Venus Ascendant

Love with a Chance of Zombies by Delphine Dryden

2011-10-20T11:44:00.000+01:00

Title: Love with a Chance of Zombies
Author: Delphine Dryden
Publisher: Smashwords

Blurb: Lena Stanton’s a sharpshooting zombie hunter with a hot pink rifle and an attitude. Her latest assignment: guard the bitten hero, Doctor Lucas Nye, and be ready to shoot the moment he starts to turn zombie.

Nye’s last-minute research and a daring experimental treatment could save him, but Lena has to choose. She can follow her heart and give the man she loves a chance to live…or follow her commander’s orders and shoot to kill.

Review: I saw this title mentioned on Twitter and just had to buy! I expected a light, cracky romance for my 99 cents, and yes Ms Dryden delivers that. She also delivers a whole lot more.

Lena and Lucas' romance is obvious almost from the outset, but even her commanding officer knew they'd find common ground. Dryden doesn't try to disguise the set up; instead she uses it to her advantage, putting pressure on Lena needing to procreate and keep the human race going. This rather desperate subplot adds a slightly dark undertone that is absolutely fabulous.

There is some pretty hot sex, but it has an edge - these are not halcyon days; Lucas is terminally ill, zombies are on the rise, and Earth is facing a rather dire future. However, both characters are determined to make the most of their time together and this really shines through.

What surprised me about Love with a Chance of Zombies was the plot. This is not a mindless bit of fluff, but a well thought out story. The worldbuilding is solid, realistic, and there is a real sense of threat. There's also a sense of hope. The cure makes sense and isn't a reset button. It carries its own risks and Dryden makes it clear that not every zombie is going to be returned to humanity.

Lucas' recovery is... yes, on one hand obvious, but I never took it for granted even though this is a romance. That was down to Dryden's excellent writing and the sense of uncertainty she captured. I also liked that his recovery put the relationship with Lena under strain, making her question the future she'd previously not thought possible.

There is a HEA but the story ends with the start of the rebuilding, something that is going to take time. If Dryden writes a sequel (which I hope she does!) I'm certain that we won't find Lena and Lucas in a bed of roses.

In short, Love with a Chance of Zombies is a fabulous novella, with well-rounded characters, a more intricate plot than you'd guess from the title, and a real fee-good story. Highly recommended.

I gave Love with a Chance of Zombies

Love with a Chance of Zombies can be bought from Smashwords, Amazon US / UK and Barnes & Noble

Delphine's Website

Impulse Control by Sara Brookes

2011-10-03T08:38:00.003+01:00

Title: Impulse Control
Author: Sara Brookes
Publisher: Decadent Publishing

Blurb: Planetary Deputy Chief Marshal Selene Orasova is looking for a reminder pleasure still exists in the universe. Fresh off her latest case, she heads to Tawse, a BDSM club on the planet Sypricon. However, upon her arrival she finds the club almost empty as nearly all the staff has been hired out for the night. Disappointed, she starts to leave, only to walk face first into a wall of muscle.

Vaughn, one of the few Doms at the club Selene hasn’t been under the command of, is immediately intrigued by the hard edged cop. A few instructions and she’s easily under his guidance. However, Vaughn quickly discovers Selene has a problem relinquishing total control. She likes to top from the bottom and that isn’t something Vaughn will stand for. Determined to correct her, Vaughn pushes her limits with a little impulse control.

Warning: This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find objectionable including but not limited to: D/s, bondage, flogging, oral.

Review: I admit that, as someone who is in the scene, I am a very hard person to please when it comes to BDSM. Having said that, I went into Impulse Control aware that the club dynamic is different to a private one. Still, there were things that I expected to see. And Sara Brookes delivered.

Selene Orasova is a cop trying to forget the horrors of her latest case. She's a Sub, but at no point does Ms Brookes present her as weak. In fact, Selene is a woman very much in command of herself, which is a bit of a problem for her would-be-Dom Vaughn.

The shifts in point of view give the reader a peek into the mindsets of both Sub and Dom. This really works and the end result is the awareness of the club being somewhere to conduct a safe, sane and consensual meeting, while the sci fi setting allows for some very interesting takes on the traditional toys.

There are scenes of bondage and sex, so be warned because Ms Brookes doesn't pull any punches. They are erotic and flow well, pulling the reader along and deeper into the story. Vaughn uses his talents to the max to crack open Selene's hard shell and we see a glimmer of that before the story, rather abruptly, comes to an end.

And therein lays my only complaint about Impulse Control - it's too damn short! Suffice to say, I'll definitely be picking up the next story in Brookes' Sypricon Masters series - Perfect Limit.

I gave Impulse Control

Impulse Control can be bought from Decadent Publishing and Amazon US / UK

Sara's website

Celestial Seduction by Jessica E. Subject

2011-10-02T16:06:00.002+01:00

Title: Celestial Seduction
Author: Jessica E. Subject
Publisher: Decadent Publishing

Blurb: At the end of his obligated commitment to the Space Service, Frey Berger decides to stay on Earth to further experience human emotions rather than return to Ginnun where his intended has already mated with another. Looking for real love and someone to accept him for what he is, Frey enlists in Madame Evangeline’s popular dating service. Although he does not understand the concept of a one-night stand, he hopes to find his perfect mate.

Carrie Cooper’s husband divorced her for someone who could provide him with children, leaving her with little self-confidence and no desire to let a man hurt her again. Her best friend convinces her to join a dating service, claiming Carrie needs to get laid, while not winding up with a broken heart since her date requires no commitment after the night is over.

Although several misunderstandings nearly derail them before the date has even begun, Carrie and Frey end up becoming closer than they ever believed possible. Still, Frey will need to convince Carrie that her perfect mate isn’t human at all, and that one night can lead to a forever love.

Review: Having known Jessica for a while through Twitter and reading snippets of Celestial Seduction on Six Sentence Sunday, I was really eager to get my hands on a copy. I wasn't disappointed.

Point of view in Celestial Seduction shifts between Carrie and Fray, delving far deeper into their characters than I would have imagined possible for a short story. Both are damaged souls, and Ms Subject really makes the reader sympathise with them. And hope that, despite the complications, get together.

Fray is the that most unique things in sci fi romance - an alien alien. Although he has a shield that allows him to camouflage himself, Ms Subject reveals his true form and it is very different... and rather sexy. His fumbling attempts to rationalise the "historical documents" (to borrow a phrase from Galaxy Quest) with an actual situation are endearingly sweet.

Carrie is a character a lot of woman can identify with. Hurt after the breakdown of her marriage, and carrying the additional burden of being barren, I really wanted things to work out for her. I wasn't surprised that Frey managed to "fix" her, though the slightly twee ending took me out of the story somewhat.

Despite that, I very much enjoyed Celestial Seduction and recommend it as a must read.

I gave Celestial Seduction

Celestial Seduction can be bought from Decadent Publishing and Amazon US / UK

Jessica's Website

Touched by an Alien by Gini Koch

2011-10-01T10:00:00.006+01:00

Title: Touched by an Alien
Author: Gini Koch
Publisher: Daw Books

Blurb: Marketing manager Katherine "Kitty" Katt steps into the middle of what appears to be a domestic dispute turned ugly. And it only gets uglier when the man turns into a winged monster, straight out of a grade-Z horror movie, and goes on a killing spree. Though Kitty should probably run away, she springs into action to take the monster down.

In the middle of the chaos a handsome hunk named Jeff Martini appears, sent by the "agency" to perform crowd control. He's Kitty's kind of guy, no matter what planet he's from. And from now on, for Kitty, things are going to be sexy, dangerous, wild, and out of this world.

Review: I have to admit it that I put off buying Touched by an Alien because I thought the title was cheesy. And rather reminiscent of an old TV show about angels. With the main character named "Kitty" Katt? For me, that wasn't a winning combination.

However, Twitter was afire with rave reviews, and when a sci fi chat on the same revealed that Ms Koch was actually a geek after my own heart (we bonded over Galaxy Quest), I decided to get over my personal forbiles and buy it.

I read Touched by an Alien in a day. Once I started reading, I simply couldn't put it down. Written in first person (a personal preference), the story launches you into the action and doesn't really let up. It helps that Gini Kock can write hooks better than most fishermen can bait.

On to the characters. Katherine "Kitty" Katt is the viewpoint character. If you want a mousey heroine who needs the handsome, strong hero to prop her up, this is so not the book for you. Kitty kicks ass. She takes names. She is the HBIC with bells on (and a Glock stuck in her pants). But she remains utterly believable and, yes, even breakable: she gets emotional, she gets teary and on several occasions she gets it wrong, but as a reader I found myself rooting for her because of those things.

Martini... his attraction to Kitty is immediate and... grating at first. He clearly thinks he's charming, what with the repeated demand that Kitty marries him. I just wanted her to slap him or deliver a stinging put down. And okay, it comes down to his alien abilities and being emphatic, but it was seriously annoying. Fortunately, there was enough other stuff going on that I read on in spite of that.

Did I like this book? Um, I finished it in just over a day, so yeah I think so. No, I know so. The end is satisfying while leaving enough open for the sequel (already on my Amazon saved list) and setting up for what I do believe is going to be a stonking series.

Go. Buy. Read. Do it now, because you won't be disappointed.

I gave Touched by an Alien

Venus Ascendant

Love with a Chance of Zombies by Delphine Dryden

Love with a Chance of Zombies can be bought from Smashwords, Amazon US / UK and Barnes & Noble

Delphine's Website

Impulse Control by Sara Brookes

Impulse Control can be bought from Decadent Publishing and Amazon US / UK

Sara's website

Celestial Seduction by Jessica E. Subject

Celestial Seduction can be bought from Decadent Publishing and Amazon US / UK

Jessica's Website

Touched by an Alien by Gini Koch

Touched by an Alien can be bought on Amazon US and UK

Gini's website

Venus Ascendant

Love with a Chance of Zombies by Delphine Dryden

Love with a Chance of Zombies can be bought from Smashwords, Amazon US / UK and Barnes & Noble

Delphine's Website

Impulse Control by Sara Brookes

Impulse Control can be bought from Decadent Publishing and Amazon US / UKSara's website

Celestial Seduction by Jessica E. Subject

Celestial Seduction can be bought from Decadent Publishing and Amazon US / UKJessica's Website

Touched by an Alien by Gini Koch

Touched by an Alien can be bought on Amazon US and UK

Gini's website

Impulse Control can be bought from Decadent Publishing and Amazon US / UK

Sara's website

Celestial Seduction can be bought from Decadent Publishing and Amazon US / UK

Jessica's Website