What do you think?
Rate this book
The Body #1
Body Master
Seneca Thomas is an agent with XCEL, a secret government taskforce charged with capturing the dangerous shapeshifters that have infiltrated New York City, passing for humans. Her Native American heritage gives her a special gift-the ability to see the shapeshifters for what they are.
But when her partner is killed in the line of duty, Seneca finds herself teamed up with Max Dempsey-a shapeshifter. And when the pair discover a growing army of shifters gathering beneath the city, Seneca will have no choice but to trust the one man she shouldn't.
But when her partner is killed in the line of duty, Seneca finds herself teamed up with Max Dempsey-a shapeshifter. And when the pair discover a growing army of shifters gathering beneath the city, Seneca will have no choice but to trust the one man she shouldn't.
283 pages, Paperback
First published July 22, 2010
5 people are currently reading
221 people want to read
About the author
C.J. Barry
16 books54 followersC.J. grew up reading science fiction novels, comic books, and her brother's Cracked magazines. In high school, a creative writing teacher told her she should be a writer, but she decided to go to college instead. In college, a writing professor told her she should be a writer, but she decided to be a computer programmer instead. A husband, a cat and two kids later, an adult education teacher told her she should be a writer. She finally gave in, and after selling the first novel she ever wrote, decided that all those teachers were right. Seven novels later, she continues to bring her unique blend of high adventure and sizzling romance to her novels.
C.J has won numerous awards for her novels, and is a member of the Romance Writers of America.
By day, she works as a web manager. By night, she co-hosts a writing podcast, dreams up adventures, and pens the books she was destined to write.
Per the author's website, this person also writes under the pen name "Samantha Graves."
Go to: http://www.cjbarry.com/
Click on Romantic Suspense and it takes you to "Samantha Graves."
http://www.samanthagraves.com/
C.J has won numerous awards for her novels, and is a member of the Romance Writers of America.
By day, she works as a web manager. By night, she co-hosts a writing podcast, dreams up adventures, and pens the books she was destined to write.
Per the author's website, this person also writes under the pen name "Samantha Graves."
Go to: http://www.cjbarry.com/
Click on Romantic Suspense and it takes you to "Samantha Graves."
http://www.samanthagraves.com/
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
September 13, 2010
Review by Deborah Hastings for Romance Novel News
The newest twist on the extremely popular genre of shape-shifting novels comes in the form of aliens from outer space. Oh yeah, they landed from outer space after going from planet to planet. Not entirely explained, but stay with us.
These shape-shifters don't turn into wolves, or coyotes, as do the excellent protagonists of Laurell K. Hamilton and Patricia Briggs. They simply are. And we don't know what they are.
Here, Barry falls flat. Her shifters have "a ghostly glow" and are "shaped like a giant demon." They don't shift into anything, they simply emote.
Barry's hero is Seneca Thomas, an agent with EXCEL, a secret government task force dedicated to eliminating these dangerous shape-shifters (if only we knew what they were). She is partnered with Max Dempsey, a shape-shifter who has somehow made his way into EXCEL.
Seneca has Native-American powers, learned from her grandmother, but what those powers are, and how she has them, is a long, drawn-out affair with no real answers.
There is an interesting plot line after this. The shifters are draining the homeless people of New York City, and tracking them down in subway tunnels to harvest their DNA and replicate themselves into an army ... to do what is not explained.
Barry can write, but she has no power for plotting a novel. She can introduce detail, and conversation, which is no small feat. But there is no real subtext here, or any plot line to make us care.
This is the first of a series touted by Barry, and we can only hope it gets better from here.
The newest twist on the extremely popular genre of shape-shifting novels comes in the form of aliens from outer space. Oh yeah, they landed from outer space after going from planet to planet. Not entirely explained, but stay with us.
These shape-shifters don't turn into wolves, or coyotes, as do the excellent protagonists of Laurell K. Hamilton and Patricia Briggs. They simply are. And we don't know what they are.
Here, Barry falls flat. Her shifters have "a ghostly glow" and are "shaped like a giant demon." They don't shift into anything, they simply emote.
Barry's hero is Seneca Thomas, an agent with EXCEL, a secret government task force dedicated to eliminating these dangerous shape-shifters (if only we knew what they were). She is partnered with Max Dempsey, a shape-shifter who has somehow made his way into EXCEL.
Seneca has Native-American powers, learned from her grandmother, but what those powers are, and how she has them, is a long, drawn-out affair with no real answers.
There is an interesting plot line after this. The shifters are draining the homeless people of New York City, and tracking them down in subway tunnels to harvest their DNA and replicate themselves into an army ... to do what is not explained.
Barry can write, but she has no power for plotting a novel. She can introduce detail, and conversation, which is no small feat. But there is no real subtext here, or any plot line to make us care.
This is the first of a series touted by Barry, and we can only hope it gets better from here.
September 21, 2014
I really enjoyed this. Seneca and Max were great! I am utterly intrigued by the shifters that are aliens. The whole concept was pretty cool. I mean the aliens take our DNA and wear humans like a suit ( or not? they use our DNA and after a couple of days become that human). The book starts out with Seneca and her partner Riley staking out a shifter and things go from bad to worse.
Max has his own agenda and this finding the traitor and murdering shifter who killed his wife. So he uses what connections he has to which to become an agent and works with Seneca. Lets just say that they have a very rough start. Seneca hates shifters with a passion and she lets it be known to Max often. Max is so sick and tired of being judged and yet he will put up with everyone's crap to get what he wants. There is a lot of mistrust and a lot of sexual hunger. But I loved that they didn't hook up right away.
The baddie shifter was truly bad and yet it was kinda funny that would try and act all refined. Lots of action going on and there wasn't any serious mystery or anything but I loved how everything was played out. Max really fought till the end. I mean you think will he leave her and get his revenge or??
Max has his own agenda and this finding the traitor and murdering shifter who killed his wife. So he uses what connections he has to which to become an agent and works with Seneca. Lets just say that they have a very rough start. Seneca hates shifters with a passion and she lets it be known to Max often. Max is so sick and tired of being judged and yet he will put up with everyone's crap to get what he wants. There is a lot of mistrust and a lot of sexual hunger. But I loved that they didn't hook up right away.
The baddie shifter was truly bad and yet it was kinda funny that would try and act all refined. Lots of action going on and there wasn't any serious mystery or anything but I loved how everything was played out. Max really fought till the end. I mean you think will he leave her and get his revenge or??
July 24, 2010
Body Master by C J Barry
Paranormal Romance - August 3rd, 2010
5 stars
Body Master is an astonishing beginning to an exciting and new paranormal series. Clear writing and an intensely involving plot made this a story not to be missed! The complex relationship between the 2 main characters kept me turning the pages as sworn enemies became passionate lovers.
In this series aliens have crashed on earth. The problem is they pose a real threat and most of earth's population is unaware that they exist. These aliens have the ability to assume the DNA of humans and shift into the identity of any individual. But what makes them scary is that many of them feel earth is their personal playground. As a result, rashes of human murders by the aliens have created the special government agency XCEL. XCEL's sole purpose is to capture aliens and keep them contained but also to prevent them from being discovered by the general human populace. But the aliens' super strength and ability to change their identity makes them deadly and difficult to catch. To make matters worse, the aliens have been slowly building power by killing humans with money and influence and taking their DNA to impersonate them.
Seneca Thomas is the best agent at XCEL. But she has a secret. Her Native American heritage has given her special powers to detect the shifters even in their human form. She can also force them to shift back which makes them vulnerable and easier to capture. But she must touch them to do so. On her latest mission she wasn't able to reach the dangerous shifter she was assigned to capture and as a result her partner died. Guilty, angry and sick at heart Seneca is pissed when she discovers she has already been assigned a new partner. A partner who is a shifter named Max Dempsey. She is sure Max has only joined for nefarious reasons and will eventually betray XCEL. As a result, Seneca wants no part of him but her boss tells her she has no choice. If she doesn't work with Max their agency will lose their funding. Resentful, Seneca decides not to make it easy on her new partner and is blatantly hostile. There is no way she has to be civil to the creep, even if he is sexy.
But Max is willing to put up with her suspicion and antipathy because he does have an agenda of his own. And he needs the help of XCEL and their top agent if he wants to get his personal mission accomplished. The bottom line is he doesn't need his partner to like him just to give him what he needs. Both of them don't plan on actually caring for each other and even if they did have a relationship it would doomed.
The developing relationship in this novel is one of the best I've read. There is real hostility especially on Seneca's (I really enjoyed Seneca’s tough attitude.) part until she sees Max as an individual and not just one of the dangerous shifters that have killed her partner. I enjoyed Seneca's slow and realistic development of feelings for Max. What I mean was Seneca didn’t immediately like Max like most heroines do in romance books. It was also intriguing to see Max's point of view as he begins to realize that Seneca is not only a means to an end. Their transformation and the deep change in their attitudes and views of each other made for great tension and an extremely absorbing story.
The author also has several secondary characters that were equally 3 dimensional and had their own secret agendas that furthered the story. I was particularly intrigued by Seneca's crafty grandmother who tells more than she reveals. How does she already know about the shifters and where do her powers come from? The paranormal aspects made sense and flowed easily in the story adding a rich background that only made the story all the more fascinating. I hope this series goes past the usual 3 books that most authors write because I feel there is so much room for this series to grow. The original take on shifters and the Native American humans with their own special powers and a sure fire hit!
This is a captivating new series! A mix of all of my paranormal favorites: mystical powers, futuristic aliens, crafty shifters and steamy romance. But it is the way the author seamlessly brings them together that makes it so satisfying a novel. My only regret is that it ended too soon!
Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
Paranormal Romance - August 3rd, 2010
5 stars
Body Master is an astonishing beginning to an exciting and new paranormal series. Clear writing and an intensely involving plot made this a story not to be missed! The complex relationship between the 2 main characters kept me turning the pages as sworn enemies became passionate lovers.
In this series aliens have crashed on earth. The problem is they pose a real threat and most of earth's population is unaware that they exist. These aliens have the ability to assume the DNA of humans and shift into the identity of any individual. But what makes them scary is that many of them feel earth is their personal playground. As a result, rashes of human murders by the aliens have created the special government agency XCEL. XCEL's sole purpose is to capture aliens and keep them contained but also to prevent them from being discovered by the general human populace. But the aliens' super strength and ability to change their identity makes them deadly and difficult to catch. To make matters worse, the aliens have been slowly building power by killing humans with money and influence and taking their DNA to impersonate them.
Seneca Thomas is the best agent at XCEL. But she has a secret. Her Native American heritage has given her special powers to detect the shifters even in their human form. She can also force them to shift back which makes them vulnerable and easier to capture. But she must touch them to do so. On her latest mission she wasn't able to reach the dangerous shifter she was assigned to capture and as a result her partner died. Guilty, angry and sick at heart Seneca is pissed when she discovers she has already been assigned a new partner. A partner who is a shifter named Max Dempsey. She is sure Max has only joined for nefarious reasons and will eventually betray XCEL. As a result, Seneca wants no part of him but her boss tells her she has no choice. If she doesn't work with Max their agency will lose their funding. Resentful, Seneca decides not to make it easy on her new partner and is blatantly hostile. There is no way she has to be civil to the creep, even if he is sexy.
But Max is willing to put up with her suspicion and antipathy because he does have an agenda of his own. And he needs the help of XCEL and their top agent if he wants to get his personal mission accomplished. The bottom line is he doesn't need his partner to like him just to give him what he needs. Both of them don't plan on actually caring for each other and even if they did have a relationship it would doomed.
The developing relationship in this novel is one of the best I've read. There is real hostility especially on Seneca's (I really enjoyed Seneca’s tough attitude.) part until she sees Max as an individual and not just one of the dangerous shifters that have killed her partner. I enjoyed Seneca's slow and realistic development of feelings for Max. What I mean was Seneca didn’t immediately like Max like most heroines do in romance books. It was also intriguing to see Max's point of view as he begins to realize that Seneca is not only a means to an end. Their transformation and the deep change in their attitudes and views of each other made for great tension and an extremely absorbing story.
The author also has several secondary characters that were equally 3 dimensional and had their own secret agendas that furthered the story. I was particularly intrigued by Seneca's crafty grandmother who tells more than she reveals. How does she already know about the shifters and where do her powers come from? The paranormal aspects made sense and flowed easily in the story adding a rich background that only made the story all the more fascinating. I hope this series goes past the usual 3 books that most authors write because I feel there is so much room for this series to grow. The original take on shifters and the Native American humans with their own special powers and a sure fire hit!
This is a captivating new series! A mix of all of my paranormal favorites: mystical powers, futuristic aliens, crafty shifters and steamy romance. But it is the way the author seamlessly brings them together that makes it so satisfying a novel. My only regret is that it ended too soon!
Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
February 20, 2015
I've always wanted to try a book by author C J Barry, and Body Master, a fun mix of paranormal and alien romance, was right up my alley.
Unknown to the general public, aliens walk among us. They are shapeshifters who take on the appearance of anyone as long as they have a DNA sample. Seneca is an agent on a secret task force and it her job to hunt down and capture dangerous shapeshifters. Seeing the worst of their race, her work has left Seneca with little love for the aliens. So she's less than pleased when, after losing her partner during a capture, she is assigned a new partner who is a shifter.
Max has wormed his way onto the task force, yes, he has the skills to take down his fellow shifters but his real purpose is to use his position to hunt down one shifter in particular - the traitor who was responsible for the death of many of his people and who murdered of Max's wife as well. Max will have to win Seneca's trust to find the fiend and then violate that trust to extract his revenge.
I really enjoyed Body Master, though if you think about it it's sort of odd to find the hero attractive when he's wearing someone else's body and when he could just as easily become someone else. However, on the whole I did the way the relationship developed between Seneca and Max once I got past the fact that Seneca's shift in attitude towards Max from hostility to acceptance was a bit too easy to believable. Max's change of heart from intending only to 'use' Seneca to 'wanting more from her' was better.
Other things I liked about Body Master: The background plot including the whole secret black market DNA dealing was interesting and I though Seneca's shamanish grandmother and her relationship with Seneca brought Seneca's character to life. But what I really liked about Body Master was that it was so different - what a great combination of sci fi and paranormal romance. I am really looking forward to the next book, terrificly titled, Body Theif.
Unknown to the general public, aliens walk among us. They are shapeshifters who take on the appearance of anyone as long as they have a DNA sample. Seneca is an agent on a secret task force and it her job to hunt down and capture dangerous shapeshifters. Seeing the worst of their race, her work has left Seneca with little love for the aliens. So she's less than pleased when, after losing her partner during a capture, she is assigned a new partner who is a shifter.
Max has wormed his way onto the task force, yes, he has the skills to take down his fellow shifters but his real purpose is to use his position to hunt down one shifter in particular - the traitor who was responsible for the death of many of his people and who murdered of Max's wife as well. Max will have to win Seneca's trust to find the fiend and then violate that trust to extract his revenge.
I really enjoyed Body Master, though if you think about it it's sort of odd to find the hero attractive when he's wearing someone else's body and when he could just as easily become someone else. However, on the whole I did the way the relationship developed between Seneca and Max once I got past the fact that Seneca's shift in attitude towards Max from hostility to acceptance was a bit too easy to believable. Max's change of heart from intending only to 'use' Seneca to 'wanting more from her' was better.
Other things I liked about Body Master: The background plot including the whole secret black market DNA dealing was interesting and I though Seneca's shamanish grandmother and her relationship with Seneca brought Seneca's character to life. But what I really liked about Body Master was that it was so different - what a great combination of sci fi and paranormal romance. I am really looking forward to the next book, terrificly titled, Body Theif.
September 21, 2010
Simply couldn't put it down - I was addicted by the end of the first chapter.
Fast paced, tightly plotted, engaging characters and sizzling sex scenes. If you love futuristic romance, you're going to adore this book.
Fast paced, tightly plotted, engaging characters and sizzling sex scenes. If you love futuristic romance, you're going to adore this book.
February 9, 2011
So nice to have CJ Barry back. The book has a great premise and terrific tension. Oddly, the romance wasn't quite as compelling as the plot, but overall a solid, enjoyable read.
August 15, 2011
Different and interesting. I loved Seneca
October 25, 2015
I enjoyed this one. I liked both Seneca and Max. They gradually learned to trust each other. I liked the sex scenes, there was nice build-up to them. Good villain.
January 7, 2020
3.5 stars
August 10, 2022
3.5 stars. Quick read with interesting world and fast paced thriller of a paranormal romance. I loved the main heroine a lot. C.J. Barry is a writer that just clicks with me.
April 14, 2011
If readers are looking for a new reading experience that’s full of action, intrigue, amazing world building and an unlikely romance between two characters as unconventional as can be, then grab a chair and hunker down with Body Master. Ms. Barry has exploded my senses with this book.
I have to give the author credit for doing such an incredible job with world building. She made is seem effortless and convincing. Lately the word ‘shifter’ in romance pertains to wolves and the big cats but readers are about to be treated to a huge change when they start reading about Max. Max is an alien from some other planet who has to adjust to life on earth. And man, do they adjust – it’s more than attitude and custom, it’s how they appear. I was constantly astounded as to the depth of detail that Ms. Barry wove into her story. The writing was brisk, exciting and well paced. The dialogue was enjoyable and lent tension and drama when needed. There was mystery and mysticism to spice up the wonder of it all. Ms. Barry incorporated so many fascinating aspects into her characters but revealed them through the course of the story as a natural progression of events. The author didn’t dump anything on me or over-justified any of the facts. I found out when the heroine found out, I felt when the heroine felt- be it confusion, anger, fear or passion and I grew to respect each character as I got to know them.
Max, though alien, is still a male and a wonderful hero. He’s intelligent, driven, focused and fights an internal pain and anguish that he thought could never heal. Once I found out what happened to him, what he was fighting for and the scope of what he was up against, there was no way I could put this book down.
Same thing for Seneca, the heroine – she’s a spitfire and yet strangely intuitive to what is happening. Oh, she fights it and she’s darned good. She’s a woman on a mission and she thinks she knows what she needs to and her decisions are based on fact. Unfortunately for her, good for me, she faces more challenges to her belief systems, her faith in humanity and her heart. On top of that her facts are flawed with omissions. I commend Ms. Barry on creating a character I was interested in, cared for and was curious about. I also got a kick out of her special talent. It comes to play at critical moments during the story and I thought it was an awesome addition. In fact, it rates quite high on my “Very Cool!” meter.
Secondary characters abound but some of the strongest are the villains which have various degrees of nastiness. There are fatalities that occur and a couple stunned me. I know my jaw dropped a few times during the course of the book which naturally means the author took me by surprise with clever writing, misleading clues that sent me through a maze of emotions. My favorite secondary characters have to be Max’s best friend Apollo and Seneca’s Grandma. Ms. Barry was a true artist in her handling of Max’s other friend, Carl. I have to say, he was involved in one of those jaw dropping moments and I can’t even begin to tell you the number of goose bumps I got from that.
When Max and Seneca finally get past the many Herculean obstacles to their relationship, they do find love. It’s a love hard earned and fought for but I came away with the feeling that they were going to make it. Max and Seneca really do have a future but I think it’s going to be a bit bumpy. I also believe based on what I got to know of their personalities, they wouldn’t have it any other way – which cracks me up.
Body Master is a credit to the creative genius that is Ms. Barry. She was able to merge science fiction and urban fantasy with an intense romance between two characters who initially wanted no part of the other. That slow transition from distrust and hate to understanding and awareness, from believing an alien equals an enemy to instead seeing a man with the strength of character a woman could fall in love with, made this story one of the best out there. Body Master has that high quality of writing that I look for and it’s going on my keeper shelf. I had the best time reading this book and I hope other readers get a chance to find out what I found so great. This book deserves to be read.
Originally posted at http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.c...
I have to give the author credit for doing such an incredible job with world building. She made is seem effortless and convincing. Lately the word ‘shifter’ in romance pertains to wolves and the big cats but readers are about to be treated to a huge change when they start reading about Max. Max is an alien from some other planet who has to adjust to life on earth. And man, do they adjust – it’s more than attitude and custom, it’s how they appear. I was constantly astounded as to the depth of detail that Ms. Barry wove into her story. The writing was brisk, exciting and well paced. The dialogue was enjoyable and lent tension and drama when needed. There was mystery and mysticism to spice up the wonder of it all. Ms. Barry incorporated so many fascinating aspects into her characters but revealed them through the course of the story as a natural progression of events. The author didn’t dump anything on me or over-justified any of the facts. I found out when the heroine found out, I felt when the heroine felt- be it confusion, anger, fear or passion and I grew to respect each character as I got to know them.
Max, though alien, is still a male and a wonderful hero. He’s intelligent, driven, focused and fights an internal pain and anguish that he thought could never heal. Once I found out what happened to him, what he was fighting for and the scope of what he was up against, there was no way I could put this book down.
Same thing for Seneca, the heroine – she’s a spitfire and yet strangely intuitive to what is happening. Oh, she fights it and she’s darned good. She’s a woman on a mission and she thinks she knows what she needs to and her decisions are based on fact. Unfortunately for her, good for me, she faces more challenges to her belief systems, her faith in humanity and her heart. On top of that her facts are flawed with omissions. I commend Ms. Barry on creating a character I was interested in, cared for and was curious about. I also got a kick out of her special talent. It comes to play at critical moments during the story and I thought it was an awesome addition. In fact, it rates quite high on my “Very Cool!” meter.
Secondary characters abound but some of the strongest are the villains which have various degrees of nastiness. There are fatalities that occur and a couple stunned me. I know my jaw dropped a few times during the course of the book which naturally means the author took me by surprise with clever writing, misleading clues that sent me through a maze of emotions. My favorite secondary characters have to be Max’s best friend Apollo and Seneca’s Grandma. Ms. Barry was a true artist in her handling of Max’s other friend, Carl. I have to say, he was involved in one of those jaw dropping moments and I can’t even begin to tell you the number of goose bumps I got from that.
When Max and Seneca finally get past the many Herculean obstacles to their relationship, they do find love. It’s a love hard earned and fought for but I came away with the feeling that they were going to make it. Max and Seneca really do have a future but I think it’s going to be a bit bumpy. I also believe based on what I got to know of their personalities, they wouldn’t have it any other way – which cracks me up.
Body Master is a credit to the creative genius that is Ms. Barry. She was able to merge science fiction and urban fantasy with an intense romance between two characters who initially wanted no part of the other. That slow transition from distrust and hate to understanding and awareness, from believing an alien equals an enemy to instead seeing a man with the strength of character a woman could fall in love with, made this story one of the best out there. Body Master has that high quality of writing that I look for and it’s going on my keeper shelf. I had the best time reading this book and I hope other readers get a chance to find out what I found so great. This book deserves to be read.
Originally posted at http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.c...
August 28, 2011
Body Master is a clever mix of paranormal romance with a little bit of science fiction weirdness to make for a pretty intriguing novel! Fast paced action, sexy characters and a fresh take on the paranormal world make this a must read!
Seneca Thomas is an XCEL agent whose job is to capture rouge shape shifters that have recently invaded the planet. Shape shifters that have been stealing human DNA to alter their appearances and pass at humans, becoming completely undetectable. The humans in this government agency are finding it difficult to control the shifter population, but Seneca is not an ordinary human. She has the ability to distinguish a shifter in human form and she can also make them force shift with a single touch. When her partner is tragically killed on an assignment, Seneca is dismayed to discover her new partner is the enemy she’s been fighting against...a shifter.
Max Dempsey isn’t disappointed he’s been partnered with the smart and sexy Agent Thomas. Seneca’s cold disposition towards him is carefully overlooked because she’s one of the best agents in the city. He’ll use her and the agency so he can focus on his real purpose - to find his wife’s killer. He knows it’s another shifter in New York City and if XCEL agents are working to bring down the bad shifters, Max wants a piece of the action. Anything to get him the vengeance he’s been searching relentlessly for. The more they work together to take down the shifter army and save humanity, the closer they become. Now vengeance may not be the only thing Max is living for anymore.
Body Masters is wonderfully fun paranormal read. Seneca is the resilient female agent who shoots first and asks questions later. Max is the strong, protective hero who keeps his emotions in check, even we he desperately wants to loose control. Their relationship starts out rocky because they fear trusting each other, but their story is about watching them overcome their prejudices. Understanding and acceptance of others who may be different is a big theme in this book. Seneca has to realize all shifters are not the evil creatures she thinks they are, which really shakes up the ideals she has been forced to accept as an agent. And Max has to realize Seneca is not a normal human, but something entirely unique and different. Whatever the case, they are an absolute delight to read about:
Dempsey grinned. “Here’s something that will make you happy. I’m going back to the hotel.”
“Why?” she asked, surprised by the disappointment in her voice.
“I’ve imposed long enough, and I’m healed,” he replied and then he turned his silver eyes on her. “Besides, if I stay here much longer, I can’t promise I’ll be a good boy.”
He said it softly and so matter-of-factly that it sent a shiver all over her body.
“I know you drew the line at partners,” he continued, his eyes riveting her in place. “But we both know it’s just a line.”
She felt her mouth drop open...the kiss in the tunnel came back to her in all it’s glory. She already knew what it would be like with Dempsey - perfect.
The book constantly keeps you guessing. You can’t trust anything and just when you think you know how it will end, Barry surprises you with another twist. The story had its own unique spin that delivers danger an intrigue. Barry’s crisp and fun writing creates new rules and a fresh world that readers won’t want to leave. The action starts right out of the gate with this book and really doesn’t slow down.
The only complaint is that the book was too short! You won’t want this story to end, so thank goodness this is just the beginning of the series! Barry is definitely a name to watch out for in the genre of paranormal romance. Her story is clever, her writing is superb and her characters are wonderful. Body Master is a non-stop adventure and a definite keeper!
Overall Rating: 4/4
Heat Level: 4/4
Lisa @ Once Upon A Chapter
Seneca Thomas is an XCEL agent whose job is to capture rouge shape shifters that have recently invaded the planet. Shape shifters that have been stealing human DNA to alter their appearances and pass at humans, becoming completely undetectable. The humans in this government agency are finding it difficult to control the shifter population, but Seneca is not an ordinary human. She has the ability to distinguish a shifter in human form and she can also make them force shift with a single touch. When her partner is tragically killed on an assignment, Seneca is dismayed to discover her new partner is the enemy she’s been fighting against...a shifter.
Max Dempsey isn’t disappointed he’s been partnered with the smart and sexy Agent Thomas. Seneca’s cold disposition towards him is carefully overlooked because she’s one of the best agents in the city. He’ll use her and the agency so he can focus on his real purpose - to find his wife’s killer. He knows it’s another shifter in New York City and if XCEL agents are working to bring down the bad shifters, Max wants a piece of the action. Anything to get him the vengeance he’s been searching relentlessly for. The more they work together to take down the shifter army and save humanity, the closer they become. Now vengeance may not be the only thing Max is living for anymore.
Body Masters is wonderfully fun paranormal read. Seneca is the resilient female agent who shoots first and asks questions later. Max is the strong, protective hero who keeps his emotions in check, even we he desperately wants to loose control. Their relationship starts out rocky because they fear trusting each other, but their story is about watching them overcome their prejudices. Understanding and acceptance of others who may be different is a big theme in this book. Seneca has to realize all shifters are not the evil creatures she thinks they are, which really shakes up the ideals she has been forced to accept as an agent. And Max has to realize Seneca is not a normal human, but something entirely unique and different. Whatever the case, they are an absolute delight to read about:
Dempsey grinned. “Here’s something that will make you happy. I’m going back to the hotel.”
“Why?” she asked, surprised by the disappointment in her voice.
“I’ve imposed long enough, and I’m healed,” he replied and then he turned his silver eyes on her. “Besides, if I stay here much longer, I can’t promise I’ll be a good boy.”
He said it softly and so matter-of-factly that it sent a shiver all over her body.
“I know you drew the line at partners,” he continued, his eyes riveting her in place. “But we both know it’s just a line.”
She felt her mouth drop open...the kiss in the tunnel came back to her in all it’s glory. She already knew what it would be like with Dempsey - perfect.
The book constantly keeps you guessing. You can’t trust anything and just when you think you know how it will end, Barry surprises you with another twist. The story had its own unique spin that delivers danger an intrigue. Barry’s crisp and fun writing creates new rules and a fresh world that readers won’t want to leave. The action starts right out of the gate with this book and really doesn’t slow down.
The only complaint is that the book was too short! You won’t want this story to end, so thank goodness this is just the beginning of the series! Barry is definitely a name to watch out for in the genre of paranormal romance. Her story is clever, her writing is superb and her characters are wonderful. Body Master is a non-stop adventure and a definite keeper!
Overall Rating: 4/4
Heat Level: 4/4
Lisa @ Once Upon A Chapter
July 25, 2010
Originally posted at Fiction Vixen Book Reviews (http://www.fictionvixen.com/search/la...)
UFOs. Corn field circles. Area 51. E.T.: Extraterrestrial. Despite what you might have read, aliens exist. Well, at least in C.J. Barry’s new release, Body Master, aliens do exist and they are on the hunt for humans. C.J. Barry writes a tight, fast paced story that makes it an enjoyable read, but misses out on some of the rich details and emotions that would have pulled me in more.
In the not too distant future, aliens crash land on earth, infiltrating cities across the world. With the power to replicate human DNA, Shifters can take on the exact appearance of any human. Of course, becoming human often means that the shifter brutally kills the person whose appearance they are stealing. The agents of XCEL, a government task force charged with capturing the shifters, work tirelessly to protect humans and keep their existence hidden.
Seneca Thomas is the best agent XCEL has to offer. Not only a tough copy and fearless fighter, Seneca’s Native American heritage gives her the extremely rare ability to see shifters even when they are in their human form. After losing her partner to a shifter slaying, Seneca is paired with Max Dempsey, an attractive, intelligent and dedicated agent who just happens to be the first shifter hired by XCEL. Max hopes to leverage Seneca’s strong track record of capturing (and killing) shifters so he can find the traitor who murdered his wife. Hell-bent on revenge, Max doesn’t expect his attraction to Seneca or her mutual response. However, to catch the shifter killing homeless people to harvest DNA and the traitor who killed Max’s wife, they have to learn to trust each other and embrace their developing relationship.
I swoon for a hot shifter as much as the next girl and admire a fierce heroine, but it was difficult for me to become particularly vested in Seneca and Max or the book’s outcome. Moments in the story that should have been turning points or quite emotional were told almost matter-of-factly such that I liked the characters, but didn’t quite fall in love with them. In a way, I almost felt like I was reading the Cliff Notes version of the book. I had just enough information to inform me about what was going on, but I felt like it was missing some color on the characters and details in the world-building that would have clarified some of the plot and added depth to our hero, heroine, and this new alien world.
While I still have many questions about the shifters and this new world, those questions and a big reveal at the end of the book have me curious to know what happens next. Though it was not perfect, it was still an enjoyable read and The Body series has the potential to put a fresh spin on aliens and shifters.
UFOs. Corn field circles. Area 51. E.T.: Extraterrestrial. Despite what you might have read, aliens exist. Well, at least in C.J. Barry’s new release, Body Master, aliens do exist and they are on the hunt for humans. C.J. Barry writes a tight, fast paced story that makes it an enjoyable read, but misses out on some of the rich details and emotions that would have pulled me in more.
In the not too distant future, aliens crash land on earth, infiltrating cities across the world. With the power to replicate human DNA, Shifters can take on the exact appearance of any human. Of course, becoming human often means that the shifter brutally kills the person whose appearance they are stealing. The agents of XCEL, a government task force charged with capturing the shifters, work tirelessly to protect humans and keep their existence hidden.
Seneca Thomas is the best agent XCEL has to offer. Not only a tough copy and fearless fighter, Seneca’s Native American heritage gives her the extremely rare ability to see shifters even when they are in their human form. After losing her partner to a shifter slaying, Seneca is paired with Max Dempsey, an attractive, intelligent and dedicated agent who just happens to be the first shifter hired by XCEL. Max hopes to leverage Seneca’s strong track record of capturing (and killing) shifters so he can find the traitor who murdered his wife. Hell-bent on revenge, Max doesn’t expect his attraction to Seneca or her mutual response. However, to catch the shifter killing homeless people to harvest DNA and the traitor who killed Max’s wife, they have to learn to trust each other and embrace their developing relationship.
I swoon for a hot shifter as much as the next girl and admire a fierce heroine, but it was difficult for me to become particularly vested in Seneca and Max or the book’s outcome. Moments in the story that should have been turning points or quite emotional were told almost matter-of-factly such that I liked the characters, but didn’t quite fall in love with them. In a way, I almost felt like I was reading the Cliff Notes version of the book. I had just enough information to inform me about what was going on, but I felt like it was missing some color on the characters and details in the world-building that would have clarified some of the plot and added depth to our hero, heroine, and this new alien world.
While I still have many questions about the shifters and this new world, those questions and a big reveal at the end of the book have me curious to know what happens next. Though it was not perfect, it was still an enjoyable read and The Body series has the potential to put a fresh spin on aliens and shifters.
December 7, 2011
Aliens are among us, but it isn’t public knowledge. Seneca is a member of a secret task force who hunt and capture the dangerous shape-shifters. She has seen the worst of them and is shocked when she learns that her new partner is one of them.
Max joined the force to hunt for one specific shifter, a traitor who is the murder of many shifters, Max’s wife among them. Max has to gain her trust to find his enemy only to destroy it when he gets his revenge, but he didn’t count on the chemistry between them.
BODY MASTER is the fantastic start of a new paranormal / futuristic series, a very good mixture of my favorite genres. From the first page onward I was absolutely hooked on the story. I have been big fan of Ms. Barry’s book and I thought she couldn’t get any better, but she proved me wrong with this book. It’s a fast-paced, action filled story that will keep you glued to the pages. The story is like nothing that I have ever read before. The world-building and the characters are terrific. The sparks are literally flying between the strong hero and the equally strong heroine. It is fun to see how they are both brought to their knees by the love for the other. It is absolutely fascinating to see how the relationship between Seneca and Max changes from enemies to lovers.
I can’t wait to see how the series will continue with BODY THIEF in 2011
I can highly recommend this book to every paranormal and futuristic romance fan. You won’t be disappointed, so hurry and get your copy today!
Max joined the force to hunt for one specific shifter, a traitor who is the murder of many shifters, Max’s wife among them. Max has to gain her trust to find his enemy only to destroy it when he gets his revenge, but he didn’t count on the chemistry between them.
BODY MASTER is the fantastic start of a new paranormal / futuristic series, a very good mixture of my favorite genres. From the first page onward I was absolutely hooked on the story. I have been big fan of Ms. Barry’s book and I thought she couldn’t get any better, but she proved me wrong with this book. It’s a fast-paced, action filled story that will keep you glued to the pages. The story is like nothing that I have ever read before. The world-building and the characters are terrific. The sparks are literally flying between the strong hero and the equally strong heroine. It is fun to see how they are both brought to their knees by the love for the other. It is absolutely fascinating to see how the relationship between Seneca and Max changes from enemies to lovers.
I can’t wait to see how the series will continue with BODY THIEF in 2011
I can highly recommend this book to every paranormal and futuristic romance fan. You won’t be disappointed, so hurry and get your copy today!
April 7, 2011
So the title and the cover art for this book are a little deceiving. At first glance, it could easily be mistaken for, how do I put this delicately...well, porn. But this book actually had somewhat of a developed plot. It was a bit underdeveloped in some areas - for instance, there definitely could have been more details about the aliens and what they actually looked like and the characters were fairly one dimensional at times - but I was pleasantly surprised by the story line and the character's snarkiness. Mind you, I wasn't expecting much to begin with so imagine my surprise when it turned out to be a bit of a page turner. It reminded me of Alien Nation (anyone besides me old enough to remember that?) except the human cop is a chick and the alien dude is hot (i.e. hair and no weird spots on his head).
November 19, 2012
I very much enjoyed this book! I was completely sucked into the world in the first chapter. I love the world that was created for Seneca and Max. The alien species of shifters was different and wonderfully done. I thought C.J. did a fantastic job with Seneca's feelings and how much she hated shifters, it made it more interesting when her new partner in XCEL is a shifter. I enjoyed reading about the secondary characters as well and each one brings something special to the story. I thought the storyline was great and the twists and turns are shocking and perfect. The underlying story of how each creation is special is an even better addition. I am looking forward to reading the next in the series! I give this a 5 star rating!
September 13, 2011
I really enjoyed this story. I liked the characters and the premise. It was, to me, more of a Paranormal Romance than a Science Fiction Romance, and would probably work well as a slow non-techy introduction to SFR for those who really don't like SF. It's very SF-lite.
Lots of things weren't explained and some of the situations were a bit "old black and white crime movie" predictable for me. But I still enjoyed the story. It's only the first book in a series so I will give the author the chance to reveal more about the aliens slowly over time.
Lots of things weren't explained and some of the situations were a bit "old black and white crime movie" predictable for me. But I still enjoyed the story. It's only the first book in a series so I will give the author the chance to reveal more about the aliens slowly over time.
November 24, 2010
This is the first book I have read by this author. I just didn't like it all that much. I even put it down several times. The romance was ok but again I felt something missing. The world building was ok and the shifting into other people was an interesting twist on shifters but I just feel that this has been done much better by others. I will definitly skip anymore in this series.
April 3, 2011
The premise of this one sounded good, but not so much in delivery. I found Seneca to be super pissy, she does have some cause, but it really turned me off. Max was interesting to me, but not enough to put up with reading about Seneca. This one just wasn't for me.
September 18, 2011
Title is deceiving...it seems like it's about BDSM but really it's about shapeshifters with a romance story in between. A very sweet story with good writing and a little action. Overall really liked the characters and a nice story.
Want to read
September 3, 2010Hmm found out I don't like aliens or just didn't like the racist feel to the book no rating didn't get far in book.
September 5, 2010
I liked C.J Barry's first series and this one promises to be another one to follow.
February 26, 2011
This was decent. A bit on the weird side, conceptually, but engaging all the way through. Looking forward to another installment or 3.
November 6, 2011
I really enjoyed this book but at the end of it I was still wanting....more? I need to go find the next book in the series!
January 11, 2013
Just found her as an author and love her books and this is my FAV, loved Seneca and Max, awesome book !
January 16, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. There was great conflict between the two characters and the world-building was original and well-done.
December 23, 2018
This was awesome!
May 22, 2015
This SF adventure is a police drama"," a buddy novel"," a romance thriller"," and even has elements of racial intolerance"," illegal immigrants"," and organized crime. A complex and intriguing tale.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews