Enclave - Ann Aguirre

In Deuce's world, people earn the right to a name only if they survive their first fifteen years. By that point, each unnamed 'brat' has trained into one of three groups-Breeders, Builders, or Hunters, identifiable by the number of scars they bear on their arms. Deuce has wanted to be a Huntress for as long as she can remember. As a Huntress, her purpose is clear--to brave the dangerous tunnels outside the enclave and bring back meat to feed the group while evading ferocious monsters known as Freaks. She's worked toward this goal her whole life, and nothing's going to stop her, not even a beautiful, brooding Hunter named Fade. When the mysterious boy becomes her partner, Deuce's troubles are just beginning. Down below, deviation from the rules is punished swiftly and harshly, and Fade doesn't like following orders. At first she thinks he's crazy, but as death stalks their sanctuary, and it becomes clear the elders don't always know best, Deuce wonders if Fade might be telling the truth. Her partner confuses her; she's never known a boy like him before, as prone to touching her gently as using his knives with feral grace. As Deuce's perception shifts, so does the balance in the constant battle for survival. The mindless Freaks, once considered a threat only due to their sheer numbers, show signs of cunning and strategy... but the elders refuse to heed any warnings. Despite imminent disaster, the enclave puts their faith in strictures and sacrifice instead. No matter how she tries, Deuce cannot stem the dark tide that carries her far from the only world she's ever known. 

My thoughts:

I gave it a 3 in the end cos it was good, it could have been a 4, and I really should have given it a 1 because of last part. So I give the beginning  4, the middle part a 3 and the latter part a 1.

Right, good things:

It was a creepy freaky world. You can become a breeder, a hunter or a builder. And then die when you are 25. You live your whole live underground and do not know what the sun is. I liked all of this. It was dark, people died, there was injustice. People were stupid and it was just cool.

The narrator did a good job (not with Face though) and I was never bored.

Bad Things: 

Spoiler alert

The shit hits the fan when Fade and Deuce leaves the tunnels and heads up. This is where I started to question the world building. How the hell did it all break down so fast, how did people forget so fast, and why do people die so young, but start working so late? Maybe if a class of 5 year olds where the only ones to survive I can believe it.

But that was not the worst thing, no, that was the victim blaming. Deuce was all cool and thought about how if anyone abused a woman they would be cut and thrown at the freaks. Ok, good. BUT, why the hell does she then blame poor Teegan for getting raped? Yes it's SO her fault that she never learned how to defend herself and was gang raped by 20 guys. Had lots of stillborn children and almost died. SO her fault. Stupid Teegan, you should just have fought and died. What a stupid slut.

Ok can it get worse? YES. Ok so the guy who was the boss of the raping gangers comes along when Fade, Deuce and Teegan. No one except Teegan questions it. And suddenly we are supposed to think that he was the only one who did not rape Teegan (or anyone else). HA, are you kidding me? Of course he raped everyone, he was the leader. Yes just invite him along and do not think he would not rape you while you sleep. And and, omg. HE comes a love interest of Deuce. No fuck no! You did not think of the raping murderer as a love interest. How am I supposed to handle that? 

And honestly Deuce, you are sad over some blind kid but do not give one damn when you leave the city that you are leaving young girls and children to get eaten by freaks. I get that Stalker does not care.

I am torn, I want to see what happens but wtf Stalker wtf. I can not forgive that.WTF

Audio CD, 6 pages
Published April 12th 2011 (first published April 11th 2011)
(Razorland, #1)
YA Dystopia

Review: Wanderlust - Ann Aguirre

1.) Reasons you chose this book 

I read book 1, perhaps 2 years ago and enjoyed it.

2.) Reasons you liked or disliked this book 

I disliked it for the stupid reason that it was just too long ago I read it. I remembered what had happened but who and what everyone did was another thing. And I felt kind of confused. Because if this I can't say if it was only that or if there was something else that bothered me too.

I also felt that the Jax I remembered from book 1 was not around, and I did not like March either in this one.

I liked it because it felt different, sci-fi, a bit of romance, evil aliens, and new things for our Heroine to do.

3.) Reasons you are recommending this book 

Even if I did not have the best of times with it I would still recommened it to Aguirre fans and readers who want to try sci-fi that aren't that sci.fi. I mean it is girly sci-fi with romance in it.

Blurb:

Sirantha Jax doesn’t take chances…she jumps at them… 

Sirantha Jax is a “Jumper,” a woman who possesses the unique genetic makeup needed to navigate faster than light ships through grimspace. Jax has worked for the Farwan Corporation her entire career. But now the word’s out that the Corp deliberately crashed a passenger ship, and their stranglehold on intergalactic commerce has crumbled—which means that Jax is out of a job. 

She’s also broke, due to being declared dead a little prematurely. So when the government asks her to head up a vital diplomatic mission, Jax takes it. Her mandate: journey to the planet Ithiss-Tor and convince them to join the Conglomerate. 

But Jax’s payday is light years away. First, she’ll have to contend with Syndicate criminals, a stormy relationship with her pilot, man-eating aliens, and her own grimspace-weakened body. She’ll be lucky just to make it to Ithiss-Tor alive

Pages: 312

Published: 2008

Publisher: Ace

Source: My own

Genre. Sci-fi, romance

Series: Sirantha Jax #2

Review: Nightfall - Ellen Connor

Series: Dark Age Dawning 1
Genre: Apocalyptic romance (That's how I see it)
Pages: 327
Published: June 6th 2011 Berkley Trade

Growing up with an unstable, often absent father who preached about the end of the world, Jenna never thought, in her wildest nightmares, that his predictions would come true. Or that he would have a plan in place to save her–one that includes the strong, stoic man who kidnaps and takes her to a remote cabin in the Pacific Northwest. The mysterious ex-Marine named Mason owes a life-debt to Jenna’s father. Skilled and steadfast, he’s ready for the Change, but Jenna proves tough to convince. Until the power grid collapses and the mutant dogs attack–vicious things that reek of nature gone wrong.

When five strangers appear, desperate to escape the bloodthirsty packs, Jenna defies her protector and rescues them. As technology fails and the old world falls away, Jenna changes too, forever altered by supernatural forces. To fight for their future, she and Mason must learn to trust their instinctive passion–a flame that will see them through the bitter winter, the endless nights, and the violence of a new Dark Age.

My thoughts:

The authors behind this book are Ann Aguirre and Carrie Lofty, and together they have created an apocalyptic world that is going to hell, and they even manage to write in some hot passion while the beasts are howling.

Jenna lives in a world that is about to collapse. Europe is silent, parts of the US are silent, while the new government tells people everything is ok and that whatever happened there will not come here. Oh, no they didn't, that is stupid and people pay for their stupidity as horrible dogbeasts attack and kill people and technology fails and stops working. Yes the world ends in blood. But our heroine Jenna gets kidnapped before that happens. She was likeable even if she fought against him a bit too much, but then the world did end. Her kidnapper Mitch is a warrior in the true sense and he owes a debt and therefore he saved her. The chemistry is there at once and they will get to have a few hot moments when they are not fighting beasts.

There are also a few others. Little Penny who does not talk and Ange her mother who only wants to protect her. Tru a young kid who matures a lot and Chris a scientist they come across as Jenna wants to save them all.

But the best part is of course in my opinion the end of the world. Magic comes back and makes killer beasts, but magic can be good too as they find out. I liked the idea of a world changing from technology back to magic, even if it ends with a  big bang. There is also a lot of action and when it ends, well I do wonder if the world can get back on its feet.

Conclusion:

It was an interesting world and I do want to know what happens and would like to read the next book (takes place 3 years after this one). I would recommend this book to fans of paranormal romance, dystopia and in the end just all of you. Hot passion and action is promised.

Rating:

Good

Cover
Cool

Quick contest! All those who have commented are entered and new ones have 24 hours on them starting now. And then one person will win a copy of Nightfall. Open to all

source:publisher

Review: Grimspace - Ann Aguirre

Grimspace
Sirantha Jax Book 1

Genre: Sci.fi romance
Published:2008
Pages: 320

By all accounts, Sirantha Jax should have burned out years ago…
As the carrier of a rare gene, Jax has the ability to jump ships through grimspace—a talent which cuts into her life expectancy, but makes her a highly prized navigator for the Corp. But then the ship she’s navigating crash-lands, and she’s accused of killing everyone on board. It’s hard for Jax to defend herself: she has no memory of the crash.

Now imprisoned and the subject of a ruthless interrogation, Jax is on the verge of madness. Then a mysterious man breaks into her cell, offering her freedom—for a price. March needs Jax to help his small band of rogue fighters break the Corp monopoly on interstellar travel—and establish a new breed of jumper.

Jax is only good at one thing—grimspace—and it will eventually kill her. So she may as well have some fun in the meantime…

(Author's site)

Even if I liked the beginning I had a hard time getting into the book, and then suddenly when i had read 1/3 of it I was in. What changed? Perhaps it was that I didn't like Sirantha in the beginning.

Sirantha jax is one tough chick, all mouth and no one gets in her way. She can be rather closed off, and even I thought she was kick-ass, I didn't like her. Then comes March, and frees her from her prison where she had been tortured. He was like her and those two were at each other like cat and dog. Then something changed and I started liking the both of them. The book got more meaning. There is a struggle because her wounds are fresh from the crash where she lost her pilot and lover, but you just know that those two are meant to be. And I long to find out.

I have always liked sci-fi so that was sure not a problem for me, though I have actually read way too few. perhaps because sci-fi is so male, ships and weapons. Therefore I have gone for the more philosophical and epic in the past. This, well this is a treat, romance, I love it and I get the space angle too. Not all romance has to take place at earth, or my fav, in the past.

There is her getting to know the crew of his, I like the doc by the way, and then learning what they want her to do. I do like a bit of political involved too, since the more I read the more I don't like the Corp. They may have lost they goal some time ago. There is colonies, seems to be a Swedish one, lol, and bounty hunters. Now what would a sci-fi book be without a alien bounty hunter.

Oh and yes there is romance, don't fear, and I am sure they will be more in the next books. Where she gets to free the the universe, read the other blurbs that there will be more aliens, bad aliens, I hope so.

It was a nice little read, some sci-fi, some romance. An escape read that always feels different from the paranormal ones, I guess it's cos I always think space could happen, but vampires and werewolves, I only wish.

Hard book to review, cos as always I don't wanna give away everything, I'll let the blurb talk.

Blue Diablo by Ann Aguirre (ARC)

Blue Diablo by Ann Aguirre
A Corine Solomon Novel

18 months ago Corine Solomon left her lover and crossed the border to Mexico. She was fleeing her past and her gift, as a "handler". Which means that when she touch something she can know its past, and sometimes its future. She used it to find missing people - and that is now why people want to find her.

That is how her ex, Chance shows up in her store. He has an ability that gives him luck. Someone they both care about has gone missing and he needs her to find that someone, not to mention that he needs her too. Their search leads them into a world of dark magic, demons, zombies, witches and people that show her that she is not as alone as she first thought.



I really did enjoy this book, and I knew it from the start. It is that kind of book that makes you want to continue reading, you feel the urge to know what is going to happen. It's an easy book to read, and it was just what I needed. It sure lifted my spirits after reading some not so good books. i felt that good books are still being written and this is one of them.

First of all I liked Corine, she is colourful (and then I am not talking about her clothes). I didn't know what to think about Chance at first, just as she struggled with her own emotions for him. But then I did want to see them together. Though I do confess that sexy cop Jesse Saldana sure stirred the blood when he showed up. He was a lovely surprise in the book.

This book sure had a bit of everything thrown in and perhaps that is why I liked it. It did feel different, and a good book needs that to stand out. What is better than dark magic, and then zombies too. Yes even those fitted in.

I do like a book that makes me giggle, and smile. Oh it has some really good bits in it, one that involved a conversation about some cakes and ice-cream after dinner sure made me giggle while I read it.

So if you are on a lookout for a book invloving paranormal, romance, danger, and some fun times then this is the book for you.

How I am supposed to say something bad now..... ok, the cover, when Corine was described in the book I sure thought about her a certain way and that cover doesn't seem like her. The jeans, yes, but not the blouse. Lol, yes this really seems to be the only negative thing I can think of.


I will give this book 4/5 because I enjoyed it a lot, and I would recommend it to others.

It also made me want to read more of Aguirre's books since I haven't read her sci-fi books yet.

Blue Diablo comes out on April 7th