Awaken Me Darkly

I wanted to read Gena Showalter's Awaken Me Darkly once I saw the cover (yes, sometimes I do judge a book by its cover), so I bought it at the literacy signing in Reno. I started it while I was waiting to board the flight home and finished it the next day. I'm so glad I bought it, because it was an exceptional read: 4.5 out of 5.

Mia Snow is an alien huntress with the Alien Investigation and Removal (AIR) agency. In her world, aliens and humans coexist, not always peacefully. Mia is responsible to track and kill rogue aliens who prey on humans. Her beloved brother was killed by aliens, a fact that reinforces her negative feelings about them. Now Mia is trying to find out who killed several men. That search leads her to Lilla en Arr and her brother, Kyrin.

Mia feels a tangible link to Kyrin and, to a lesser extent, Lilla. But she will use every means at her disposal to find out who is killing people, especially when her partner is gravely injured.

Reading Awaken Me Darkly is like stepping into a fascinating world. Mia kicks serious ass, some of it Kyrin's, in this book. Thankfully, one of Kyrin's gifts is an ability to heal quickly. While I understood her dedication to her job and her frustration, I thought she went too far at moments when she fought Kyrin. As for Kyrin, he's a wonderful hero. I just adored him.

The book leaves a few things unclear at the end, which is understandable as this is part of a series. I am excited for the next installment.