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Wanted and Wired #2
Perfect Gravity
Kellen Hockley usually keeps quiet about his past, but once upon a time he loved a girl named Angela. He hasn't seen her in a decade, but now he has to break the news to her that his team of rogue treasure hunters accidentally killed her husband. He's had better days . . . It's not the news that's delivered to Angela Neko that breaks her apart-it's the rumbly, Texas drawl delivering it. She can't believe she's hearing Kellen's voice again. But there's no time for distractions. When Angela's own life is threatened, yielding up all of her lies and secrets, she and Kellen must figure out how to reverse the geopolitical firestorm she lit to save the world, to save Kellen's cat . . . and just maybe to save each other.
Audio CD
Published June 5, 2018
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About the author
Vivien Jackson
13 books104 followersVivien Jackson writes fantastical, futuristic, down-home salacious kissery. A devoted Whovian Browncoat Sindarin Jedi gamer, she has a degree in English, which just means she's read gobs of stuff in that language. With her similarly geeky partner, children, and hairy little pets, she lives in Austin, Texas, and watches a lot of football.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
November 17, 2025
Angela had her goals set and nothing was going to keep her from reaching them. That means she made sacrifices along the way. One of the biggest sacrifices Angela made was walking away from Kellen, her old school best friend, and lover.
Years later, Kellen’s team is hired to take out an android replica of Angela’s husband only to find out that it was the real deal, killing Angela’s husband. Angela has not lived with her husband in years and her marriage was a marriage of power not love so she wasn’t overly wrought about the loss…but her life is now at risk.
Kellen’s boss/team leader offers Angela sanctuary along their group not realizing the effect it would have on Kellen. Kellen doesn’t want to face the hurt and love he still has for Angela but Angela seems to want to reignite at least a friendship if not more.
Fast-paced, action intense and filled with marvelous world building, Perfect Gravity is a complex and multi-layered adventure that will tantalize the sci-fi fan in us all.
I received this ARC copy of Perfect Gravity from SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca. This is my honest and voluntary review. Perfect Gravity is set for publication November 7, 2017.
Years later, Kellen’s team is hired to take out an android replica of Angela’s husband only to find out that it was the real deal, killing Angela’s husband. Angela has not lived with her husband in years and her marriage was a marriage of power not love so she wasn’t overly wrought about the loss…but her life is now at risk.
Kellen’s boss/team leader offers Angela sanctuary along their group not realizing the effect it would have on Kellen. Kellen doesn’t want to face the hurt and love he still has for Angela but Angela seems to want to reignite at least a friendship if not more.
Fast-paced, action intense and filled with marvelous world building, Perfect Gravity is a complex and multi-layered adventure that will tantalize the sci-fi fan in us all.
I received this ARC copy of Perfect Gravity from SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca. This is my honest and voluntary review. Perfect Gravity is set for publication November 7, 2017.
March 14, 2019
Three and a half
Having read Wanted and Wired I was desperate to learn more about the varied characters this author has dreamed up. I was really looking forward to seeing how this dark future envisaged for mankind could be somehow turned around. We met the wonderfully caring Kellen previously and it was clear he has some sort of past connection with congress woman Angela but in this story we get not only more of their backstory but fresh insights into just why Angela is the tough no nonsense woman she has become. With the very real possibility of war looming Angela is sure she knows her duty but has no idea that she's about to become a target herself !
I love the world building in place here as its futuristic enough to feel different and yet not full of gobbledegook that needs repeated explanations. The author excels in giving us vibrant diverse supporting characters and I have to admit that the effervescent Chloe and Yoink the very special cat just stole every scene they were in. Plus I wanted more Dan Dan but alas that wasn't to be but who knows what the future of this series holds .
Ok nitty gritty time and I'm sorry but I didn't really care much for Angela. She's ruthlessly cold and I struggled to warm to her. The author attempts to redeem her with a sad loss but even then her reaction was just more violence ! I do understand revenge is a strong motive but it just didn't work for me . Plus there's a moment when she requested something from Dan Dan that had me wanting to bang her over the head ! I tried to feel sympathy for her but honestly she's my least favourite character in this series. Will she mellow in the future? If brutal I'm hoping we don't get too much of Angela but other characters have me salivating because come on with all that mech technology something surely can be done ! For me this wasn't as good as the first book but I'd definitely read more from this author.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair
Having read Wanted and Wired I was desperate to learn more about the varied characters this author has dreamed up. I was really looking forward to seeing how this dark future envisaged for mankind could be somehow turned around. We met the wonderfully caring Kellen previously and it was clear he has some sort of past connection with congress woman Angela but in this story we get not only more of their backstory but fresh insights into just why Angela is the tough no nonsense woman she has become. With the very real possibility of war looming Angela is sure she knows her duty but has no idea that she's about to become a target herself !
I love the world building in place here as its futuristic enough to feel different and yet not full of gobbledegook that needs repeated explanations. The author excels in giving us vibrant diverse supporting characters and I have to admit that the effervescent Chloe and Yoink the very special cat just stole every scene they were in. Plus I wanted more Dan Dan but alas that wasn't to be but who knows what the future of this series holds .
Ok nitty gritty time and I'm sorry but I didn't really care much for Angela. She's ruthlessly cold and I struggled to warm to her. The author attempts to redeem her with a sad loss but even then her reaction was just more violence ! I do understand revenge is a strong motive but it just didn't work for me . Plus there's a moment when she requested something from Dan Dan that had me wanting to bang her over the head ! I tried to feel sympathy for her but honestly she's my least favourite character in this series. Will she mellow in the future? If brutal I'm hoping we don't get too much of Angela but other characters have me salivating because come on with all that mech technology something surely can be done ! For me this wasn't as good as the first book but I'd definitely read more from this author.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair
February 18, 2022
This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I liked this book. I didn’t like it quite as much as the first book in the series but it was an enjoyable enough listen. This book could be read as a stand-alone novel since it follows a different couple than the first book but I would recommend reading the series in order if at all possible since events from the first book are discussed in this one.
Kellen and Angela were an item when they were younger but they haven’t seen each other for years. Angela’s husband has been killed and she needs to convince the world that it was his clone and not him. Before she knows it she is in more danger and needs Kellen’s help. I liked the futuristic world that the story was set in and I really liked the fact that the characters had a lot of history with each other. Kellen and Angela obviously had a lot of feelings for each other still but there was also a lot of pain in their past. There was plenty of action to keep the story moving.
I thought that Johanna Parker did a great job with the narration. I liked the way that she was able to bring the characters to life. I thought that her narration added a lot of emotion and excitement to the story. I believe that her narration added to my overall enjoyment of the story.
I would recommend this book to others. I thought that the futuristic setting was very well done and the story had plenty of excitement to keep things interesting.
I received a digital review copy of this book from Sourcebooks Casablanca via NetGalley.
Initial Thoughts
I liked this book. I liked the futuristic world that the story was set in and I really liked the fact that the characters had a lot of history with each other. Kellen and Angela obviously had a lot of feelings for each other still but there was also a lot of pain in their past. I would definitely recommend reading this series in order since some events from the first book played a part in this one. I listened to the audiobook and thought that Johanna Parker did a great job with the narration.
I liked this book. I didn’t like it quite as much as the first book in the series but it was an enjoyable enough listen. This book could be read as a stand-alone novel since it follows a different couple than the first book but I would recommend reading the series in order if at all possible since events from the first book are discussed in this one.
Kellen and Angela were an item when they were younger but they haven’t seen each other for years. Angela’s husband has been killed and she needs to convince the world that it was his clone and not him. Before she knows it she is in more danger and needs Kellen’s help. I liked the futuristic world that the story was set in and I really liked the fact that the characters had a lot of history with each other. Kellen and Angela obviously had a lot of feelings for each other still but there was also a lot of pain in their past. There was plenty of action to keep the story moving.
I thought that Johanna Parker did a great job with the narration. I liked the way that she was able to bring the characters to life. I thought that her narration added a lot of emotion and excitement to the story. I believe that her narration added to my overall enjoyment of the story.
I would recommend this book to others. I thought that the futuristic setting was very well done and the story had plenty of excitement to keep things interesting.
I received a digital review copy of this book from Sourcebooks Casablanca via NetGalley.
Initial Thoughts
I liked this book. I liked the futuristic world that the story was set in and I really liked the fact that the characters had a lot of history with each other. Kellen and Angela obviously had a lot of feelings for each other still but there was also a lot of pain in their past. I would definitely recommend reading this series in order since some events from the first book played a part in this one. I listened to the audiobook and thought that Johanna Parker did a great job with the narration.
November 11, 2017
Originally posted at SmexyBooks-http://smexybooks.com/2017/11/novembe...
The world has undergone an environmental disaster, humanity is becoming more technologically dependent, and TX is its own separate entity. Two young lovers are separated by lies and end up on the opposite sides of a war (I think). Angela is a continental senator and the war minister. Her goal is to help re-elect her mentor as the president-no matter what it takes. His control over her life from childhood has warped her to some degree. Kellon has loved Angela all his life but she sent him away and he never forgave her for that. Years later, a series of circumstances bring them back together to save the world.
I’m not even sure how to describe this book. It somehow managed to overwhelm and underwhelm at the same time. We are buried in technologic terms with a world too weak to support it. Our two leads are polar opposites and while that should guarantee a nice tension-filled reconnection romance, I felt almost no chemistry between them. Angela goes from cold and methodical to sex-starved and clingy while Kellen’s “good old boy” persona grew tedious. We are told he is an outlaw but I don’t see much rebellion in this story. Clunky dialogue and random scene/character placement left me trying to hurry towards the end. It’s only once I figure out exactly what was going on was my interest snagged, but by then, it was too late. I was at the end and relieved to be done.
The world has undergone an environmental disaster, humanity is becoming more technologically dependent, and TX is its own separate entity. Two young lovers are separated by lies and end up on the opposite sides of a war (I think). Angela is a continental senator and the war minister. Her goal is to help re-elect her mentor as the president-no matter what it takes. His control over her life from childhood has warped her to some degree. Kellon has loved Angela all his life but she sent him away and he never forgave her for that. Years later, a series of circumstances bring them back together to save the world.
I’m not even sure how to describe this book. It somehow managed to overwhelm and underwhelm at the same time. We are buried in technologic terms with a world too weak to support it. Our two leads are polar opposites and while that should guarantee a nice tension-filled reconnection romance, I felt almost no chemistry between them. Angela goes from cold and methodical to sex-starved and clingy while Kellen’s “good old boy” persona grew tedious. We are told he is an outlaw but I don’t see much rebellion in this story. Clunky dialogue and random scene/character placement left me trying to hurry towards the end. It’s only once I figure out exactly what was going on was my interest snagged, but by then, it was too late. I was at the end and relieved to be done.
August 13, 2019
I loved book one Wanted and Wired, (which I think is a must-read before delving into this one) but Vivien Jackson takes the creativeness into the stratosphere with this one. Think raccoon from Guardians of the Galaxy, but as a cat, wired into the animal kingdom. BLOW. MY. MIND. Next is the relationship between Kellan and Angela, which is a little angsty for sci-fi, and told in flashbacks. Jackson, again takes us where sci-fi romance doesn't usually go with the tone and style of the romance. No aliens abducting earth girls here, thank the stars. Angela morphs into this modded out woman with about one of the most strategic minds on the planet, and her biggest problem is trust. As in trusting the wrong people. She is attacked. Then hides. As in hides with her fuzzy slippers on for weeks. And then she realizes what she must do, and the book just takes off. Angela is a bad a** with a really big brain. And she knows how to use it.
December 10, 2017
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
PERFECT GRAVITY picks up pretty much right after the events of its prequel WANTED AND WIRED. Characters from that book play significant roles in this one but its not really a necessity to have read WANTED AND WIRED to understand what is going on here. I loved the dystopian setting of this series where technology has advanced to the point where robots can pass as human, space stations are common, and animals and people can be altered with various sorts of technologies. The plot in PERFECT GRAVITY felt very much like a sci-fi political thriller with the addition of a very romantic second-chance romance.
I enjoyed the political aspect of PERFECT GRAVITY as it gave an excellent glimpse into how this world works and functions through the eyes of those who run the world. Angela is an amazingly intelligent and determined character and is so without having to be necessarily be an expert in physical weapons, that's what her friends are for. Her weapon is her mind and her connections in the political and military sphere. She is difficult to like but I kind of get it because of how she was brought up and her experiences. I didn't really understand Angela and Kellen's attraction to each other in the first place as they seemed to be such opposites personality-wise. The romance was fine and has some very sweet and sexy moments but I just felt like I was missing something in the reason they fell for each other. One thing I loved about their relationship though was their snarky banter and love for quoting bad poetry as a way of flirting with each other.
PERFECT GRAVITY is full of twists and turns, intense action, and complex political dealings all set on a backdrop of a futuristic dystopian world where technology rules but nature and humans pay the price for the actions of the powerful elite. While I wasn't super thrilled by the main couple, I am looking forward to seeing what is in-store for this world in future books.
PERFECT GRAVITY picks up pretty much right after the events of its prequel WANTED AND WIRED. Characters from that book play significant roles in this one but its not really a necessity to have read WANTED AND WIRED to understand what is going on here. I loved the dystopian setting of this series where technology has advanced to the point where robots can pass as human, space stations are common, and animals and people can be altered with various sorts of technologies. The plot in PERFECT GRAVITY felt very much like a sci-fi political thriller with the addition of a very romantic second-chance romance.
I enjoyed the political aspect of PERFECT GRAVITY as it gave an excellent glimpse into how this world works and functions through the eyes of those who run the world. Angela is an amazingly intelligent and determined character and is so without having to be necessarily be an expert in physical weapons, that's what her friends are for. Her weapon is her mind and her connections in the political and military sphere. She is difficult to like but I kind of get it because of how she was brought up and her experiences. I didn't really understand Angela and Kellen's attraction to each other in the first place as they seemed to be such opposites personality-wise. The romance was fine and has some very sweet and sexy moments but I just felt like I was missing something in the reason they fell for each other. One thing I loved about their relationship though was their snarky banter and love for quoting bad poetry as a way of flirting with each other.
PERFECT GRAVITY is full of twists and turns, intense action, and complex political dealings all set on a backdrop of a futuristic dystopian world where technology rules but nature and humans pay the price for the actions of the powerful elite. While I wasn't super thrilled by the main couple, I am looking forward to seeing what is in-store for this world in future books.
November 28, 2017
Perfect Gravity is the second in Vivian Jackson’s series that starts with Wanted and Wired. I’m not really sure what the series title is. Goodreads says it is Tether. Amazon says it is Wanted and Wired. It doesn’t really matter. Both books are set in the same world with the same set of characters. Both books are complete stories that stand alone.
Vivian Jackson can really write a nice sentence. A lot of nice sentences. And then string them together to make a story that is one of the best investments in time that I have made this year. I love her writing as much as her ability to tell a tale.
Jackson’s writing is kind of unprose-esque, where ‘prose’ is defined as ordinary, everyday way of speaking. While I might think it would be cool to think and to talk the way she writes, in truth, I do not, nor do I know anyone who does. Nevertheless, it is colorful, eye-catching, whoa-stop wordsmithing and frankly, I am jealous. Here are some of my favorites:
Leaving behind my admiration of the writing, I’ll move on to the story and characters. Non-stop action comes to mind. Also, heat-fueled emotion. Very emotional. In a good way.
Angela is an alpha heroine. As a long time politician, she is accustomed to taking charge, making decisions and expecting others to follow. She is a strong, intelligent woman.
On the surface, Kellen may appear to be beta, supportive and taking his cues from Angela. But in his own animal-filled world, he is the supreme commander because of his utmost respect for the animals. With people, again, his respect for others enables him to intuit when to take charge and when to allow others to lead. I think I fell for Kellen, more than I have for any other heroes I’ve read about lately.
Kellen and Angela have a past. They met, fell in love, and moved on when they got older and personal goals got in the way of their relationship. That is the short version. It is, of course, much more complex and you will see the story told through flashbacks and remembrances. When they reunite in the present time-line of the story, the past will be both a blessing and a hindrance. I could tell, they were still in love. But they also had the same personal goals that would get in the way. Kellen and Angela will need to figure each other out for the relationship to grow into something sustainable, and to achieve perfect gravity.
Perfect Gravity has politics, war, ethics, social change, romance, animal rescue, people rescue, good cyborgs, bad cyborgs, and lots and lots of tech. And a cat. I must not forget to mention Zoink. Zoink is a cat, cybernetically altered to be a sort of communications officer, translating between humans and animals. Zoink’s speech is a bit formal, but she gets her point across. “Lucky cat says sum of luck is proportional to number of belly rubs sustained,……More rubbing is urgently required.” Despite Zoink’s high-tech-edness, Zoink is still a cat that purrs, rubs against people and has her favorite humans. Zoink is one cool cat!
Ms. Jackson must be a scifi/fantasy geek. I felt the influence of Firefly and The Princess Bride, and there was at least one direct Dune reference. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were more classics, directly or indirectly referenced, that I did not notice.
At the end of Perfect Gravity, it is hard to tell where things will head next in this series. But there are other characters whose stories might yet be told. For one thing, the space station that played a role in Wanted and Wired has gone dark. What happened to it and the queen that ran it? Then there is fae-light Marie, quirky, cheerful, and yet, with the ability to be ruthless when needed. And finally, Garrett with his alien conspiracy theories. I kind of like the idea of introducing aliens to this world, just when they don’t need any more complications.
Five stars for Perfect Gravity – I love this series!
Through Netgalley, the publisher provided a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Originally posted at Whiskey With My Book.
Vivian Jackson can really write a nice sentence. A lot of nice sentences. And then string them together to make a story that is one of the best investments in time that I have made this year. I love her writing as much as her ability to tell a tale.
Jackson’s writing is kind of unprose-esque, where ‘prose’ is defined as ordinary, everyday way of speaking. While I might think it would be cool to think and to talk the way she writes, in truth, I do not, nor do I know anyone who does. Nevertheless, it is colorful, eye-catching, whoa-stop wordsmithing and frankly, I am jealous. Here are some of my favorites:
He had a terrible voice, composed entirely of flats and sharps. But holy fuckturtle was he pretty.Most of us say ‘sharps and flats’. Leave it to Ms. Jackson to turn things around to get my attention. That ‘flats and sharps’ line was in the prologue, so as soon as I started the book, I knew I was in for some fun stuff. Here are a few more phrases I appreciated:
And the core Kellen was more compassionate than eleven-tenths of the human population.
He was smitten. Incurably so. Probably had never gotten himself fully unsmut…
brain-screaminglyI’m not sure which I appreciated more – the writing or the story. If I am honest, sometimes I got so caught up in the writing that it got in the way of me just sitting back and enjoying the story. Not too much though.
creepifying blue-bloodery
Schrödinger-esque uncertainty
Leaving behind my admiration of the writing, I’ll move on to the story and characters. Non-stop action comes to mind. Also, heat-fueled emotion. Very emotional. In a good way.
Angela is an alpha heroine. As a long time politician, she is accustomed to taking charge, making decisions and expecting others to follow. She is a strong, intelligent woman.
On the surface, Kellen may appear to be beta, supportive and taking his cues from Angela. But in his own animal-filled world, he is the supreme commander because of his utmost respect for the animals. With people, again, his respect for others enables him to intuit when to take charge and when to allow others to lead. I think I fell for Kellen, more than I have for any other heroes I’ve read about lately.
Kellen and Angela have a past. They met, fell in love, and moved on when they got older and personal goals got in the way of their relationship. That is the short version. It is, of course, much more complex and you will see the story told through flashbacks and remembrances. When they reunite in the present time-line of the story, the past will be both a blessing and a hindrance. I could tell, they were still in love. But they also had the same personal goals that would get in the way. Kellen and Angela will need to figure each other out for the relationship to grow into something sustainable, and to achieve perfect gravity.
Perfect Gravity has politics, war, ethics, social change, romance, animal rescue, people rescue, good cyborgs, bad cyborgs, and lots and lots of tech. And a cat. I must not forget to mention Zoink. Zoink is a cat, cybernetically altered to be a sort of communications officer, translating between humans and animals. Zoink’s speech is a bit formal, but she gets her point across. “Lucky cat says sum of luck is proportional to number of belly rubs sustained,……More rubbing is urgently required.” Despite Zoink’s high-tech-edness, Zoink is still a cat that purrs, rubs against people and has her favorite humans. Zoink is one cool cat!
Ms. Jackson must be a scifi/fantasy geek. I felt the influence of Firefly and The Princess Bride, and there was at least one direct Dune reference. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were more classics, directly or indirectly referenced, that I did not notice.
At the end of Perfect Gravity, it is hard to tell where things will head next in this series. But there are other characters whose stories might yet be told. For one thing, the space station that played a role in Wanted and Wired has gone dark. What happened to it and the queen that ran it? Then there is fae-light Marie, quirky, cheerful, and yet, with the ability to be ruthless when needed. And finally, Garrett with his alien conspiracy theories. I kind of like the idea of introducing aliens to this world, just when they don’t need any more complications.
Five stars for Perfect Gravity – I love this series!
Through Netgalley, the publisher provided a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Originally posted at Whiskey With My Book.
January 24, 2018
I received a free copy via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
I had not read the first book in the series and really struggled with the characters.
This is really forgettable with far better Science Fiction / Romance out there.
I had not read the first book in the series and really struggled with the characters.
This is really forgettable with far better Science Fiction / Romance out there.
April 13, 2018
Loved this sequel, too! A complex and powerful heroine in this one, with a storyline more devoted to her arc and coming to terms with wielding her formidable intelligence. Excellent read!
October 5, 2017
In a dystopian, alternate reality world, the world is basically a mess, where nature is sacrificed for technological power.
Angela, a senator was actively campaigning for her mentor's presidential election when the world crumbled around her. Managing to escape a bomb blast meant for her, she enlisted the help of her old sweetheart, Kellen. Kellen, a rebel whom with his group helped unfortunate humans and animals who were abandoned by the UNAN government.
While the plot is predictable, it is quite simple and straight to the point. The technical jargons are much more managable compared to the first book and we get to understand how the world works. How it become that way is still mostly a mystery.
My main problem with this book like the 1st book in the series is still the characters. Angela is almost TSTL. For someone who went to MIST (said to be the best learning institute), how could she not see or even a glimmer of suspiciousness on what is happening. (Then again, the plot would be different if that happens) Not to mention, the book did not paint her a good light at all, with her being a typical politician who doesn't seemed to care about the people. She doesn't seem to have any redeeming qualities. And Kellen seems bland, aside from being the rebel group and still loving Angela even though he can't forgive her for her actions; there's not much to describe him.
I would love to know more about the world but having mediocre characters bore me.
Plot: 4/5
Characterisation: 3/5
Prose: 4/5
How much I enjoyed it: 3/5
ARC received from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair review
Angela, a senator was actively campaigning for her mentor's presidential election when the world crumbled around her. Managing to escape a bomb blast meant for her, she enlisted the help of her old sweetheart, Kellen. Kellen, a rebel whom with his group helped unfortunate humans and animals who were abandoned by the UNAN government.
While the plot is predictable, it is quite simple and straight to the point. The technical jargons are much more managable compared to the first book and we get to understand how the world works. How it become that way is still mostly a mystery.
My main problem with this book like the 1st book in the series is still the characters. Angela is almost TSTL. For someone who went to MIST (said to be the best learning institute), how could she not see or even a glimmer of suspiciousness on what is happening. (Then again, the plot would be different if that happens) Not to mention, the book did not paint her a good light at all, with her being a typical politician who doesn't seemed to care about the people. She doesn't seem to have any redeeming qualities. And Kellen seems bland, aside from being the rebel group and still loving Angela even though he can't forgive her for her actions; there's not much to describe him.
I would love to know more about the world but having mediocre characters bore me.
Plot: 4/5
Characterisation: 3/5
Prose: 4/5
How much I enjoyed it: 3/5
ARC received from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair review
November 3, 2017
Oh boy. I had such high hopes for this one. The blurb for Perfect Gravity immediately caught my attention. Sci-Fi Romances are a weakness for me. I haven’t come across many so when I do, I gobble them right up. I get so excited to see what authors create as a future for us and when they throw in romance, sign me up. I didn’t read the previous title which makes me new to this series. However, I do think there is more than enough in the book that I had no problem catching up so that’s not my problem. So what’s my problem?
It’s really hard to enjoy a story when you just don’t like the main character. Not Kellen. From the very beginning, I found him to be a great character. I loved how each of his layers are peeled away, both past and present, and we get to know him more and more. I knew no matter what he did, good or bad, once Yoink was introduced, I was going to adore him until the end.
My problem lays with Angela. I was iffy from the get-go. The story starts, they are young meeting for the first time, I’m mildly intrigued. But, as the story progressed, I began to like her less and less. Her political priorities seemed honorable but everything else, I kept thinking WTH?! A quarter of the way into the book and already I was figuring things out and yet, she couldn’t see it. For someone so smart, she was clueless. Towards the end, I felt myself beginning to thaw towards her. Then there she goes again making me not like her.
The futurist background story I really enjoyed, and the additional characters really drew me in. OMG, I love Chloe! Cheeky, sassy, now her story I would love to read. Heron and Mari, their story I think I may go back and read especially since I would like to know more about this series and their world. Daniel, without going into detail, him I just found disturbing. Maybe, down the road, I’ll give it another go re-reading Perfect Gravity. Maybe I just need more time to warm up to Angela. Maybe.
I received this book from The JeepDiva with the express purpose of an honest review. The opinions, contents, and rating of this review are solely mine
Stars - 3, Flames - 2
It’s really hard to enjoy a story when you just don’t like the main character. Not Kellen. From the very beginning, I found him to be a great character. I loved how each of his layers are peeled away, both past and present, and we get to know him more and more. I knew no matter what he did, good or bad, once Yoink was introduced, I was going to adore him until the end.
My problem lays with Angela. I was iffy from the get-go. The story starts, they are young meeting for the first time, I’m mildly intrigued. But, as the story progressed, I began to like her less and less. Her political priorities seemed honorable but everything else, I kept thinking WTH?! A quarter of the way into the book and already I was figuring things out and yet, she couldn’t see it. For someone so smart, she was clueless. Towards the end, I felt myself beginning to thaw towards her. Then there she goes again making me not like her.
The futurist background story I really enjoyed, and the additional characters really drew me in. OMG, I love Chloe! Cheeky, sassy, now her story I would love to read. Heron and Mari, their story I think I may go back and read especially since I would like to know more about this series and their world. Daniel, without going into detail, him I just found disturbing. Maybe, down the road, I’ll give it another go re-reading Perfect Gravity. Maybe I just need more time to warm up to Angela. Maybe.
I received this book from The JeepDiva with the express purpose of an honest review. The opinions, contents, and rating of this review are solely mine
Stars - 3, Flames - 2
October 23, 2017
I love this series! In the first book in Tether we were introduced into a post apocalyptic world where the most of the earth and its wildlife has been decimated. Half organic half cyber robotics humans reside in this new earth and politics and endgames dictate people's fate. Perfect Gravity runs parallel on the latter half of the first book in the series (so it would be best that they be read in order) and this time we concentrate on the powerhouse senator Angela Neko, who has a very personal past with the throwback brilliant scientist Kellan Walker. These two has a very emotional and tragic past which I would not elaborate on since it would definitely spoil the story. Suffice to say, their story is gripping and is a page turner, add to that the ongoing plot about who really is the bad guy and what is the end game for the ragtag team of Heron Farrad. I cannot get enough of this series plus Angela and Kellan's story and basically their love story is pure gut wrenching emotion balanced perfectly with humor, smarts, snarky conversations and the very essence of what love despite everything truly is. I want the next book please!
*ARC provided thru NetGalley
*ARC provided thru NetGalley
October 27, 2017
This had a very interesting start. Perfect Gravity starts at the same point in time that Wanted and Wired, book one in the Tether series, started. While the time line is the same this time Angela Neko and Kellen Hockley are the main characters and we see things from their point of view. Seems that someone wants Angela dead. She runs to her old flame, Kellen, for protection. Turns out that many things are not as they seem as Kellen and Angela try to stop a war only to find out that the war is also not what they thought it was. This is full of twists and turns driven by some very interesting characters. My favorite is the cat. Seems she has been augmented and in addition to cuddling and purring she can make a big difference in the outcome of the story. This does come to a nice conclusion leaving me wondering if this is a two book series. I hope not as the world building and back story leave many more places for the story to continue.
I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.
I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.
November 20, 2017
I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
I absolutely loved the first book in this series so I was more than happy to jump on the second installment. However, I must say that while I still enjoyed the book, it wasn't as good as the first. The plot was twisted in unexpected ways, but I just didn't feel the same chemistry between the main characters perhaps because their bond started years and years before the book takes place.
I will say that the world building was still awesome, but once again not as much fun as the first book because of how Heron was involved with the technology.
The secondary characters were super awesome - gotta love Chloe and Yoink.
I can't wait to see where this series goes if if this wasn't my favorite story, it was unique and fun to read.
I absolutely loved the first book in this series so I was more than happy to jump on the second installment. However, I must say that while I still enjoyed the book, it wasn't as good as the first. The plot was twisted in unexpected ways, but I just didn't feel the same chemistry between the main characters perhaps because their bond started years and years before the book takes place.
I will say that the world building was still awesome, but once again not as much fun as the first book because of how Heron was involved with the technology.
The secondary characters were super awesome - gotta love Chloe and Yoink.
I can't wait to see where this series goes if if this wasn't my favorite story, it was unique and fun to read.
September 10, 2017
The second book in the Tether series focuses on Senator Angela Neko and Kellan Hockley. Unique dystopian world with a feisty heroine and a sexy hero. Lots of action and romance will keep you quickly turning the pages.
*ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review.
*ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review.
August 10, 2018
I couldn't get into this round as much. Disappointing as I loved the first book.
October 11, 2018
This 2nd book was good but not as good as the first book. There were a couple of plot holes. Too many for a second book lol. I still enjoyed the story though.
October 24, 2017
Book Info
Paperback
Expected publication: November 7th 2017 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
Original Title Perfect Gravity
ISBN 1492648191 (ISBN13: 9781492648192)
Edition Language English
Series Tether #2
Other Editions (1)
Source:Netgalley EARC
Buy book from
Amazon
B&N
Second in a snarky, sexy sci-fi romance series with the perfect balance of humor, heart, and heat. When someone tries to kill powerful continental senator Angela Neko, Texan outlaw and old flame Kellen Hockley is the only man who can keep her safe...and help her save the world.
Kellen Hockley usually keeps quiet about his past, but once upon a time he loved a girl named Angela. He hasn't seen her in a decade, but now he has to break the news to her that his team of rogue treasure hunters accidentally killed her husband. He's had better days...
It's not the news that's delivered to Angela Neko that breaks her apart--it's the rumbly, Texas drawl delivering it. She can't believe she's hearing Kellen's voice again. But there's no time for distractions. When Angela's own life is threatened, yielding up all of her lies and secrets, she and Kellen must figure out how to reverse the geopolitical firestorm she lit to save the world, to save Kellen's cat...and just maybe to save each other.
After reading it I likened book 1 Wanted and Wired to one of my favorite older sci-fi-fi book series Crimson City , which starts with book 1 by the same name Crimson City. This second book is even closer to the feeling of that older sci-fi series in some ways but still has a unique flair in keeping with it's being written in 2017.
Filled with twists and turns that kept me turning pages each day until had to stop and process the more intricate information received. The fact that this is a varied mix of technical and futuristic along with the romance mixed with suspense and mystery was kind of strange here and there but all misgivings were forgotten or overlooked as the story unfolded. Even some of the more predictable parts were forgiven as Angela and Kellan found their way back to each other despite those still trying to keep them torn apart forever.
Through all the betrayals, political intrigue, outright lies and secrets that the pair endured their abilities to rise above these trials was triumphant to behold. Despite the many deaths that took an emotional toll on them both their determination to soldier on on behalf of those left alive was neither undertaken lightly nor was it without a positive outcome.
The ending of this second book proved that despite the evil humans were capable of they were also capable of greater deeds of compassion as well.
Paperback
Expected publication: November 7th 2017 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
Original Title Perfect Gravity
ISBN 1492648191 (ISBN13: 9781492648192)
Edition Language English
Series Tether #2
Other Editions (1)
Source:Netgalley EARC
Buy book from
Amazon
B&N
BOOK BLURB
Second in a snarky, sexy sci-fi romance series with the perfect balance of humor, heart, and heat. When someone tries to kill powerful continental senator Angela Neko, Texan outlaw and old flame Kellen Hockley is the only man who can keep her safe...and help her save the world.
Kellen Hockley usually keeps quiet about his past, but once upon a time he loved a girl named Angela. He hasn't seen her in a decade, but now he has to break the news to her that his team of rogue treasure hunters accidentally killed her husband. He's had better days...
It's not the news that's delivered to Angela Neko that breaks her apart--it's the rumbly, Texas drawl delivering it. She can't believe she's hearing Kellen's voice again. But there's no time for distractions. When Angela's own life is threatened, yielding up all of her lies and secrets, she and Kellen must figure out how to reverse the geopolitical firestorm she lit to save the world, to save Kellen's cat...and just maybe to save each other.
My Thoughts
After reading it I likened book 1 Wanted and Wired to one of my favorite older sci-fi-fi book series Crimson City , which starts with book 1 by the same name Crimson City. This second book is even closer to the feeling of that older sci-fi series in some ways but still has a unique flair in keeping with it's being written in 2017.
Filled with twists and turns that kept me turning pages each day until had to stop and process the more intricate information received. The fact that this is a varied mix of technical and futuristic along with the romance mixed with suspense and mystery was kind of strange here and there but all misgivings were forgotten or overlooked as the story unfolded. Even some of the more predictable parts were forgiven as Angela and Kellan found their way back to each other despite those still trying to keep them torn apart forever.
Through all the betrayals, political intrigue, outright lies and secrets that the pair endured their abilities to rise above these trials was triumphant to behold. Despite the many deaths that took an emotional toll on them both their determination to soldier on on behalf of those left alive was neither undertaken lightly nor was it without a positive outcome.
The ending of this second book proved that despite the evil humans were capable of they were also capable of greater deeds of compassion as well.
[EArc from Netgalley in exchange for honest review]
November 2, 2017
Wanted & Wired was the start of the Tether series , which might be in my paranormal romance category since the Perfect Gravity goes on to another couple, but it is also very science fiction. The world building is rather post-apocalyptic. The political environment with the governments keeps one guessing what will happen and provides a lot of twists in the plot. It seems whatever I think of a character, it twists around to something else.
Kellen and Angela get a second chance at love here. It's emotional but rather uplifting and sexy. They are comfortable together and trusting, in spite of mistakes made when they were younger. This feels a bit romantic suspense with trying to figure out who the good guys are and the military of different groups being unpredictable.
We do see the first couple, Heron and Mari, and their circle, which is a lovely support for the new story. I think you could read this as a standalone but I wouldn't. Wanted & Wired is very snarky and fun. It gets a bit more into the technology of this world which I especially liked. Plus I always prefer to read a series in order. I really enjoy these because they are so unique.
December 18, 2017
Kellen is just a lovely man. Giving, loving, straightforward, and loyal. Angela's more complicated- and I loved her for it. She's playing a deep game, has wheels within wheels, and secret pain that nearly crushes her. I admire her and want the best for her. Yoink is also adorable. I want a cat like Yoink.
The world is fantastic cyberpunk. This book has less cyber in the conventional hacking and computing sense, but the way celebrity and news work, with essentially hacked emotions, is fascinating. Some mysteries raised during the first book are solved, but I'm sure more needs to be done to deal with the fallout from this book's events. So I'm looking forward to the third.
The world is fantastic cyberpunk. This book has less cyber in the conventional hacking and computing sense, but the way celebrity and news work, with essentially hacked emotions, is fascinating. Some mysteries raised during the first book are solved, but I'm sure more needs to be done to deal with the fallout from this book's events. So I'm looking forward to the third.
October 29, 2017
Read this review at GraveTells and listen to our podcast featuring author Vivien Jackson as she chats about Perfect Gravity and her lifelong love of gaming! http://bit.ly/GTreview-PerfectGravity
When a story starts out with a good looking "nondigital" man singing off-key holiday songs and a reminder that Christmas is part of an "old world" that people tried to destroy, you know you're not in Kansas—er, modern times—anymore. Perfect Gravity's opening pages set the scene for its high tech, gritty, glossy urban fantasy landscape. Welcome back to Vivien Jackson's cyberpunk Tether universe, where the line between machine and human is indistinguishable, and Texas has seceded from the United States.
In Wanted & Wired, Ms. Jackson proved she had writing chops, and Perfect Gravity doesn't skimp on the colorful, creative prose. Her characters are steeped in the accents, expectations, and nuances of their various cultures, and the hero's strong Southern accent is a real treat to experience.
The Tether story world puts me in a SciFi frame of mind, with philosophical themes reminiscent of the greats, both in serious SciFi literature and pop culture entertainment. Both books in this series have given me the itch to re-watch the movie Serenity. In fact, Kellen's accent would blend right in on the deck of Captain Mal's ship.
The tech in this story world is uber cool. Like geek out cool. Where else do you see a "vintage tesla" referred to as an "old-timey car"? And there's nothing like the honesty of a cat, especially one that can talk.
Aside from her spot-on dialogue and character development, the vibrance and depth of Ms. Jackson's scene setting is probably what I love most about her writing. In Wanted & Wired, she led us on a high-tech chase with a snazzy Night-Rideresque car, a Firefly-inspired space plane, and a Star-Trek-TNG worthy space station. Heron Farad, W&W's hero, even reminded me a little of Data with a well-adjusted emotion chip. Perfect Gravity follows right along, with a hero whose speech so resoundingly echoes Captain Mal's that I can't possibly not hear the accent in my head as I read along. The settings are just as satisfying too, from posh, glittery, vid-worthy campaign galas to the stark, toxic, ruined shells of the underwater cities lining the Gulf Coast, all looked on from the safety of a plush, personal, modern submarine that inspires thoughts of 10,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
On a personal note, many of the references in Perfect Gravity hit close to home for me. Kellen is from my home town of Lufkin, out in East Texas, and I loved flashing back to the little idiosyncrasies that remind me so much of my time in Austin.
I really enjoyed this story, but there were times when some of the dialogue and logic jumps went right over my head (and I'm fairly geeky), so I recommend this series for readers who enjoy heavy science and tech references, who aren't intimidated by genius characters and logic jumps. You'll probably also want to read Wanted & Wired first, since this story gives away some of the plot points of that book, and it builds on the story world and cast of characters already established. Perfect Gravity is a recommended read for fans of gritty science fiction romance with an urban dystopian feel.
When a story starts out with a good looking "nondigital" man singing off-key holiday songs and a reminder that Christmas is part of an "old world" that people tried to destroy, you know you're not in Kansas—er, modern times—anymore. Perfect Gravity's opening pages set the scene for its high tech, gritty, glossy urban fantasy landscape. Welcome back to Vivien Jackson's cyberpunk Tether universe, where the line between machine and human is indistinguishable, and Texas has seceded from the United States.
In Wanted & Wired, Ms. Jackson proved she had writing chops, and Perfect Gravity doesn't skimp on the colorful, creative prose. Her characters are steeped in the accents, expectations, and nuances of their various cultures, and the hero's strong Southern accent is a real treat to experience.
The Tether story world puts me in a SciFi frame of mind, with philosophical themes reminiscent of the greats, both in serious SciFi literature and pop culture entertainment. Both books in this series have given me the itch to re-watch the movie Serenity. In fact, Kellen's accent would blend right in on the deck of Captain Mal's ship.
The tech in this story world is uber cool. Like geek out cool. Where else do you see a "vintage tesla" referred to as an "old-timey car"? And there's nothing like the honesty of a cat, especially one that can talk.
Aside from her spot-on dialogue and character development, the vibrance and depth of Ms. Jackson's scene setting is probably what I love most about her writing. In Wanted & Wired, she led us on a high-tech chase with a snazzy Night-Rideresque car, a Firefly-inspired space plane, and a Star-Trek-TNG worthy space station. Heron Farad, W&W's hero, even reminded me a little of Data with a well-adjusted emotion chip. Perfect Gravity follows right along, with a hero whose speech so resoundingly echoes Captain Mal's that I can't possibly not hear the accent in my head as I read along. The settings are just as satisfying too, from posh, glittery, vid-worthy campaign galas to the stark, toxic, ruined shells of the underwater cities lining the Gulf Coast, all looked on from the safety of a plush, personal, modern submarine that inspires thoughts of 10,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
On a personal note, many of the references in Perfect Gravity hit close to home for me. Kellen is from my home town of Lufkin, out in East Texas, and I loved flashing back to the little idiosyncrasies that remind me so much of my time in Austin.
I really enjoyed this story, but there were times when some of the dialogue and logic jumps went right over my head (and I'm fairly geeky), so I recommend this series for readers who enjoy heavy science and tech references, who aren't intimidated by genius characters and logic jumps. You'll probably also want to read Wanted & Wired first, since this story gives away some of the plot points of that book, and it builds on the story world and cast of characters already established. Perfect Gravity is a recommended read for fans of gritty science fiction romance with an urban dystopian feel.
November 12, 2017
In a world made up of electronically enhanced humans, cyborgs who look and act human, and a populace of people who live in fear of their government, one hopes that a group such as Vivien Jackson created will exist.
Perfect Gravity is the second novel of the triad series “Tether” with our main characters being Senator Angela Neko and Kellen Hockly whom readers first met in the prior book, Wanted and Wired. Senator Neko plays hardball with dignataries, cool disdain against her husband Daniel, toys with the public’s emotions to win campaigns, and generally isn’t a very nice person if you were to get to know her. Yet, far from being Cruella, Jackson writes some of the best traits for this heroine whom I couldn’t end up liking by the end. Now, to be fair, some of this thinking was due to her previous introduction in book one. Yet, in Perfect Gravity it takes one man, and one cat, whom Angela had never forgotten, for me to see her redeeming side.
Kellen, also introduced in the prior book, is your all-round soft-hearted, loveable character. He’s the cute puppy who is not afraid to bite those who threaten him, yet knows which people are good and who is not to be trusted. Along with Kellen is an adorable, fluffy kitty named Yoink, who in my opinion steals the book away from Angela and Kellen. I could go on and on about Yoink, but I know there’s only so many cat lovers out there who would understand “Yoink blurred into the room, a comet of wild fur, screeching. She hooked her claws on Kellen’s jeans leg and literally climbed him.”, ““Lucky cat says sum of luck is proportional to number of belly rubs sustained,” Yoink communicated.”, and one last one ““My human. I want you to pet me. I also want to bite you.”
To be honest, it took a while to get entranced in this book due to all the back story back flashes. I have it on the DL Author Jackson was a bit concerned about this aspect, but ‘The Powers That Be’ asked her to keep it in. For me, this slowed down the first portion of the book, but then some people love to know all. I personally felt it would have been better to cut some of it out and spread it out a bit more. Once the background was fully fleshed out, the story took off at warp speed on a wild ride of espionage, intrigue, and war– which I was hooked on with super-glue and wouldn’t let go until the wee hours of the morning.
Overall, I loved this book! The symbiosis of the triad-characters along with the updates of formerly introduced characters made for a well-balanced, entertaining, movie-for-the-mind type novel. Get your copy today and enjoy the ride Jackson is know for.
Perfect Gravity is the second novel of the triad series “Tether” with our main characters being Senator Angela Neko and Kellen Hockly whom readers first met in the prior book, Wanted and Wired. Senator Neko plays hardball with dignataries, cool disdain against her husband Daniel, toys with the public’s emotions to win campaigns, and generally isn’t a very nice person if you were to get to know her. Yet, far from being Cruella, Jackson writes some of the best traits for this heroine whom I couldn’t end up liking by the end. Now, to be fair, some of this thinking was due to her previous introduction in book one. Yet, in Perfect Gravity it takes one man, and one cat, whom Angela had never forgotten, for me to see her redeeming side.
Kellen, also introduced in the prior book, is your all-round soft-hearted, loveable character. He’s the cute puppy who is not afraid to bite those who threaten him, yet knows which people are good and who is not to be trusted. Along with Kellen is an adorable, fluffy kitty named Yoink, who in my opinion steals the book away from Angela and Kellen. I could go on and on about Yoink, but I know there’s only so many cat lovers out there who would understand “Yoink blurred into the room, a comet of wild fur, screeching. She hooked her claws on Kellen’s jeans leg and literally climbed him.”, ““Lucky cat says sum of luck is proportional to number of belly rubs sustained,” Yoink communicated.”, and one last one ““My human. I want you to pet me. I also want to bite you.”
To be honest, it took a while to get entranced in this book due to all the back story back flashes. I have it on the DL Author Jackson was a bit concerned about this aspect, but ‘The Powers That Be’ asked her to keep it in. For me, this slowed down the first portion of the book, but then some people love to know all. I personally felt it would have been better to cut some of it out and spread it out a bit more. Once the background was fully fleshed out, the story took off at warp speed on a wild ride of espionage, intrigue, and war– which I was hooked on with super-glue and wouldn’t let go until the wee hours of the morning.
Overall, I loved this book! The symbiosis of the triad-characters along with the updates of formerly introduced characters made for a well-balanced, entertaining, movie-for-the-mind type novel. Get your copy today and enjoy the ride Jackson is know for.
November 9, 2017
Originally posted at Vampire Book Club
Senator Angela Neko gave up nearly everything to get into the position she inhabits today. A position that opposes the Texas Provisional Authority (TPA) and all it stands for. This power also makes Angela, and everyone in her orbit, walking targets. So, when Angela hears that her husband has been killed, she’s not really surprised (plus they really didn’t have the best/happiest of unions); what does give her a shock, however, is who delivers this message. None other than her childhood sweetheart Kellen Hockley. After Angela herself becomes a target, Kellen is the only person she can turn to for help. In order to keep the world from burning, they’ll have to work together and figure out who wants Angela out of the picture and why.
The last thing Kellen wants to do is confront the woman who broke his heart ten years ago. But since it was his new friend Mari who pulled the trigger on Angela’s husband (and we all know from the first book how the job was a major disaster), Kellen agrees to step in, hoping to save Mari from being hunted and executed. But after Angela comes to him for help, he knows they cannot avoid the past forever.
Perfect Gravity’s beginning overlaps with the near-ending of Wanted and Wired. I loved that Vivien Jackson chose to start the book out this way because it fills in the blanks on some things from the first book. As someone who struggled a little with getting used to the new terminology and setting in Jackson’s imagined world, I appreciated that Perfect Gravity really reiterates what we’ve already learned, yet successfully expands the world further.
Of course, this series is first and foremost (in my mind) a romance. Angela and Kellen’s relationship utilizes my most favorite trope of the second-chance romance. Being lovers in their teenage years, Angela makes the decision to end things when she believes her career should be the most important thing. Being thrown back together ten years later, the former sweethearts don’t deny that they still have feelings for one another which makes every interaction these two have absolutely delicious. The only thing I wish was that there was more buildup for the connection between them from when they were younger. I wanted to feel more of the heartache in order to make their reunion feel that much more satisfying.
There is so much of the past that has bearings on things in the present, especially when it comes to Angela’s character. Her motives and the way she’s lived her life are not readily apparent, and I enjoyed filling in the pieces. However, with the majority of the focus placed on Kellen and Angela figuring out what they are to one another, I felt the issue of who was targeting Angela unsurprising. I would have liked the motives to be a little tougher to spot.
However, Perfect Gravity is a very fine completion to the story started in the first book. In fact, I’d almost say it poses a fine overall ending if I wasn’t looking forward so much to Garrett and Chloe being featured in the third book. As is stands, with the state of technology what it is in this series, I think those two will prove to be a pretty interesting couple.
Senator Angela Neko gave up nearly everything to get into the position she inhabits today. A position that opposes the Texas Provisional Authority (TPA) and all it stands for. This power also makes Angela, and everyone in her orbit, walking targets. So, when Angela hears that her husband has been killed, she’s not really surprised (plus they really didn’t have the best/happiest of unions); what does give her a shock, however, is who delivers this message. None other than her childhood sweetheart Kellen Hockley. After Angela herself becomes a target, Kellen is the only person she can turn to for help. In order to keep the world from burning, they’ll have to work together and figure out who wants Angela out of the picture and why.
The last thing Kellen wants to do is confront the woman who broke his heart ten years ago. But since it was his new friend Mari who pulled the trigger on Angela’s husband (and we all know from the first book how the job was a major disaster), Kellen agrees to step in, hoping to save Mari from being hunted and executed. But after Angela comes to him for help, he knows they cannot avoid the past forever.
Perfect Gravity’s beginning overlaps with the near-ending of Wanted and Wired. I loved that Vivien Jackson chose to start the book out this way because it fills in the blanks on some things from the first book. As someone who struggled a little with getting used to the new terminology and setting in Jackson’s imagined world, I appreciated that Perfect Gravity really reiterates what we’ve already learned, yet successfully expands the world further.
Of course, this series is first and foremost (in my mind) a romance. Angela and Kellen’s relationship utilizes my most favorite trope of the second-chance romance. Being lovers in their teenage years, Angela makes the decision to end things when she believes her career should be the most important thing. Being thrown back together ten years later, the former sweethearts don’t deny that they still have feelings for one another which makes every interaction these two have absolutely delicious. The only thing I wish was that there was more buildup for the connection between them from when they were younger. I wanted to feel more of the heartache in order to make their reunion feel that much more satisfying.
There is so much of the past that has bearings on things in the present, especially when it comes to Angela’s character. Her motives and the way she’s lived her life are not readily apparent, and I enjoyed filling in the pieces. However, with the majority of the focus placed on Kellen and Angela figuring out what they are to one another, I felt the issue of who was targeting Angela unsurprising. I would have liked the motives to be a little tougher to spot.
However, Perfect Gravity is a very fine completion to the story started in the first book. In fact, I’d almost say it poses a fine overall ending if I wasn’t looking forward so much to Garrett and Chloe being featured in the third book. As is stands, with the state of technology what it is in this series, I think those two will prove to be a pretty interesting couple.
October 19, 2019
For as much as I adored the first book in this sci-fi romance series, it’s taken me entirely too long to pick the next book up. While centered on different characters, Perfect Gravity reminded me of how much I loved Wanted & Wired and I was thrilled to be immersed in this world again.
This is a second chance romance. Angela and Kellen first met at school, where Angela was Kellen’s only friend. They fell in love and then Angela broke his heart. He left the school and they haven’t seen each other since…until Angela’s husband is assassinated by one of the people on Kellen’s crew. And then Angela escapes a bombing herself and has nowhere else to turn. This became forced proximity af and I could not get enough.
Angela is a prickly, complex heroine. Her world is based on her image and what kind of political scheming she can undertake as a senator and war minister. One of the more interesting parts of her character arc was watching her realize she’s gone from playing other people to being played herself and just how much this has cost her over the years.
Kellen was just a dream. He’s a vet but he’s also a scientist who has enhanced various animals, such as giving them trackers or adjusting their skin to better suit their environment. I loved hearing about his work with the animals and just how much he cared about all of them. I especially loved Zoink, the cat Angela and Kellen shared all those years ago and who has been modified as well. The cat can actually communicate with them! I’m always here for cats in my books but Zoink was next level awesome because of this.
There are flashbacks to Angela and Kellen’s past relationship that provide context. There’s so much haunted longing on Angela’s side. Kellen has never stopped loving her but he’s wary of being burned again, understandably so. But of course my favorite flashback was when we see Angela meeting a cat for the first time. It gave me so many feels! I cannot imagine a world where cats are rare and there are so few animals in general. It made it that much more heartwarming to see Kellen dedicate his life to animals and how his respect for wildlife extends to other areas of his life.
I guessed the big twist very early on but I did not know the why or even the full extent of it so the reveal was still compelling. However, I kept wondering why the characters couldn’t see what I saw and why they were following the wrong trails as a result and this got a little tiring.
But I adored Kellen and Angela together. They had such a compelling dynamic, even if it was antagonistic at times. There’s a wonderful found family element in this series that’s everything. Hopefully I’ll pick up the next book in the series soon!
CW: violence, bombing, attempted assassination, refugees, references to natural disasters, domestic violence, abusive parent
This is a second chance romance. Angela and Kellen first met at school, where Angela was Kellen’s only friend. They fell in love and then Angela broke his heart. He left the school and they haven’t seen each other since…until Angela’s husband is assassinated by one of the people on Kellen’s crew. And then Angela escapes a bombing herself and has nowhere else to turn. This became forced proximity af and I could not get enough.
Angela is a prickly, complex heroine. Her world is based on her image and what kind of political scheming she can undertake as a senator and war minister. One of the more interesting parts of her character arc was watching her realize she’s gone from playing other people to being played herself and just how much this has cost her over the years.
Kellen was just a dream. He’s a vet but he’s also a scientist who has enhanced various animals, such as giving them trackers or adjusting their skin to better suit their environment. I loved hearing about his work with the animals and just how much he cared about all of them. I especially loved Zoink, the cat Angela and Kellen shared all those years ago and who has been modified as well. The cat can actually communicate with them! I’m always here for cats in my books but Zoink was next level awesome because of this.
There are flashbacks to Angela and Kellen’s past relationship that provide context. There’s so much haunted longing on Angela’s side. Kellen has never stopped loving her but he’s wary of being burned again, understandably so. But of course my favorite flashback was when we see Angela meeting a cat for the first time. It gave me so many feels! I cannot imagine a world where cats are rare and there are so few animals in general. It made it that much more heartwarming to see Kellen dedicate his life to animals and how his respect for wildlife extends to other areas of his life.
I guessed the big twist very early on but I did not know the why or even the full extent of it so the reveal was still compelling. However, I kept wondering why the characters couldn’t see what I saw and why they were following the wrong trails as a result and this got a little tiring.
But I adored Kellen and Angela together. They had such a compelling dynamic, even if it was antagonistic at times. There’s a wonderful found family element in this series that’s everything. Hopefully I’ll pick up the next book in the series soon!
CW: violence, bombing, attempted assassination, refugees, references to natural disasters, domestic violence, abusive parent
August 23, 2019
The cover looks like it bears the same heroine, Mari Vallejo, as the first book. But make no mistake, this is not a continuation of tech god Heron and muscle-for-hire Mari's romance (although they feature heavily as side characters). This second book does continue the story of a post-modern, futuristic, slighly post-apocalyptic Earth where Texas has seceded from the USA and now the two nations are gearing towards war.
The main thread of this second book is the romance between cowboy Kellen whose main instinct is to nurture and protect, and senator Angela Neko, who for many years was willing to do anything--including hire Mari to assassinate her husband-- for political gain. Angela and Kellen met many years ago in a school for genius kids. While Angela was groomed for politics, Kellen got swept up in Heron's refuge/Eden of the Pentarc. He spends his days rescuing animals and people, and tinkering a bit with body modifications.
Jackson does two things well in this series: believable romance, very emotional thought heavy, between strong personalities (in this case super-alpha female Angela and nurturing beta-boy Kellen) and weave their personality characteristics into main plot points involving pretty cool, interesting tech. For example, Kellen not only rescues animals, he then uses them as in a network that allows him unprecedented grass roots acces to intel. Angela not only is a politician in the media's eyes, she has an implanted emotional projecting device that allows her fans to feel her feelings.
That makes for one, ah...interesting...encounter with Kellen later on.
The next book seems to be about Chloe, the nanite/group intelligence/pseudo human and Garrett, up until now an unremarkable side kick (although Angela notices something intriguing about him in the last bit of the book that I believe will make it clear how Garrett and Chloe could have a romance). Definitely will keep reading as this series pressed both romance-love and cool tech buttons for me.
The main thread of this second book is the romance between cowboy Kellen whose main instinct is to nurture and protect, and senator Angela Neko, who for many years was willing to do anything--including hire Mari to assassinate her husband-- for political gain. Angela and Kellen met many years ago in a school for genius kids. While Angela was groomed for politics, Kellen got swept up in Heron's refuge/Eden of the Pentarc. He spends his days rescuing animals and people, and tinkering a bit with body modifications.
Jackson does two things well in this series: believable romance, very emotional thought heavy, between strong personalities (in this case super-alpha female Angela and nurturing beta-boy Kellen) and weave their personality characteristics into main plot points involving pretty cool, interesting tech. For example, Kellen not only rescues animals, he then uses them as in a network that allows him unprecedented grass roots acces to intel. Angela not only is a politician in the media's eyes, she has an implanted emotional projecting device that allows her fans to feel her feelings.
That makes for one, ah...interesting...encounter with Kellen later on.
The next book seems to be about Chloe, the nanite/group intelligence/pseudo human and Garrett, up until now an unremarkable side kick (although Angela notices something intriguing about him in the last bit of the book that I believe will make it clear how Garrett and Chloe could have a romance). Definitely will keep reading as this series pressed both romance-love and cool tech buttons for me.
December 12, 2017
I admit, I always hold my breath a little when I get to the second book in a series, especially after I've loved the first one. Will it hold up? Does it do justice to what came before, or does it play fast and loose with the facts the first book established? Is the writing as sharp and keen-witted? Do I still love the characters?
I'm happy to say that this sequel to Wanted and Wired checks all those boxes for me and more. Since I'm a sucker for kick-ass heroines who hold their own (or surpass) both kick-ass heroes and kick-ass villains, this book hit me right in my happiest feminist spot. Sure, there's lots of romance. Sure, there's pining for the past. But none of that is at the expense of the present or even the future. Once again, this is a roller-coaster of a ride, taking us through a world so well thought-out and perfect in its worldly imperfections that I didn't have to stop to consider the technology or the science part of the science fiction. It just works.
And wow, the love story is a beautiful one, filled with what-ifs and what-could-have-beens, all layered by the frenetic reunion for this couple who are no longer teenagers. The writing is splendid, tight, and author Jackson (still no relation, sadly) is so good with a turn of phrase that I found myself nodding in appreciation, laughing along, and generally reading with a huge smile on my face.
And damn if every female in this book (including the cat) isn't strong, self-sufficient, and ballsy as hell. I couldn't ask for more or better.
I'm happy to say that this sequel to Wanted and Wired checks all those boxes for me and more. Since I'm a sucker for kick-ass heroines who hold their own (or surpass) both kick-ass heroes and kick-ass villains, this book hit me right in my happiest feminist spot. Sure, there's lots of romance. Sure, there's pining for the past. But none of that is at the expense of the present or even the future. Once again, this is a roller-coaster of a ride, taking us through a world so well thought-out and perfect in its worldly imperfections that I didn't have to stop to consider the technology or the science part of the science fiction. It just works.
And wow, the love story is a beautiful one, filled with what-ifs and what-could-have-beens, all layered by the frenetic reunion for this couple who are no longer teenagers. The writing is splendid, tight, and author Jackson (still no relation, sadly) is so good with a turn of phrase that I found myself nodding in appreciation, laughing along, and generally reading with a huge smile on my face.
And damn if every female in this book (including the cat) isn't strong, self-sufficient, and ballsy as hell. I couldn't ask for more or better.
November 8, 2017
I liked Kellen right from the start. He had a gentle character with a good sense of humor and came across as caring. Angela, on the other hand, I almost had a love/hate relationship with her. Sometimes I really liked her and other times not so much. I wanted Kellen to be happy. I stuck with it to find out what happened. And by the end, Angela finally became more human and more likable for me.
It's a good plot. An interesting view of a dystopian world where the government might be able to control the weather to some extent. And there are androids of a sort that some people use as body doubles. The politics are twisted, but then when aren't they. And you get to sort out just who is the bad guy in all this and if there is more than one.
Overall, I gave it 3.5 stars mostly because of having some trouble staying warmed up to Angela. This is definitely a dystopian science fiction romance. I liked Kellen and his friends and family. I enjoyed the banter between Angela and Kellen. The science fiction parts are interesting with mech droids and Chloe. The cat plays an interesting part as well although I have to admit I was a little uncomfortable with the idea of enhanced animals. Overall, it's a good character driven science fiction romance - definitely a blend of the two genres and not to be read expecting purely one or the other.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions herein are my own and freely given.
It's a good plot. An interesting view of a dystopian world where the government might be able to control the weather to some extent. And there are androids of a sort that some people use as body doubles. The politics are twisted, but then when aren't they. And you get to sort out just who is the bad guy in all this and if there is more than one.
Overall, I gave it 3.5 stars mostly because of having some trouble staying warmed up to Angela. This is definitely a dystopian science fiction romance. I liked Kellen and his friends and family. I enjoyed the banter between Angela and Kellen. The science fiction parts are interesting with mech droids and Chloe. The cat plays an interesting part as well although I have to admit I was a little uncomfortable with the idea of enhanced animals. Overall, it's a good character driven science fiction romance - definitely a blend of the two genres and not to be read expecting purely one or the other.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions herein are my own and freely given.
November 21, 2017
This second book in the Tether series was just as absolutely awesome as the first and I loved it. We revisit some familiar characters from the first book, including Kellen Hockley, the taciturn Texan with a huge heart who lost Angela, the girl he loved, ten years ago. Now he has to break the news to Angela that the team of misfits that he’s made his family has killed her husband by mistake, and he’s having a hard time of it. Angela isn’t fazed by the news, she’s actually happy to be rid of the despicable man, but seeing Kellen again is bringing back all of the old feelings, right when she needs to concentrate on politics, the righting of wrongs and saving the world. Of course with Kellen and the team on her side, she just might be able to do all that and find some happiness too. I really love these quirky characters, especially Yoink, the cat that Kellen has tinkered with, who is a valuable asset on the team, as well as a favorite companion of both Kellen and Angela. There were times that I didn’t think those two would survive, let alone come out of the adventure with any of their hopes and dreams realized, but I was very happy with the conclusion, it wrapped everything up very nicely. I certainly hope there are more stories to come in this series, I can’t wait to read them.
October 29, 2017
Perfect Gravity is the second installment in the dystopian science fiction romance series Tether. I did not read the first book before picking up this one and did find myself a little lost at times likely because of this. Characters from the first book play minor roles, so I anticipate those who enjoyed the first book will like this one. This book features Angela and Kellan who are rekindling an old flame while dealing with the ramifications of political unrest in their technologically advanced future world. Readers are given a history of the relationship between the two characters with flashback sequences. The story itself was fairly heavy on the romance and a bit light on the dystopian science fiction. I really wanted it to be more the other way around and therefore didn't find myself liking this story as much as I could have. I felt like this could have been a good book, but I had a hard time staying focused on the story because of the inclusion of too much detail regarding the romance. There were more interesting storylines the author should have focused more on.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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