Wanderlust **KB Exclusive Review**

Jax is back! I have been waiting for months to say those three words and I am beyond excited that Ann Aguirre has written a sequel to her very popular book, Grimspace that came out the beginning of this year. With Wanderlust, Ann proves she is no one-hit wonder author. Remember how I said if you are not reading Nalini Singh, you are lacking in your reading material, well the same goes for Ann Aguirre. And I still stand by my original statement back when I reviewed Grimspace and said that Sirantha Jax is my favorite heroine of 2008. She still very much is.

Wanderlust is no walk in the park type of read. This is one emotionally draining book. Ann is a sly (wench) writer. The way she ends Wanderlust wants to make you scream because there is no neat and tidy ending. Things are left very open and as soon as I finished, Blossum, my inner voice was screaming, “ME WANT NEXT BOOK NOW!” Should I feel embarrassed when such a book like this makes me feel such emotion? *blush*

You would think Sirantha, otherwise known as Jax would have it easy since she saved the universe. Think again. Jax’s former employer, the Farwan Coporation has been eliminated thanks to Jax and her rag tag crew, which also includes her new lover, March. Grimspace is where we were introduced to Jax, a jumper that can make spaceships travel through time and space at the speed of light, a.k.a grimspace. In Wanderlust, Jax is given a new job as an ambassador for the centuries old Conglomerate, which is a coalition of planetary representatives that try to keep peace and order in the universe. The Conglomerate wants Jax to travel to those known planets that still are not a part of the coalition and recruit them into their group. Since Jax is out of a job, she has no choice but to accept. Jax is not happy with these turns of events. She lives and breathes to jump, it is in her blood. But something is very wrong with Jax. She is weak and sick because of all her jumping through grimspace. A few more jumps could kill her. March is scared for Jax and doesn’t want her to jump anymore. But grimspace is like a drug to Jax and she can’t stop, even if it means her death.

Things are not that great between Jax and March. Jax has always assumed she wouldn’t have much longer to live and even tells March so. March feels that Jax holds back a part of herself from him even though he has opened his heart and soul to her. He begins to questions if her love for him is real. They are both hurting, and because of that, their relationship is breaking down before it can even truly begin. Before they can even work things out, they are on another dangerous adventure. Jax’s ambassadorship is not smooth sailing, especially when Jax’s mother, Ramona, who she hasn’t seen in sixteen years, comes to Jax for help. Romona is in a bind and may end up dead by a secret group called the Syndicate unless Jax sabotages her mission. And even though mom lays the guilt on thick, Jax doesn’t fall for it. This may sound a bit cold hearted on Jax’s end, but her mother is a shady bitch.

Jax and March round up their crew, which includes some familiar faces such as Dina, the ship’s mechanic and Vel, an alien bounty hunter. Their intergalactic journey is even more treacherous than before. Not only do they have to keep an eye out for space raiders, killer aliens out for their blood, and the nasty Syndicate, but Jax’s body is slowly weakening to the point that she may indeed be dying. Jax is very scared and constantly thinking morbid thoughts, which make March so angry to the point, he can’t bear to be around Jax. And because of this, he makes a life alternating decision that may destroy their very fragile love along with his soul in the process.

Wanderlust is a rip-roaring adventure tale that sci-fi enthusiasts will embrace. Even if you are not a sci-fi fan, don’t be surprised if Wanderlust ends up being one of your favorite books this year. The way Ann writes Jax and her point of view is so very real and scary. Jax is at her wits end and close to the breaking point. She is somewhat responsible for March’s suffering and the path he has decided to take. Jax knows this and there is nothing she can do, because in order to save March, she has to give up a part of herself that makes her what she is, and that price is just too high for her to pay. Along with Jax and March’s emotional heartbreak there are some intense scenes of destruction and death taken right out of some of my favorite space adventure movies. One such scene, where Jax boards an empty space station, had me freaked out because it was so reminiscent of the 1979 sci-fi horror movie, Alien.

Wanderlust had my hooked from beginning to end, but there are some things that Ann does that made me so angry because she sure does like to make her characters suffer. There is a lot of suffering going in within these pages and my heart broke for both Jax and March because they are not in a good place right now. But even though Jax is going through some intense situations, the thing with Jax that I adore, is her tenacity and determination to overcome roadblocks, whether it be personal or life threatening. Jax may talk about her own death and mortality, but she does have a will to survive. If only Jax can see in herself what others see.

If you were a fan of Grimspace, you will most definitely enjoy Wanderlust, perhaps even more than Grimspace, which I did. This is a fast and furious read that will have you panting for the next book, Doubleblind, which cannot come fast enough.

4 ½ stars out of 5 stars

Katiebabs (KB)

Grimspace- the review

When a book is so good, it is hard to find the right words to explain why you should run to your nearest bookstore or order it on line ASAP. So is the case with Ann Aguirre, a new author who has written an incredible Sci-Fi action packed book that will grab you by the throat and not let go. You know a book is this good because you will sit there and read it all in one sitting and want more. Grimspace is such a book

I really have to give a shot out to Dionne aka Bam and Jane over at Dear Author for introducing me to Grimspace. Without people like them, I would have no idea about Ann and what a true treasure she is. I for one am not a big fan of science fiction or space travel books. The only other author I enjoy who writes for this genre is Linnea Sinclair. And the fact that Linnea can’t stop raving about Ann really means something.

Why is this book so good? Well, first and foremost it is because of the heroine, Sirantha Jax, who just goes by Jax. If no other book comes along with such a wonderfully written heroine by the end of 2008, I am definitely making Jax my number one heroine for 2008. Jax is not your normal run of the mill heroine. She is the ultimate strong, kick ass type of woman who will give anyone a run for their money. The harsh reality about this character is that she assumes death will be coming for her at any moment. You could say she lives each day as if it is her last, because there is a good chance it will be her last.

Grimspace takes place somewhere in the future, in a distant universe. Jax is a woman who has a special gene that enables her to travel warp speed through space and time. The book opens where her “employer” is trying to break her down, make her go crazy. They believe that on her last jump, she killed a ship full of people, including her pilot Kai. When a person like Jax jumps into grimspace, her pilot becomes her lifeline and brings her back to reality. Jax had such an incredible relationship with Kai. He was her best friend and lover all rolled into one. That is, until she meets the mysterious March. March breaks her out of prison for his own means. Without any explanation he needs Jax to help him and his crew jump from planet to planet. If she doesn’t do what he wants, he will kill her. Yup, what a great start to their relationship!

But as with Kai, Jax becomes close with March because he becomes her new pilot and thus they have a bond, a very fragile one that Jax can hardly stand. This line caught my eye, because it explains what Jax and Kai had, and to do this with March is betrayal:

“My throat tightens, and I feel a fist curling around my intestines. It’s a cramp, rising nausea. It’s being told you have to remarry before your husband’s cold in the grave.”

Jax and Kai were as close as a husband and wife could ever be, and now she must move on and do the same with March. Most of the time, Jax can't stop the on slot of memories of Kai and their friendship. Even when she starts to feel something for March, Kai’s ghost is always there. But, March understands and when the time is right, he knows Jax will let go of what she had with Kai and turn to him. This is another incredible thing Ann has done. So many other authors will give a heroine a past relationship and it is always bad from their lover being abusive or just paling in comparison to the hero. Ann does not make excuses when it comes to Jax and what she had with Kai, she brings it front and center and it is a true to life. Why can’t a woman like Jax have a love with one man and then be with another, March, whose feeling she has for him are very different?

Even with the romance aside, Grimspace is a “Star Wars” type of book. There are aliens, battles and journeys to different worlds. Space is a harsh bitch, where people die horrible deaths and trusting someone may not be an option. Jax tries to grab some happiness where she can and hopefully that will be with March, who is one nice male specimen.

So, I urge you, if there is one book you must buy this year, Ann Aguirre’s Grimspace must be on your TBR list. I also have a feeling this will not be the last we see of Jax and March. Thank you Ann, for writing a book like Grimspace and allowing me to open my mind to other genres and books I normally wouldn’t read.

On the Kristie(J) ratings scale, I give Grimspace a perfect 5 out of 5!

**As for myself, I will be traveling this weekend to the wilds of Pennsylvania, gone for 3 days! So if you don't see me in blogland I am around, just not on-line. Please, no tears! I will be back. Your homework for this weekend is to come up with more heroes we must adopt or put in foster homes. When I come back I will find places for these men in your care**

Katiebabs