLust I found that I was very excited for the character and plot development and by the third book I was completely done with everything. Those books and this one contain very little actual romance and dont have enjoyable sex scenes.
Also Im not sure where Hadleys head is at but giving the alien a blowie wasnt exactly the sexiest scene. Especially with the power dynamic already being portrayed as skewed.
If blowies arent a thing in their culture shouldnt the scene have gone more " Oh no! staaahhp...you cant..." pushes head down further.
Anyways I feel like this is going the same way as other series and I know Im going to be disappointed in the plot, the romantic relationships and humanity's savior character. Also 6 planned books seems like alot of plot filler
I loved the alien culture and the in-depth exploration of that.
I have read other Hadley books and especially BloodLust I found that I was very excited for the character and plot development and by the third book I was completely done with everything. Those books and this one contain very little actual romance and dont have enjoyable sex scenes.
Also Im not sure where Hadleys head is at but giving the alien a blowie wasnt exactly the sexiest scene. Especially with the power dynamic already being portrayed as skewed.
If blowies arent a thing in their culture shouldnt the scene have gone more " Oh no! staaahhp...you cant..." pushes head down further.
Anyways I feel like this is going the same way as other series and I know Im going to be disappointed in the plot, the romantic relationships and humanity's savior character. Also 6 planned books seems like alot of plot filler
September 25, 2020
Unique story line for sci-fi/fantasy fic. with the added bonus of being relatable to current pandemic-esque elements. The details were well written, world building executed well, and I loved the concept of the Mimics. I'm also a fan of the author; however, I'll give an honest review of any book I read.
Unfortunately all of those aforementioned elements is where the allure ended for me. For such a long detailed book, it was pretty boring. There was a ton of build up that I don't normally mind, but you have to throw me something akin to romance and by the end of the book I'm like that's it?!
The relationship development was very meh at best. So much was happening, big plot buildup and starts that needed to be resolved that there left very little time for getting to watch the relationship blossom. The FMC, Hailie, was underwhelming and our main MC seemed somewhat underdeveloped. Also, as another reviewer mentioned, it's redundant to lay out the big plan in multiple POV and then go through enacting the plan with the author skipping no details of what you just read. Great writing just too much of the same thing. Didn't mind the cliffhanger, as I'm use to them by now with this author. I'll wait to see how the next book turns out to decide if this is a series worth continuing.
Unfortunately all of those aforementioned elements is where the allure ended for me. For such a long detailed book, it was pretty boring. There was a ton of build up that I don't normally mind, but you have to throw me something akin to romance and by the end of the book I'm like that's it?!
The relationship development was very meh at best. So much was happening, big plot buildup and starts that needed to be resolved that there left very little time for getting to watch the relationship blossom. The FMC, Hailie, was underwhelming and our main MC seemed somewhat underdeveloped. Also, as another reviewer mentioned, it's redundant to lay out the big plan in multiple POV and then go through enacting the plan with the author skipping no details of what you just read. Great writing just too much of the same thing. Didn't mind the cliffhanger, as I'm use to them by now with this author. I'll wait to see how the next book turns out to decide if this is a series worth continuing.
December 22, 2020
Hailey and Tsij
An alien spaceship is hit by an asteroid and crashes to earth releasing alien microbes. Humans’ immune system have no way of handling these foreign invaders. Tsij is an alien Doctor who survives the crash and immediately sets out to find a human that might have their alien DNA.
Hailey is who he finds, turns out her paternal Grandfather was an Alien. She agrees to get sick in order for her body to make antibodies that Tsij can use to make a vaccine.
Of course the greedy government wants the alien tech and survivors and unwittingly spreads the alien contamination. Considering it’s 2020 it’s fitting that the US Government is the protagonist.
Hailey is the strong and smart female Hero of this story! Hope to see more of her in later books.
There isn’t a big cliffhanger but there is someone left in distress at the end. Writer’s notes at the end of the book said this is the first book in a six book series.
Seems a fitting story to read in 2020 Covid quarantine. Hope we are out of quarantine and our virus is gone before this fictional contagion is finished. 🤞
An alien spaceship is hit by an asteroid and crashes to earth releasing alien microbes. Humans’ immune system have no way of handling these foreign invaders. Tsij is an alien Doctor who survives the crash and immediately sets out to find a human that might have their alien DNA.
Hailey is who he finds, turns out her paternal Grandfather was an Alien. She agrees to get sick in order for her body to make antibodies that Tsij can use to make a vaccine.
Of course the greedy government wants the alien tech and survivors and unwittingly spreads the alien contamination. Considering it’s 2020 it’s fitting that the US Government is the protagonist.
Hailey is the strong and smart female Hero of this story! Hope to see more of her in later books.
There isn’t a big cliffhanger but there is someone left in distress at the end. Writer’s notes at the end of the book said this is the first book in a six book series.
Seems a fitting story to read in 2020 Covid quarantine. Hope we are out of quarantine and our virus is gone before this fictional contagion is finished. 🤞
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