Brighter Than the Sun (KGI #11) by Maya Banks-a review

Brighter Than the Sun (KGI #11) by Maya Banks-a review

Brighter Than the Sun

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO /

About the book: Release Date March 7, 2017

The Kelly Group International (KGI): A super-elite, top secret, family-run business.
Qualifications: High intelligence, rock-hard body, military background.
Mission: Hostage/kidnap victim recovery. Intelligence gathering.
Handling jobs the U.S. government can’t…

As the last unattached member of the Kelly clan, Joe is more than ready to risk life and limb on any mission he’s assigned to, but when it comes to love, he’ll keep his distance. He’s content to watch his brothers become thoroughly domesticated.

Zoe’s had nothing but heartbreak in her life, and she’s determined to start over with a completely new identity, thanks to her college friend, Rusty Kelly. But it’s the gorgeous smile and tender words of Joe Kelly that begin to weaken her resolve to never risk her heart again. And Joe will have to put everything on the line to save Zoe, when secrets of her past resurface—and threaten to tear them apart…

Review:
Brighter than the Sun begins with the KGI team having some actual down time. The entire Kelly clan is home and things are quiet. It still amazes Joe that all of his brothers have settled down and the number of babies around is truly astonishing. He does know one thing though: he’s not ready to settle down and have a woman be his reason for being. Nope, not him…..

Rusty Kelly, Joe’s adopted sister, is contacted by her best friend from college, Zoe, who is on the run and needs Rusty’s help. That’s all it took for Rusty to set into motion a life changing series of events in order to keep Zoe safe and bring her to the Kelly home. Little did either of them know how truly life changing it would be.

Joe knows that Zoe is scared of something or someone. Even though she tries to present herself as self confident, he knows that she’s hiding something. He decides then and there to make it his mission to see if he can not only find out what’s going on, but to help her as well. As he gets to know Zoe, Rusty warns Joe not to hurt her. Joe tells Rusty that he knows Zoe is hiding something, but Rusty tells him it’s Zoe’s story to tell. Everyone in the family and KGI sees that Joe has claimed Zoe as his own, even if Zoe doesn’t know it yet. What follows is a heart wrenching story that will leave you turning the pages faster and faster.

I LOVED BRIGHTER THAN THE SUN!!!! I’m so glad we finally got Joe’s story. He is a straight up Kelly with his protective instinct when he finds the “one”. In my humble opinion, he fell harder than the others. There was just something about his thoughts that we were privy to that truly endeared him to me. Zoe is perfect for him. She’s kind and loving and just wants to “be”. Her childhood and background story will endear her to everyone who reads this story. The bonus with this story is we get to see a lot of Rusty and Sean. And, it’s not good. I can’t say too much as I don’t want to give anything away, but it had my heart breaking. HOLY HELL! If you’re a fan of Maya Banks and her KGI series, this one will not disappoint. As always, I want to be a member of the Kelly clan! Well done, Maya Banks! Very well done!

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley

Reviewed by Vickie M

Share

Darkest Before Dawn (KGI #10) by Maya Banks-Review & Giveaway

Darkest Before Dawn (KGI #10) by Maya Banks-Review & Giveaway

Darkest Before Dawn Banner

DARKEST BEFORE DAWN
KGI #10
by Maya Banks
Release Date: October 27, 2015
Genre: adult, contemporary, romantic suspense

Darkest Before Dawn

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / The Book Depository / BAM

About the book: Release Date October 27, 2015

The enigmatic Hancock has been both opponent and ally to the KGI teams for as long as they’ve known him. Always working a deep game, Hancock’s true allegiance has never been apparent, but one thing is for certain—he never lets anything get in the way of duty.

But now, his absolute belief in the primacy of his ultimate goal is challenged by a captive he’s been ordered to guard, no matter how much she suffers in her prison. She’s the only woman who’s ever managed to penetrate the rigid walls surrounding his icy heart, but will he allow his perplexing feelings for the beautiful victim to destroy a mission he’s spent years working to complete or will he be forced to sacrifice her for “the greater good.”

Review:

Honor Cambridge has dedicated her life to helping in war torn areas of the Middle East. When the camp she’s been volunteering at is bombed, she is the only one who survives. As the attackers are searching to make sure there are no survivors, she gets lucky in that they don’t discover that she’s alive. Even though she’s injured, she knows that she has to put as much distance between her and the camp as she can. She travels by night and finds hidey holes to rest in during the day, until she runs across a female in a village who is willing to help her, even though she knows that she herself could be killed for aiding Honor. There is a price on Honor’s head…………

Hancock has been trying to take out an enemy who is the epitome of evil. When his “boss” informs him that his next mission is to find the American woman who has outsmarted the very faction that he’s been trying to infiltrate for years, he can feel in his bones that he’s close to attaining his goal. As he and his team head out to track down the woman who has managed to stay two steps ahead of those searching for her, he has no idea how much everything is about to change.

It doesn’t take too long for Hancock and his team to locate Honor in the very village where she has found somewhat of a champion. When Hancock convinces Honor that they are her only option, she reluctantly goes with them. He’s promised to keep her safe and deliver her. Unfortunately for Honor, she thinks that she’s going to be going home. Once she figures out that she is no more than a pawn to be sacrificed for the greater good, she has never felt more betrayed. Neither has Hancock. He let his target slip away a couple of times before by helping KGI, but has vowed that he will not do so again. What follows is a series of highs and lows that will change everything.

I’ve been waiting for Hancock’s story for a long time now. I think most fans of KGI have been as well. Hancock has walked the line between good and bad for a long time. There have been times in previous books where you wanted to strangle him and times where you were cheering for him. His back story lets you in on why he has such a hard time letting down his guard. He’s had a hard life full of betrayal and heartbreak. But, when he meets Honor we see that guard slipping. He is so torn between saving one or letting down possibly thousands. Honor perplexed me. One minute she’s very understanding of being “sacrificed” and the next she is mad, albeit deservedly so. She is attracted to Hancock and his sense of honor, and then turned off by the same sense of honor. And, bless her bones, she’s so torn about what’s going on between her and Hancock, that she doesn’t know which end is up. She’s just not what I imagined Hancock’s woman would be.

There is a lot of action in this story, which I love. I just didn’t think that the romance was prevalent until the very last part of the book. We get to see pretty much all of the KGI folks in this one, so that’s always a big plus. If I were to pick one thing to be critical of, it would be the repetitiveness. The same thing gets said a lot. (I think I’ve said in other reviews that that seems to be a trend with a lot of authors lately.) The book was very long, and usually that’s a good thing for me, but not with this one. I did like the fact that there was a political undertone in this one that is current. With all of that said, I really liked the book. I just didn’t love it and I usually love anything in the KGI series. Fans of this series will like the fact that Hancock finally got his story. I look forward to the next installment. Well done, Maya Banks!

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Vickie M.

Giveaway beige

Maya’s publisher and The Reading Cafe are offering a paper copy of DARKEST BEFORE DAWN to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.

3. Follow MAYA BANKS on Facebook.

4. Please LIKE us on FACEBOOK and click GET NOTIFICATIONS

5. Please FOLLOW us on Twitter for an additional entry.

6. Please FOLLOW us on GOODREADS for an additional entry.

7. Please LIKE us on TSU for an additional entry.

8. Giveaway is open to USA only

10. Giveaway runs from October 29-November 2, 2015

Share

When Day Breaks (KGI 9) by Maya Banks-Review and Giveaway

When Day Breaks (KGI 9) by Maya Banks-Review and Giveaway

When Day Breaks Banner

When Day Breaks
KGI 9
by Maya Banks
Release Date: June 24, 2014
Genre: adult, contemporary, action,suspense, romance

When Day Breaks June 14

Order Links: Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO / The Book Depository

Eden is said to be one of the most beautiful women in the world. Her face has graced countless magazines and her body has sold millions of dollars of clothing. But her fame and beauty has earned her more than she ever imagined. Evil is stalking her, determined to extinguish the ethereal beauty forever.

Swanson or “Swanny” as his teammates call him is always up for the next mission. He came back from Afghanistan wounded and scarred. Hardly the kind of man who even belongs in the same room with Eden. And yet there’s something about the quiet beauty that stirs his blood and makes him dream of the impossible. Because Beauty loving the beast only happens in fairy tales and KGI doesn’t deal in fairy tales. Ever.

Review:

Eden has a great life, great family and a great job. But, when a seemingly random attack comes, things for Eden start to change very quickly. She knows her dad is retired military, but had no idea the depths of things that he had been involved in, and that’s just how dear old dad wanted to keep it. However, once he learns of the attack, he calls in her brothers and tells them of his past and that he thinks Eden is in danger because of it. One of Eden’s brothers knows the Kelly’s and puts in a call to ask for help in protecting Eden. One problem with the plan? Eden has no idea why all of this is happening and why in the world she would need a team of security?

Once the KGI team meets with Eden and lays out what’s going to happen, she can’t help but find herself drawn to the scarred Swanny. It literally makes her heart melt that he keeps his eyes averted and the scarred side of his face turned away. Once everyone agrees as to how they will proceed to her next shoot, she settles down a bit. After all, what can happen with a group of hot ex-military guys and one of the most beautiful women in the world, who just happens to be drawn to one in particular? And, when Eden’s life and beauty is threatened, literally, Swanny and his team will move heaven and earth to get to her in time. And, I will tell you, everyone on Swanny’s team, and Eden herself, are not prepared for what happens…………………

Oh, how I love the men, and women, of KGI. I’ve been looking forward to Swanny’s story for some time, as I’m sure a lot of Banks’s readers have. Just the utter horror of what he went through when he was held hostage in Afghanistan immediately made him a fan favorite. I knew Eden would be different from the beginning, although, I do wish she had been a bit more forceful at times, but totally understand why Banks wrote her the way she did. After what Swanny had endured, he needed someone like her to prove that people are beautiful on the inside as well. Even though we, of course, have a happy ending, the trials they go through to get there will make you cringe. Not that the whole book is that intense. We get to see all of the Kelly boys and several of the other team members, which is always a plus. And, I for one, can’t wait for the next!! Well done, Maya Banks, very well done.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Vickie M.

giveaway

Maya and her publisher are offering a paper copy of WHEN DAY BREAKS to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.

3. LIKE us on FACEBOOK and then click GET NOTIFICATION under ‘liked’ for an additional entry.

4. LIKE us on Twitter for an additional entry.

5. Like Maya Banks on Facebook

6. Giveaway is open to USA only.

7. Giveaway runs from July 9-July 14 , 2014

Share

After The Storm (KGI #8) by Maya Banks-a review

After The Storm (KGI #8) by Maya Banks-a review

After the Storm

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO / The Book Depository

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date January 7, 2014

Over the years, Donovan Kelly has fought relentlessly for justice, women and children always holding a special place in his heart. Working side by side with his brothers, Donovan has witnessed firsthand the toll it’s taken—physically, mentally, and emotionally—on his loved ones, and the innocent lives caught in the crossfire. What he never expects is for his next mission to happen right on his home turf—or for it to take a very personal turn.

Picturesque Kentucky Lake is the perfect place for a soul in search of safe harbor. A beautiful stranger has arrived—desperate, breathless, and on the run from a dark past closing in on her and the younger siblings she has vowed to protect. Donovan must now draw on every resource at his disposal—if he wants to save a woman and the children who may prove to be his destiny.

Review:

When Rusty Kelly hires a teen aged boy, Travis, off the books to help at the Kelly’s Hardware Store, she knows that he’s hiding something, and scared. A feeling she knows all too well, or at least, knew. However, when Donovan sees her at the store on a Sunday, he goes to see why she’s there. And, when he sees a teenager leaving, his curiosity gets the best of him. Unfortunately, he questions Rusty’s intentions without listening to her first. But, once she sets him straight, he understands why she has taken the boy on. Still, he wants to know more about the boy and they devise a plan to follow him to see where he’s staying and with whom. What they find makes their hearts break, especially Donovan’s. The boy and his two sisters have rented a trailer on the outside of town that’s not fit for an animal, let alone for them to live in. Once Donovan and Rusty “drop by” to see what’s going on, and they meet Travis’ sisters, Eve and Cammie, Donovan knows that they are running from someone or something, and he’s just the man to help them out. Because when Donovan Kelly makes the scene, no harm will come to the beautiful Eve and her siblings.

Eve is perplexed as to why Donovan wants to help them. And suspicious. She knows that they can’t stay in one place too long, or the one they’re running from will find them. He has money, connections and a long reach. But, when Donovan sees that Cammie is sick and needs more than over the counter meds, he encourages Eve to let him bring Maren (Steele’s Maren!) by who is a doctor who just happens to make house calls. Eve reluctantly agrees, but then has second thoughts. She decides they’ve been in one place for too long and decide to leave during the night. The one hitch in their plan? The leave just as a tornado hits, literally!! Little did she know that once a Kelly brother wants someone, he will move heaven and hell, and all kinds of things toppled and destroyed by a tornado to get it. And, he wants her.

Once Donovan finds Eve, Cammie and Travis amidst the destruction, he takes them to his home in the Kelly compound when they can heal from their injuries. And, when they find out just how sick Cammie is, Eve knows she has no choice but to trust Donovan. She’ll stay for a few days, just long enough for Cammie to get healthy and for her and Travis’ injuries to heal. Then she’s outta there……………..Riiiiight…

Oh, how I have longed for Donovan’s story. I knew that his wouldn’t be like the others. They wouldn’t be in other countries traipsing through the jungles to find someone. I knew down to my toes his story would unfold right there in Tennessee and that his story would be great. Good Lord!! I love it when I’m right!!!! LOL!!! Not only do we get to see a sweet love story turn into a steamy one, we get to see ALL of the Kellys. Babies, wives, parents………… All of them!! And, I loved it! If you’re a fan of this series, then I don’t even have to tell you how the entire Kelly family rallied around Eve and her siblings. Because once the one that they’re running from shows up, all hell breaks loose. Of course, there is a bump or two. Eve overhears part of a conversation between Donovan and some other KGI members and puts into motion a series of events that will leave you heartbroken. But, she does it all to save her siblings. We also get to know a bit about the new KGI team, and I can’t wait to learn more about them. (And, if you’re a fan of Rusty and Sean and wondering what’s up, this one is for you!!) I’ll say it again….I honestly don’t know how she turns out as many awesome stories in one year as she does, but I for one am damned glad she does!! Well done Maya Banks, well done!!

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Vickie M.

Share

FORGED IN STEELE (KGI #7) by Maya Banks-a review

Forged in Steel (KGI #7) by Maya Banks-a review

Forged in Steele

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk Barnes and Noble / KOBO / The Book Depository

Forged in Steele by Maya Banks (KGI Series # 7)

About the book: Released June 25, 2013

The Kelly Group International (KGI): A super-elite, top secret, family-run business.
Qualifications: High intelligence, rock-hard body, military background.
Mission: Hostage/kidnap victim recovery. Intelligence gathering. Handling jobs the U.S. government can’t…

Steele, a KGI team leader, is an enigma not even his team mates understand. His emotions are tightly locked down and nothing can break that icy exterior. Nothing except Maren Scofield, a doctor on a mission, a woman who has gotten under Steele’s skin and threatens to crack that unflappable cool he’s legendary for.

Steele is determined not to allow Maren past his carefully guarded defenses, but when she’s in danger, there’s no way he’ll allow anyone else to protect her. She’s hiding something. He’s sure of it. But he isn’t prepared for the shocking discovery her secrets reveal. Or how they will forever alter the course of his destiny. He has a decision to make. Hold tight and shut her out. Or take a chance on something more powerful than he’s ever faced. Love.

••••••••••••••••••••

Review:

Forged in Steele begins with Steele’s team going in to rescue a hostage where one of his team is injured. The decision is made to go to Maren’s clinic in order to have him treated. Maren is a friend of KGI and has treated many of their wounded over the years. And, she’s always been enamored with Steele. He’s tight lipped and all business and has earned his nickname, Ice Man. He never lets his emotions show. Not to his team or to anyone else. But for some reason, Maren has starred in a lot of his dreams. On this particular trip he decides to act on his attraction to her, one time, to get her out from under his skin. Silly man……………

Once Maren has tended to the members of KGI, she heads back to her cottage where she finds Steele waiting for her. When Maren’s shock of his attraction wears off, they spend a hot and steamy night together. One night, remember? Yeah, right.

Steele and his team head back to Tennessee where KGI is headquartered and report in. Problem is, Steele can’t get Maren out of his mind. He ultimately heads back to Maren’s place in South America to spend a few days there. Unfortunately, his team is called up for a mission and he has to head back to the States after only a couple of days. He and his team complete their mission, only to discover that Maren is missing. Her clinic hasn’t been opened in days and no one can find her. This is very personal for KGI. Maren has been a friend for a lot of years and that makes her family. Steele’s team heads out to find her, and once they find where she was being held by a crazed drug lord and raid the place, they find it empty. Talk about bad timing……

Over the next few months, yes months, Steele is like a rabid dog following every lead and keeps coming up empty. Finally, Rio (another KGI team leader) receives a call about Maren’s whereabouts and the two teams head out to retrieve Maren. The person who makes the call is an old frenemy of KGI’s (which shocked the hell out of me!!) and holds true to his word and delivers an unharmed Maren to Rio. But, unharmed doesn’t mean she is as she was………. Cryptic?? You betcha!! So, end of story, right? Not so fast. Seems the crazed drug lord wants Maren worse than anyone realizes and that’s when the real suspense starts.

Steele and Maren pick up where they left off and embark on a relationship, of sorts. Seems Steele doesn’t really think he’s relationship material. Steele has promised to keep Maren safe, but the only way to ensure that is to send her into the lion’s den. And, oh what a den it is………… Not relationship material?? Riiiiight……… Someone is trying to take what’s his and he’ll move heaven and earth to bring her back, and God help anyone who gets in his way.

I really liked Forged in Steele. I loved getting to see Steele come out of his self-imposed shell. We get to see the Ice Man thaw. (bad pun intended!!) And the interaction between him and Maren was steamy and heartfelt. We also get to see all of the KGI family. Banks does a wonderful job of letting us keep up with her characters whom have already had their stories told. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I’d looooove to be a member of this particular family! The love and respect they have for each other is palpable. Mess with one and you mess with all. Once again, well done Maya, well done!! The next book is Donovan Kelly’s, and I for one can’t wait!! If you haven’t read this series, you’re missing the boat!!! Climb on board ya’ll!!

Reviewed by Vickie M

Share

Shades of Gray (KGI #6) by Maya Banks-a review

Shades of Gray by Maya Banks KGI Series book # 6- a review

Shades of Gray

About the book: Release Date December 31, 2012

P.J. and Cole were sharpshooting rivals on the same KGI team and enjoyed a spirited, uncomplicated camaraderie. Until the night they gave in to their desires and suddenly took their relationship one step further. In the aftermath of their one night stand, they’re called up on a mission that goes terribly wrong, and P.J. walks away from KGI, determined not to drag her teammates into the murky shadows she’s poised to delve into.

Six months later, Cole hasn’t given up his search for P.J., and he’s determined to bring her back home where she belongs. Bent on vengeance, P.J. is on a mission that will plunge her into a serpentine game of payback and make her question everything she’s ever believed in. Cole—and the rest of their team—refuse to let her go it alone. Even if it means sacrificing their loyalty to KGI and their very lives…

Review:

Shades of Gray is great right out of the gate. P.J. and Cole give into their attraction to each other, which I have been waiting for since I first met them. One page of the banter between them and I knew that they’d end up together. And, I wasn’t disappointed when I finally got their book. But, when they’re called up on a mission to save young girls who are being sold into slavery as part of a human trafficking ring, I knew in my gut that this one was going to be hard for me to read. P.J. goes in with her team as back up and things don’t just go horribly wrong, they go devastatingly, heartbreakingly wrong. And then, she walks away and into another part of her very own living, breathing nightmare, where things are a definite shade of gray.

Of course, once her team finally has some intel that lets them know where she is and what she’s been up to, they go in guns a blazing……… Seems she forgot the rule for being a member of KGI……….. They are family first and then a team and no one walks away. Once she realizes that they’ll always her back, she is able to relax for the first time in months. While she and Cole are spending time together, she’s contacted by one of her informants with the information she’s been waiting for. And, once she ties up that “loose end”, her nightmare will be over. But when she and Cole set out on what is supposed to be a fact finding mission, without the knowledge of their team, and things go terribly wrong, she realizes that her nightmare may just be beginning.

Oh my sweet Jesus!! I don’t know where to begin. There is so much I want to say about this book, but can’t because I don’t want to spoil what happens, because it’s BIG! Those of you who read my reviews know that I worship at the altar that is Maya Banks, but I was so pissed at her when I was reading this book…………I am still reeling from it. I still don’t know how I feel about what happened. But, I can tell you this. P.J. and Cole are PERFECT together. And you don’t just fall in love with one of the leads, you fall in love with both. It was so well written that I have to wonder how in the hell Banks keeps doing it. For me, her writing is like no other when it comes to conveying the emotions of her characters. I cried tears of sadness and tears of joy, more than once. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I want to be part of the Kelly family. I defy anyone to read these stories and not feel the same way. I have loved all of the books in this series, but stinking L.O.V.E.D. this one………….My absolute favorite so far and I can’t wait for the next release, Forged in Steele, due out in June 2013. Once again peeps, if you haven’t read this series, you are sooooooo missing out.

ORDER LINKS: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository / KOBO /

Reviewed by Vickie M.

Share

Echoes at Dawn (KGI Series #5) by Maya Banks-a review

Echoes at Dawn – Book 5 (KGI Series)

Echoes at Dawn is the new release (July 3, 2012) in Maya Banks’ popular KGI series.

Echoes at Dawn is Rio and Grace’s story. Rio leads one of the teams for KGI. We were introduced to Grace Peterson in Whispers in the Dark. She is the sister of Shea Peterson, Nathan Kelly’s fiancé.

At the end of Whispers in the Dark, KGI was working on trying to locate Grace, Shea’s sister. Once the surveillance footage of Grace appeared on the screen, Rio leapt to his feet and declared that he and his team would locate Grace and bring her home.

Grace was being held prisoner and experimented on. She had to power to heal. The drawback to her ability was that she actually took their sickness, whether it be an injury or disease, mental illness or sickness, into her body. Under normal circumstances, she could heal herself as well from whatever she had taken inside her. Unfortunately, she had not been able to heal each time her captors has forced her into saving someone. She was weak and ready to die when there was sudden chaos in the compound where she was being held. Explosions and gunshots were everywhere. In the mayhem that ensued, she was able to make her escape, even in her weakened state.

She was aware that there were people following her and had been managing to hide, but she also knew how weak she was and that she wouldn’t be able to continue. She was resigned to her fate and willing to die when Rio and his team reached her. By the time his team got to her, she was gravely injured. She had internal injuries, broken bones and mentally, she was toast. Rio and his team knew something wasn’t right with what happened at the compound where she was being held and knew that maybe more than one group was after Grace. Rio was determined that she would live and he and his team set out to get her out of there and give her time to heal. On their trek out, someone from Rio ’s past appears to give him a warning about who was after Grace. And a one time pass.

Once they are out of harm’s way, Grace starts her healing process at his home in Belize . At first, she is torn over whether to trust Rio or not. Once she finds out that he promised Shea he would bring her home, she started to trust him. She had trouble reconciling the warrior that she knew him to be and the gentle caring man who was helping her to heal. Once Rio reveals to her that she is his and that he had known it from the moment he saw her on the surveillance footage, she begins to feel hope for the first time. She and her sister had been alone for so long and she hoped and prayed that she wouldn’t wake up tomorrow and find it all a dream. Luckily for her, and for Rio , it wasn’t.

I loved this book. This story has a little bit of everything. There is betrayal, which shocked me. There is, of course, a sweet love story. And there were a couple of times toward the end that had me tearing up. Okay, to be honest, I cried. But the biggie?? There is a twist at the end that shocked me. I can’t even tell you what it is or what it pertains to, because, if you haven’t read it yet, it’ll blow it for you. I don’t know if I’m getting slow in my old age and just missing the signs of these twists or not, but for a minute, I was like “WHAT??!!”. LOL!!! The very end had the entire group together for a celebration. And, Grace was welcomed into the Kelly fold. Can’t wait for the next installment in this great series. *whispering* I don’t know if I’ve mentioned it or not, but I love Maya Banks!! 😉 And, I’ll say it again. If you haven’t read Maya’s KGI series, you are missing out on some serious hotness!!

Reviewed by Vickie M.

Share

Maya Banks-KGI series reviews

The KGI Series by Maya Banks

The Kelly Group International (KGI) is a group founded by brothers of the Kelly family.  They all have military backgrounds and deal in hostage rescue, intelligence gathering and black ops for the U.S. Government.  There are several teams, introduced throughout the books that you will fall in love with.  The Kelly family is a huge one, with six brothers.  And, once you’ve been taken in by Marlene Kelly, mother extraordinaire, you’re part of the family.

The Darkest Hour – Book 1

Ethan Kelly has shut himself off from everyone and everything.  He lost his wife Rachel a year ago in a plane crash in South America where she was on a mission of mercy.  He can’t forgive himself for things he had done and said before she left on the trip.  He was convinced that she was having an affair with one of his brothers and served her with divorce papers.  So, he is wallowing in self pity and staying drunk.  Until, one day, he receives a letter with pictures of a wild looking woman being held captive by a drub cartel in Columbia, South America.  And the letter that came with the pictures turns his world inside out.  Your wife is alive.  He immediately doesn’t believe it, but after looking at the pictures, he thinks that it could be Rachel.  Is this real?  Only one way to find out.

He enlists the help of his brothers at KGI.  They aren’t convinced this is real either, but have no choice but to act.  If it is her, they’ll get her out.  Once they locate where Rachel is being held, they spring into action.  After a fierce battle, Rachel is rescued.  Everyone is so relieved, but then they soon discover that Rachel is a shell of her former self.  They had been injecting her with heroine and she is now an addict and suffers from PTSD.  And, she has trouble remembering things.  Ethan tries his best to start over with Rachel, still reeling over what had transpired between them before she left on her mission trip.  She has no memory of the divorce papers, so he isn’t quite honest with her about their life together.  He is trying to help her, so he feels justified.

Once Rachel is settled for a while, he takes them to the Kelly home.  Marlene Kelly, the Kelly boys’ mom, and a force to be reckoned with, is determined that they’ll love Rachel back to her old self and so are the other Kelly brothers.  But, they aren’t aware of what transpired between the two before her trip either.  Ethan has been to ashamed to tell them. And, there’s the matter of the drug cartel wanting Rachel dead.  Once an attempt is made on Rachel’s life, KGI goes into full protection mode.  After all, no one messes with a Kelly!

The Darkest Hour is about rebuilding love and a fractured relationship.  Once Rachel’s memories start coming back, she and Ethan truly start to rebuild their relationship.  Despite what Rachel has been through, she is surprisingly strong.  And, despite Ethan’s major screw ups in the past, he proves himself worthy.

No Place to Run – Book 2

Sam Kelly is the oldest brother in the Kelly clan.  He is sent on a mission in Mexico and has a brief, hot affair with a waitress he meets there, Sophie Lundgren.  However, he doesn’t know that she is the daughter of the arms dealer he is there to gather information on.  While in a hotel room, Sam receives a mysterious message and he has to leave abruptly.  There is something else he doesn’t know.  Sophie sent the message in order to get him out of the way so that she can keep him safe and do what she has to do.  Sophie’s dad is a horrible human being and has done unimaginable things, robbing Sophie of her childhood.  She confronts her father and shoots him.  She makes her escape, only to be chased by her uncle, who is trying to take over her father’s empire.  But, in order to do that, he needs something that she stole on her way out.

Five months later, the Kelly boys are at the lake, grilling and hanging out when a body floats up.  They dive in and Sam discovers that it is Sophie, who has been shot and is pregnant.  It’s now up to them to protect her and figure out what’s going on.  Sam learns that he is the father, but his brothers don’t trust her.

It doesn’t take long for her uncle’s men to find out where she is and they lay siege on the Kelly family.  Frank Kelly, the patriarch of the family, has a heart attack and while at the hospital, Marlene is taken hostage.  Needless to say, all hell breaks loose.

Sophie knows that she is the key to getting Marlene back, so they all travel to where Marlene is being held and Sophie pulls a fast one.  She trades herself for Marlene.  Sam is reeling, thinking that Sophie betrayed him, but when Sophie slips him the item that her uncle so desperately needs, he realizes that she didn’t dupe him and the she does love him.  And, they find out that her dad is not dead.  Once she trades herself, the Kelly boys spring into action.

In the end, the Kellys save Sophie and take care of her dad and uncle.  She is now a part of the Kelly family, which is just fine by her.

Hidden Away – Book 3

Garrett Kelly accepts an assignment to keep tabs on Sarah Daniels, who has witnessed a murder committed by her half brother, which was done in retaliation of what had been done to Sarah, and an enemy of the KGI team, namely Garrett.  The CIA wants to use her to find her half-brother.  And she is trying to protect the only family she has left.  Sarah has no idea what a truly bad man her brother is, but, she will find out.  She finds herself on the run to hide from the brother of the man her brother killed.

Sarah goes to a tropical paradise to hide out.  She notices the hot guy next door, but doesn’t think too much about it, at first.  They eventually meet up and start spending time together. And, Garrett finds himself starting to have feelings for her.  He’s falling hopelessly in love with her.  He slowly wins her trust.  But, when Sarah thinks those looking for her have found her, she runs.  Leaving Garrett to chase her down to ensure her safety.  Sarah finally finds out that Garrett has lied to her about why he is there and that he was sent there to watch her and keep her safe.  She has a hard time believing that a bad man her brother is.

Sarah eventually realizes that she loves Garrett and will do anything to protect him, once she gets over her initial feelings of betrayal, and is welcomed into the Kelly fold.

Whispers in the Dark – Book 4

Nathan Kelly, twin to Joe, and the youngest in the Kelly clan, is on his last tour of duty when he and others are taken prisoner.  He is tortured beyond belief and forced to watch unimaginable things done to fellow soldiers.  He and Swanson (Swanny) are the only two left.  The only thing that has kept Nathan sane was “voice” in his head.  Shea.  But is she real, or has he really lost his mind.  She comforts him in his mind during the endless time he has spend imprisoned.  She also has the ability to take away the person’s pain that she is linked with.

Nathan and Swanny are taken out once again for another round of torture.  Just when Nathan is losing all hope, they manage to make an attempt at escape.  They are running when their captors start falling to the ground.  They look up and see American soldiers swarming in.  Lead by whom else??  KGI!!!  Nathan and Swanny are both injured, but KGI manages to get them out.  Nathan is mumbling about Shea, much to his brothers’ surprise.  When asked who is Shea, he simply replies “Mine”.  She severs the link and Nathan and his buddy are taken back home.

Nathan is conflicted about whether Shea was real or not, until one day, she telepathically calls out to him.  She is in trouble and needs his help.  He knew she was real!!  He takes off without letting his brothers know and dashes to save Shea.  Of course, his brothers follow.  Come to find out, Shea, and her sister Grace, have been living on the run for quite some time.  They have found out that their entire life had been a lie.  They were part of a group that was trying to use her and her sister’s abilities for nefarious purposes. Shea, with the ability to take away pain and Grace, who could actually take away diseases and injuries and make people well.  But, not without great personal pain.  In order to save Shea and Grace from whomever was chasing them, they had to figure out what exactly had happened to them.

Nathan and Shea are in the process of healing, thanks in large part to the Kelly clan, but Shea’s healing will only be complete when her sister Grace is found and rescued.  The next book, Echoes at Dawn (07/03/12), is Grace’s story.  The hero is Rio, a leader of one of the KGI teams, and I for one, can’t wait!!!

I love this series for so many reasons.  I loved the fact that she added a paranormal twist to this series. The large, loyal, and extended family, make it so believable for me.  It makes me wish I was a Kelly.  J  Love the fact that it’s set in the south. And, the fact that it takes place around Kentucky Lake.  Myself, living just outside of Memphis, makes this real for me.  My family and I have camped at Kentucky Lake many many times.  So, in my mind’s eye, I can see their place on the lake and feel the air.  And, when they talk about the Kellys’ drawl, I hear it perfectly in my mind. I also love the action, the suspense and the romance.  The Kelly boys are hot and I love how Maya shows their vulnerability, despite being tough as nails.  This is truly a series that I am always eager for the next installment to be released.  The possibilities with this series are endless.  There are team members to be written about.  There are two brothers that still have their story to be told and I look forward to each and every one of them!!!  Oh yeah!!  Have I mentioned that Maya is one of my all-time favorites??  😀

Reviewed by Vickie M.

Share