I've typically loved Maya Banks's books and I hate that I'm rating this one so poorly but I really did not like this book. At all.
Summary: DSS agent I've typically loved Maya Banks's books and I hate that I'm rating this one so poorly but I really did not like this book. At all.
Summary: DSS agent Isaac Washington is shocked to find someone trying to steal his SUV and he's even more surprised when he confronts the person and finds its a scared, battered woman. Before he can adjust his thinking, all hell breaks loose and next thing he knows he's shot and dying. Then, to his shock, the mysterious woman places her hands on him and heals the mortal wound in his chest. From that moment on, Isaac vows to protect her with his life. For Jenna, all she wants is her freedom and she's horrified that her choices may lead to the suffering of others. But she can't escape the protective reach of Isaac and DSS. They are bound and determined to save her from the evil man who wants her for his own.
Series Note: Fifth book in the Slow Burn series. There are a lot of running characters and references to past books, but I wouldn't say it would be impossible to read this one first or on it's own. There's no continuing storyline.
Review: Well....I don't like writing a critical review, especially when it's for an author that I generally love and who is an auto-buy for me. But yeah, I did not like anything about this book. I could have easily rated it 1-star but I gave it a bonus star simply because this is not typical for this author.
My biggest problem with this book was the discrepancy in details. Jenna was kidnapped around 4 years old and held captive by a cult for at least 20 years. She was basically kept in seclusion and treated like a leper. She has little knowledge of the outside world and modern conveniences or anything that is just normal to the rest of us. So I expected a good portion of the story to be the learning process Jenna faces as she tries to assimilate into the real world and that just doesn't happy. Here and there it's addressed but overall it's largely ignored. Honestly, given the background that is built for Jenna I would have expected her character to be much stunted developmentally. I mean, I hardly think the cult people would have educated her and I would have expected the lack of positive emotional support and social interactions to have had a much greater effect on her. But other than a reaction to the TV and learning about food, her characterization doesn't fit at all with what we're told about her. It adds (another) level of unbelievably to the story.
I also had characterization issues with Isaac - on several levels. First, the character is horribly undeveloped. By the time you finish you know almost nothing about him. There are a few very vague references a couple times in the book to some past suffering, possibly being an alcoholic but the reader never gets a clear picture of who Isaac is. Where is he from? Are his parents alive? What happened to him in the past? There's nothing concrete about him prior to the start of this story. Now, I will add the caveat that it's possible past books gave more background on him but I read those ages ago. I don't remember at all what may or may not have been revealed about him. And if the author did develop the character more in past books, it still should have been part of this one. If you are reading them as they are released, the average reader isn't going to remember details about a secondary character a year or two later. This lack of development for Isaac, though, really kept me from getting into the character.
Aside from that, he's a total over-the-top alpha ass throughout the story. Jenna has just escaped 20 years of hell being controlled and abused by a cult and Isaac takes one look at her and goes all controlling he-man. He is all 'she's mine,' 'you belong to me,' and when he starts talking about keeping her pregnant all the time so she can't get away from him...I almost threw the book across the room. I get that he wanted to protect her and love her, but his thoughts, actions and words were just too much given the things that Jenna had been through. It was completely unromantic for me.
And the romance itself? There's the insta-devotion for Isaac which I could have dealt with if the story hadn't devolved into super sappy, mushy, sugary-sweet ramblings and professions of love that just made me roll my eyes. I'm not the biggest fan of super sappy anyway and I didn't like it at all here. It didn't fit the tone of the story either. When I'm reading romantic suspense I don't want to read devotional soliloquys between the characters.
From a storyline standpoint the book was okay. I could nit-pick over the fact that the premise of the storyline is basically a repeat of other storylines in this series - female character has special power and an evil person wants her to exploit the power. I would have preferred some variation in the storylines but it wasn't a book-killer for me. I did find it to be a rather slow moving story with just a lot of sitting around and repetition, not enough development and action. And then end? Ugh. What happens toward the end was so obviously a set up and that you had a group of badass agents fall for it was TSTL. Seriously. It was like there was a big flashing neon sign screaming set up and they all fell for it. Given the danger Jenna was in, why was she put in that situation anyway, even if it wasn't a set up? Again, TSTL on all characters parts. And why were all the women there? That made no sense at all to me. None. Then the finale seemed overly simplified. I just expected more from the plot of this book. It wasn't horrible but by far not the best I've read.
I also think there could have been a little more time spent on the set up of DSS - what it is, who founded it, why, what they do, etc. There was a little bit too much of a reliance on the readers have read - and remembered - everything from past books.
Lastly, one of the things that bugged me most about this book was that there were these insanely long chunks of internal monologue - like pages long. Primarily with Isaac thinking obsessively about Jenna - what an angel she is, how he plans to keep her forever and ever, how he'll do anything to protect her, how he'd never survive if anything happened to her. Etc, etc, etc. There was also Jenna thinking endlessly about her situation, how she doesn't want anyone hurt because of her, yadda yadda. Between the two of them, there's so much repetitive dead space in this book spent on their internal thoughts that it bored me to death. I can't count how many times I put the book down during these chunks because I was so bored from reading the same thoughts over and over and over again. It also signified the overall lack of action in the story. I admit that I did start to skim read some of these chunks as the book went on.
I wish I could give a few good points to the story but there really wasn't anything that jumps out as me as something I enjoyed. I honestly was just glad to finish it. I expected so much more from a Maya Banks book. I will continue to read the series as I'm greatly hoping this book was an aberration. I know the author has multiple series going and also that she's been going through some very serious health problems (which makes me feel like a jerk for writing such a negative review)...so I have very high hopes that this was just the rare book that didn't hit the mark.
((I apologize to the author for the critical (but honest) review! Best wishes for a speedy recovery and I hope your health is on the upswing!))...more
I was a bit conflicted in what to rate this book - 3 or 4 stars. In the end I went with 3.5, leaning toward 3 because there were a few areas that fellI was a bit conflicted in what to rate this book - 3 or 4 stars. In the end I went with 3.5, leaning toward 3 because there were a few areas that fell a little short for me.
This book features Joe Kelly. He's the only remaining single brother of the 6 Kelly siblings. He's got no plans to settle down. But then he meets Zoe. What he doesn't know is that Zoe is on the run with secrets and danger following her. He can't help but fall in love with her though. He just has to convince her she's worth it.
Series note: book #11 in the KGI series. Technically this book can stand on its on. There's no on-going plot arc but there's a lot of backstory with the various characters you'd be confused about if you haven't read the past books.
I've enjoyed the KGI series since it started. It's one of my must-buy series. And this book was in no way bad. I enjoyed it and it kept me reading but at the same time there were a few things that kept me from really loving it.
The tone of the books in this series have varied a bit. Some are full on romantic suspense with a lot of action. And some fall more into the contemporary romance side with a small bit of action. This book falls into the latter category. Usually that hasn't bothered me with this series but this time the romance focus didn't entirely click with me.
I think it's because once Joe gives in to realizing Zoe is "the one" things get a little mushy and wishy-washy, especially with his internal monologues. And I just wasn't really feeling that. It kept the book from having that bit of edge that the series as a whole has. Something about that overly mushy tone didn't click for me.
Also, the book is very low key. Very little action at all. And for the first chuck of the books and parts afterwards there's a lot of internal monologue going over the same thoughts/feelings and it got repetitive. I just wanted more to be happening.
My biggest issue with the book, though, and probably what kept it from being 4-stars was the action sequence and plot resolution at the end. The action happens and is over in the blink of an eye. Which okay not a huge deal but it left me with questions. Once the action was over I wasn't quite sure what happened to the main bad guy. Was he killed or did he escape? I honestly still don't know. And what about Zoe's dad? That was left hanging. I thought that story point was going somewhere and it wasn't dealt with at all. It irked me. I don't like to finish a book with questions left unanswered.
Now having said all that it probably seems I didn't like the book. But I did. I enjoy the Kelly family. They're a great bunch of characters. And the banter is great. I really enjoyed the camaraderie scenes. And even if I thought the romance got a little mushy I still liked Joe and Zoe together. They fit together.
I thought the new female character was interesting and I hope Banks gives her a book before the series ends. And as much as I hate that we have to wait until book 15 for Rusty's story and I hate that we're left hanging a bit there, the author is doing a good job on setting of Rusty and Sean's book. I'm just impatient and I want it now.
So yes, I did enjoy the book. There were just those couple points where things didn't quite hit the right note for me that kept me from really loving it. I'll be eagerly awaiting the next book in the series, though.
Warning: contains moderately graphic, vanilla m/f sex, and some violence against a female character....more
Maya Banks has a real winner with this series. I've enjoyed each an every book, including this one.
Series Note: Fifth book in Banks's "KRating: 4.5 / 5
Maya Banks has a real winner with this series. I've enjoyed each an every book, including this one.
Series Note: Fifth book in Banks's "KGI" series about a group of private security agents and the women they get involved with. I wouldn't necessarily say you have to have read all the other books first, but I would definitely recommend reading the previous book (Whispers in the Dark) first as it directly connects to this one, storyline-wise.
Summary: The first time KGI agent Rio sees Grace Peterson on a security video, he knows he has to have her and that he'll do anything to keep her safe. So he and his team head out to rescue Grace, a healer, from the men who want to capture her and abuse her ability. Rio knows he'll stop at nothing to find her and protect her.
When Grace first sees Rio, she has no idea whether to trust him or not. But she's go little else to rely on so she has to trust Rio. And it ends up being the best decision she ever made. Because not only is he willing to keep her safe, but he also wants her, something she's never experienced before. Now as happiness looms for Rio and Grace, they'll have to find a way to keep her safe from the people who want her.
Review: This book has a little different tone than the other books in this series. It's got more of a romance feel and a little less intense suspense. The focus of the story is definitely more on Grace and Rio as characters and on the romance that blooms between them.
And I didn't mind that. I really enjoyed these two characters. Poor Grace has been through hell in her life and she's lost almost all hope of ever being able to have a normal life. Then there's Rio, bad-ass mercenary who is trying to get past some bad decisions in his life. He sees Grace and is a total goner. Both were great characters to read about. And then had fabulous chemistry between them.
The romance moves a bit fast but I thought it fit the story. It's a sort of instant-attraction/love-at-first-sight kind of thing. But I just thought it was fitting for the type of story it was and the characters involved. I really loved the sweetness between them and how Rio turned into a big marshmallow when it involved Grace. There's something ridiculously sexy about a badass Alpha getting all gooey over a woman ;) And yeah, there's some hot scenes between them, too!
As for storyline, even though the suspense is a bit lower-key than the other books it's still there in that Rio and his team have to first rescue Grace and then find a way to keep her safe. The big battle scene in the end is intense and leaves you with mixed feelings over how it all plays out and what happens with some people. I thought Banks did an excellent job with that last scene. It came as a surprise to me. And I loved it.
And of course there's appearances by the Kelly brothers, their wives, and other team members. Great to get to visit with them again. I'm looking forward to the next book. Should be interesting!...more
If you're a fan of the Colters' Legacy series by Maya Banks, this is definitely something you'll want to read. I enjoyed it quite a bit.
Series Note: 4tIf you're a fan of the Colters' Legacy series by Maya Banks, this is definitely something you'll want to read. I enjoyed it quite a bit.
Series Note: 4th book in the Colters' Legacy series about a family with some very atypical relationships. You can't read this book without having read the others first.
Summary: It's almost Christmas and the Colter family is altogether for the first time in a while. But not everything is perfect. Each group of family members is dealing with something difficult. One thing the Colter family knows, though, is how to draw together and support each other. Because for the Colters', family means everything.
Review: Short review here since this really isn't the kind of story that warrants a long, drawn-out review.
This book pretty much reads like a long epilogue to the other Colter books, giving you a glimpse at where all the characters are and how things are going. It's fairly short, only 208 pages...but with a pricey $7.99 price tag. And really, it's just a feel-good type of story that leaves you smiling.
I enjoyed the story quite a bit though and zipped right through it. I like getting to revisit characters and seeing what they are up to, so this book really worked for me in that aspect.
Maya Banks great writing style also really helps this book. She's got a way of telling a story that just really works for me. And she does a great job of stuffing a lot of stuff into this short story and making everything feel well-rounded.
But really, this book is just all about getting to see that happiness in the lives of Colter family (along with some personal struggles). It's a simple story with a lot of love and sweetness that just made me smile. I can't complain about that.
WARNING, this book contains: a little bit of explicit sex and language involving a 4 way relationship, anal sex, mentions of a D/s relationship, etc....more
I think if I'd read this book as a standalone I might have liked it more, but for a book that's part of the series it's part of, it came across ratherI think if I'd read this book as a standalone I might have liked it more, but for a book that's part of the series it's part of, it came across rather lackluster.
Series Note: Fifth book in Banks's "Sweet" series, which most of the books tend to be about BDSM relationships (though this one isn't). This book could be read as a stand alone, I think.
Summary: When Connor Malone is asked to provide security for a out of control pop star, he is not happy. How he is going to manage to spend 2 weeks babysitting a spoiled diva, he doesn't have a clue. But as he gets to know Lyric Jones a bit, he realizes she's not the person he thought she was. For all her bravado, he comes to understand that underneath it all, she's an insecure, scared woman with a lot of ghosts in her past.
But for Lyric, having anyone get to close to the real her is terrifying. She's spent her life running from her past. The more Connor digs beneath her walls, the harder it is to keep him away. And the more she begins to realize that she's let her life get totally out of control. She'll have to face a lot of her issues if she has any hope of keeping Connor.
Review: Maya Banks's "Sweet" series has given us readers a glimpse into some non-traditional BDSM relationships that haven't always been comfortable to read about. So when you start another book in the series, you go into it expecting a certain type of book.
Which makes it odd that this book goes completely the other way. This book is extremely tame compared to all the other books in this series. There's not BDSM, no kink, nothing at all like that. There's not even an anal sex scene, which is a shocker.
Honestly, this book came across too tame. If I'd just read it as a standalone, only slightly erotic romance, I wouldn't have been bothered by it. But when read in the context of a series that breaks down boundaries of what's comfortable to read, kink wise, it's a let down. Everything is so blah.
And even aside from the fact that it doesn't meet expectations, I thought it was weird how tame it was. Part of the context of the story is that Lyric is an out of control pop star, with two "bodyguards" she regularly sleeps with at the same time, who is known to have group sex, etc. Then suddenly the book starts, she hooks up with Connor and everything goes vanilla. It was a bit bizarre and it came off weird and ill-fitting. For me, between this and the difference from the other books, it through off the whole vibe of the book.
The characters are pretty interesting, though. I liked both Lyric and Connor. And I liked the growth of Lyric's character as the story progresses and Lyric begins to understand what she's done with her life and that she wants to make changes. It was an interesting story aspect that worked.
It's also great to get to read about the other characters. They're an enjoyable bunch. And the scenes with all the girls getting together, doing goofy stuff are funny. And the little bit of suspense is okay. It's underdeveloped and could have been a much more interesting part of the story.
But really, for me, the dominant aspect of the book was just how off-kilter it felt because of how tame it was. It just wasn't really what I wanted for a book in this series.
WARNING, this book contains: moderately explicit sex, explicit language ...more
So far I've liked this one best out of the 4 books of the series that I've read. But it wasn't perfect and it's definitely a book that will not appealSo far I've liked this one best out of the 4 books of the series that I've read. But it wasn't perfect and it's definitely a book that will not appeal to everyone.
Series Note: Fourth book in Banks's "Sweet" series, an erotic romance series with BDSM themes and a common set of characters. I don't necessarily think you have to read the other books before this one, but it wouldn't hurt either.
Summary: Micah Hudson has been running from the tragedy in his life for years, not wanting to remember all the pain and grief from having lost the two most important people in his life. The out of the blue one day, his best friend's little sister, Angelina Moyano, shows up, determined to show Micah she's the woman for him and that she can handle anything he wants from her.
But Micah resists. He still sees Angelina as the teenage her remembers her as. And he doesn't want to risk his heart again. Seeing her, though, he can't resist how much he wants her and can't deny the dominant feelings she brings about him. But Angelina is in danger and he'll have try keep her safe before he can face his feelings for her.
Review: This series is definitely not a series for everything. It deals pretty heavily with BDSM themes and even those of us with high kink factors get a little twitchy reading this series. In this book, there is a D/s theme, fairly moderate compared to what we got with Serena and Damon, but still strong in that Micah gives Angelina to 3 friends for the night to play with. Not that she minded ;) But that more twitch-worthy theme in this one is the whipping. No light stuff here. Some pretty heavy duty whipping. It'll definitely bother a lot of readers. So beware.
But all in all, I think this is the book I've liked most of the 4 I've read so far. It's the one that worked most overall for me. Both Micah and Angelina are interesting characters with a lot of deep emotional pain. In order to release that pain, they've gravitated toward the BDSM scene and whipping. It's not a comfortable thing to read about but I could understand why each did what they did. For the most part. That being said, I did have an issue with Micah's character, or rather how he got to where he was.
The story is that he was married and in a polyamorous relationship with his wife and his best friend. Just from what we read, they seemed to have a pretty normal, if alternative relationship. It left me wondering how Micah, after their deaths suddenly got into the sex club, BDSM scene, being a Dom, and whipping and just everything that he was in this book. It was all very natural for him so it made it hard to understand how there seemed to be such to divergent sides to his character. I would have liked to understand that a bit better.
Other than that, I really didn't have any other major issues with the book. I liked the relationship that built between Micah and Angelina. They seemed like two people who really understood each other and each other's needs. Micah was a total dick sometimes, but you could somewhat understand it.
Plus, there was a bit of a suspense plot in this book, which is always a bonus, in my opinion. Spices up the story and adds some variety. And I love how things worked out in wrapping up the suspense plot. Some serious ass-kicking there. Loved it.
My only other comment...when I read books like this, with such a heavy emphasis on alternative type relationships...I mean, these two were very sexual, very kinky...whipping, bondage, dominance, groups sex, etc...how do they plan to have a family then? How do you reconcile that lifestyle with having kids because when you have kids, they are a factor in you life 24/7. It's just something that always makes me wonder when I read these heavy BDSM stories.
WARNING, this book contains: explicit sex, explicit language, oral sex, anal sex, heavy bondage, D/s, moderately heavy whipping, threesomes, group sex, rather rough sex...and I think that gives you a pretty good picture of what to expect from this book....more
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