Ann Aguirre

Yup, still enjoying the witchy world Aguirre has created. Gavin is wonderful, a great foil for Clem, and his story really gives us a chance to delve deep into the nature of prejudice and responsibility. This elevates the story beyond a typical romance. And it has all the elements of a great romance - natural conflict, strong relationships beyond the core romance, a fun group of supporting characters, funny and/or poignant scenes. Really looking forward to the next one.

How on earth did I let this sit on my TBR pile for 3 years? I so should have read this sooner!

Grimspace is like a mix between Firefly and Farscape, except with the lead being a kick ass female. And since I am a complete sucker for good scifi, I really REALLY enjoyed this – right from the first paragraph. It starts off with mystery and jumps immediately into the action, while building up both the story and characters slowly. I’m really excited to continue getting to know the characters, show more to really learn who Jax is, and to see where this story leads us… especially with how everything ended!

My goodness!

I love that there’s such a huge difference in the personalities and backgrounds of the characters. This really is one of the best things about all my favourite scifi series – a bunch of people are thrown into a situation together, who wouldn’t have had anything to do with each other in normal circumstances. They have to learn how to deal with each other, and there’s so much conflict at times, but it leads to great story telling.

And each of the characters in this book had so much to offer the plot of the story – each of them gives a different glimpse at the political, economic and cultural environment that this story takes place in. We come into the story in a similar position as Jax – she had been very sheltered working for the Corp, and so we get to learn about the universe along with her. Definitely a great way to start off the series.

The Bottom Line
This was a great way to start the series! Can’t wait to pick up the next one. show less

When a book starts off with the heroine holding a guy’s crown jewels literally in her hands — and not the way that you are all probably thinking – I knew I would be in for a real memorable treat of a read. And throughout my marathon reading session, I certainly wasn’t disappointed.

Kyra Beckwith is a con woman and is on the run after publicly fleecing and conning a dangerous mobster, Gerard Serrano, in Las Vegas. Kyra acted in revenge for her father’s murder, which Serrano was show more responsible, and for the thrill of it. Kyra also has an ability which helps her gain an advantage in her con tricks. Each time she touches someone she gains their leading talent or ability which can be useful to turn against a prospective con victim. But her ability comes with a cost; it leaves her weak, as well as suffering from painful headaches. And if she is touched upon by more than one person, Kyra is overwhelmed and incapacitated. So because of this, she rarely touches anyone or has close relationships due to the painful physical and mental psychic feedback from her touch talent.

However, Serrano does not let Kyra get away with his public humiliation. He hires Reyes, a hitman, to kill her and to retrieve his money. Kyra is hard to trace but when Reyes finally catches up with her, he finds it difficult to fulfil his orders to kill. This becomes more difficult as he starts to discover that there is more to Kyra than he was initially told about. As he gets to know her, he realizes that this contract may not be as clear cut as it seems.

Skin Game is a multi-layered tale of cat and mouse between Kyra and Reyes, who immediately ignite sparks off of each other. Kyra, who is unaware of his true agenda, shares a steamy one night stand with Reyes but manages to slip away unnoticed. Although Kyra slips away, Reyes tracks her down and they both agree to become partners when a con Kyra instigates goes awry, and both of them go on the road to do small time hustles. The battle of wits and wills between Reyes and Kyra was fantastic to see as it really added to to the sexual and emotional tension between them. I loved how disconcerted Reyes became, especially since he was initially cold and detached yet had a charming persona. But his interactions with Kyra cracks his defensive shell and he finds that he is showing her his true self, which affects his mission to kill her.

Kyra is also affected because this is the first time that a man has managed to get close to her and she realises that that she is becoming emotionally as well as physically involved. She realises that her ability doesn’t affect her negatively, and physically while she is with him, and it is the first time she can explore on having a real relationship.
I really loved how both characters, who had strong emotional and psychological defences against the world, and themselves, were able to connect with each other. That definitely added a much needed vulnerable layer to the romance, since both characters do not fit the typical hero/heroine. Kyra initially appeared unlike-able because she is a con-artist, in addition to having a devil-may-care attitude, and Reyes as a hitman, but Ava Gray has created two characters who are multidimensional and very likeable who have issues and experiences that adds to their characterizations. This makes them feel more real and relatable, and I was fully engrossed with their romance. I was especially a little in love with Reyes – who I think is one of the best intriguing heroes I have read in a while and is very reminiscent of a Linda Howard hero: Dangerous memorable and sexy.

Another stand out character was Foster, who is central to the suspense, twists and turns in the plot. He is very mysterious and from the little tidbits that I gleaned from the book has become one of the most unique characters I have come across. If I thought Reyes was dark and dangerous, I have a feeling he has nothing on Foster – who I think will become a very popular character. I cannot wait for his book: Skin Tight, which comes out later next year, to see how his romance with Mia (Kyra’s best friend who is also introduced in this book) pans out.

Like all of Ann Aguirre’s books; this was a very gritty, realistic and fast paced read which is fast becoming her trademark. I loved how she conveyed the extraordinary as real and believable as possible – which is similar in feel to her Corine Soloman series. Skin Game is a clever build up of suspense, and tension with memorable well drawn out characters. And it was one of those books you close with a sigh and a smile (and if my ARC had the cover: Strokable). If you are not a fan of Contemporary suspense, I would highly recommend you pick this up because I really think this book will be a breakout hit this year, and will definitely become a fan favourite.

I give Skin Game 5 out of 5 (I would add more if I could! Loved it!) show less

Welcome to the coziest house on the block―where misfits become family, magic lingers in the walls, and healing comes in the most unexpected forms. Iris Collins doesn't believe in plans. As a self-declared chaos bunny with a track record of unfinished dreams, she's never been the reliable one in the family. But when she inherits a quaint purple Victorian in the quirky town of St. Claire, she seizes the chance to start over―on her terms. Her grand idea? Turn the rambling house into a haven show more for anyone who's ever felt like they didn't quite belong. A cranky vampire with a secret past. A werewolf with anxiety. A ghost with unresolved issues. And maybe even a mysterious man from Iris's past who seems too good to be true.
We could all sometimes use a house like this! I loved the found family of “misfits” and could genuinely care about them. The story starts with Iris Collins as she’s dealing with a bit of bad luck, then she finds out that she's inherited her aunt’s purple house. When she arrives there, she realizes it’s in fairly decent shape, so she decides to rent rooms in the house in order to make some quick money. She quickly finds two roommates... Eli and Henry Dale.

We learn that Eli has an interesting connection to Iris while Henry Dale is just looking to find a safe place to sleep. Eventually, Iris begins to gather more housemates which includes Sally, an elderly lady who is recently divorced. Then comes Mira who has been recently "dumped"...then Rowan, a non-binary teen who's had a horrible family life arrives. We watch as this ragtag band of misfits blend together and form a real family where they’re ALL accepted and loved for who they are, and it doesn't matter how they identify or who they love. They are just welcomed and accepted without question. Yeah...sounds like a fairytale that absolutely should be everyone's reality.

If you are looking for a steamy romance, you're going to be disappointed...this isn't it. Well, there is a bit of a slow burn romance developing between Iris and Eli that is sweet. I couldn't help but think that when there seems to be so much hate going on in our world today, this little gem is a pleasant escape from reality. show less