Slave to Sensation (Lightning Review: Fiction)

in
Friday, January 14, 2011


A world ruled (they think) by the Psy, a group of interconnected minds that have stamped out all trace of emotion. Sascha's powerful mother sends her to craft a real estate deal with a Changeling leader (a were-leopard with his own agenda, and - naturally! - passions to spare).  Character-building cleverness across a large cast (addicting me to what promises to be a long series), but also the usual ick factor of paranormal romances - love is too fated (thus yawningly unrelated to the developing relationship of the real people involved) and gender too power-laden.  Nonetheless, the building of affection between the hero and a heroine who doesn't think she can feel properly, much less touch, is first-class.  A slow, halting read for me.


Slave to Sensation
Nalini Singh (New Zealand, 1996)
***
Finished Jan 9.

Here Comes the Groom (Lightning Review: Fiction)

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Friday, January 14, 2011

Awful title, lovely book.  Childhood friends.  The hero struggles with wartime losses, the heroine with the painfully realized scars of illness.  But the plot's climax (although hilarious) seems both Dan Brownish and rampagingly irresponsible (given what is done to an already traumatized person), and it nearly turns me against a lovely, gritty heroine.  There was a longer, calmer, less plotty novel here somewhere, and it was sublime.  As it was, it's just very good.  No complaints.


Here Comes the Groom
Karina Bliss (New Zealand, 2011)
***1/2
Finished Jan 8.

Smooth Talking Stranger (Lightning Review: Fiction)

in
Friday, January 14, 2011


The most poisonous mother in existence drops a (surprise!) niece in Ella's lap, leaving her to track down the father.  Naturally (naturally!) her search starts with millionaire playboy Jack Travis, who takes a strangely possessive stance towards her, despite her unconventional (and narratively unacceptable) reluctance to marry.  I raged and raged, and the pages turned and turned.  Dammit.


Smooth Talking Stranger
Lisa Kleypas (USA, 2009)
***
Finished Jan 8.