Tag Archives: Jess Anastasi

War Games by Jess Anastasi – a Review

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War Games by Jess Anastasi – a Review

 

War GamesAmazon / B&N / Kobo / BAM / Book Depository

Description:
When one of her pilots is shot down behind enemy lines, Lieutenant Theresa Brenner will stop at nothing to save her before she’s captured and tortured, even if it means being part of the dirtside team led by Colonel Cameron McAllister. Bren might respect the way the colonel commands his men, but she’ll never trust Cam—no matter how charming he is—because he was responsible for her brother’s death. Colonel Cameron McAllister has a covert mission behind enemy lines to team with the Ilari rebels and overthrow the bloodthirsty dictator who’s torn their planet apart. The last thing he needs is to get sidetracked searching for a downed pilot, especially since it means having Lieutenant Theresa Brenner tag along. Not only doesn’t the frosty pilot have the ground game to keep up with his seasoned group, she’s a potential distraction with all those gorgeous blond curls of hers—and she might be just like her brother, whose foolhardiness got his men killed.

 

Review: 

War Games by Jess Anastasi is the fourth book in the Valiant Knox series. 
They can be read as separate books, but I found it easier to read them in order. As there is a lot of background stories. And for the author to include it in every book would be a little page consuming. 

In a previous book the tension between Cameron and Theresa (Bren) caught my attention, so I was eager to see how they get past their animosity for each other. 
For the past decade, both Bren and Cameron have kept their distances from each other. Both have their pride and neither will listen to the other. That is until a missing pilot brings them together, and they have to learn to trust one another, and from there they learn about the past and how they can move forward. 

Cameron lost a team of soldiers under his command due to Bren’s brother (and as far as he is concerned, she’s a liability just like her brother).  I found Cameron a complex person, although overbearing, he is loyal and there is nothing he won’t do for his men. 

Bren has had to work hard for her place in this world, her brother was her family and she totally blames Cameron for his death. She loves her job and won’t let one of her own become a prisoner.  She fears that the pilot will be tortured or worse, so she’ll suck it up and work with Cameron (but that doesn’t she mean she’ll like it) 

Bren finds Cameron overbearing and not at all understanding of her predicament, one of her pilots is missing……and she’s going on the mission, whether he likes it or not !! (And it’s definitely a not) 

This is a perfect action packed thriller.  I love reading this series, as the author puts you right in the action, and you can almost imagine the fight scenes.  Jess Anastasi writes the characters so well, that I have no problem conjuring them up in my mind, and all the past friendships and relationships in the previous books are the same. The series flows really well into the next book and it was nice catching up with the series. 
Reviewed by Julie B

Copy provided by Publisher

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Diffraction by Jess Anastasi – a Review

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Diffraction by Jess Anastasi – a Review

 

DiffractionAmazon / B&N / Kobo / BAM

Description:
After his unusual reaction to a weapon, Commando Varean Donnelly is accused of being a shape-shifting alien and imprisoned onboard the Imojenna. Sure, he has abilities he keeps hidden from everyone—including the gorgeous doc examining him—because the government makes sure people as different as him disappear. For good.

Imojenna doctor Kira Sasaki knows there’s something different about the handsome commando the captain’s thrown in their brig. She doesn’t think he’s Reidar, although he might have been a victim of their cruel experiments. But when Kira learns the stubborn commando’s racial make-up, she finds herself torn between defending him to Captain Rian Sherron and his crew or urging Varean to escape while he still can.

Review:

Diffraction by Jess Anastasi is the third novel in her Atrophy sci-fi series. And to be honest, they do need to be read in order.

Captain Rian Sherron and his crew are slowly winning the battle against their sworn enemies the Reidar. (Aliens who can shift to look like humans, their goal is to impersonate key personnel throughout human organizations, and take over),  Rian has helped developed a weapon which makes the Reidar emerge and show themselves but has no affect on humans. When Varean has a weird reaction to the weapon, Rian imprisons him on his spaceship.

Commando Varean Donnelly has been imprisoned aboard a space ship after failing a test to prove he is human. He didn’t react like the aliens either. So what is he?
And he won’t tell anyone what he is, he’d rather remain in the brig !

Doctor Kira Sasaki knows there is something different about Varean, she believes he may have been experimented on by the Reidar. But she doesn’t think he’s a threat to the humans, and nor does she hold with the punishments that are doled out to the prisoner either. But something isn’t right, and the more she finds out, the harder it is to defend him to the captain and crew. And mysterious accidents start happening, so the tests are hampered.

And there are some hints regarding Rian’s past when he worked for the aliens. So was he experimented on? Or is he really an alien ?  The action scenes are well written. And there are plenty of twist and turns and the ending …… not what I was expecting

Reviewed by Julie B

Copy provided by Publisher

 

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Quantum by Jess Anastasi – a Review

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Quantum by Jess Anastasi – a Review

 

QuantumAmazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / BAM / The Book Depository

Description:
Someone wants Captain Admiral Zander Graydon dead. Like yesterday. Zander’s convinced his attractive assistant knows more than she’s willing to say, and if he can stop running long enough, he’ll find out exactly what she’s hiding. Lieutenant Marshal Mae Petros is determined to keep her CO safe. Before she tips her hand, however, Mae has to figure out if the alluring man she’s protecting is the real Captain Admiral Graydon. Or an alien shape-shifting imposter.

On the run and no one to trust…not even each other.

Captain Admiral Zander Graydon has seen a lot of action, but almost getting killed three times in one day is pushing it. Only the company of his new assistant, Lieutenant Marshal Mae Petros, makes things a little easier to swallow. Except the delectable Lieutenant Marshal Petros is hiding a number of secrets, and her presence might have something to do with the continued attempts on his life.

It’s no accident Lieutenant Marshal Mae Petros finds herself in the firing line alongside the charming but very off-limits Captain Admiral Graydon. She’s taken the job as the admiral’s assistant to determine if a shape-shifting alien has killed the CO and assumed his form. Whether the admiral is human or not, Mae finds herself getting way too close to him as they run for their lives. 

Military to the core, Mae and Zander will have to overcome their suspicions of each other to work together, when they realize the fate of the entire universe is at stake.
 

Review:

Quantum by Jess Anastasi was such a fun read?  It’s the second book in the Atrophy series. I do not think you need to read the first, but I had a feeling it probably would have helped. There may have been some background on a few of the characters, and it did jump from one ship to another (these characters were in the first book.) The continuing story is to do with a war against an alien species (Reidar) 

Mae and Zander are both dedicated to their jobs. Neither having much of a social life. After meeting at the space station, they make their way to the shuttle that will take them back to the Captain Admirals ship. But things don’t to go according to plan ……. 

Surviving a crash, the two characters and a couple of crew members are forced to make a shelter and survive in a wilderness planet, until they are rescued. The story moves at a good pace. Very descriptive, and well written. The characters are brought to life and very believable. 

The story keeps you wondering ….. Is Zander a shape shifter? Did he kill the Captain Admiral and take his place for a more sinister reason ? 

The feelings between Mae and Zander have an instant attraction feeling, but Mae needs to be cautious, she can’t fall for a shape shifter, they are at war with the aliens, but as she gets to know him, the lines become blurry, What’s a girl to do ? 

Zander knows his new lieutenant Marshall has a big secret, but they have time on board his ship to find out those secrets. But the crash will put things on hold, as they dance back and forward with their attraction. What will he think when he finds out that’s she’s only interested in him until she works out if he’s a threat to the war that they are fighting?

I have not read a space story before, but I’d totally recommend this book, for an afternoon of escapism ?

Reviewed by Julie B

Copy provided by Publisher

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