Aurora Blazing - Book Review

Aurora Blazing (Consortium Rebellion #2)
by Jessie Mihalik

What is it about:
Bianca von Hasenberg did her duty for High House von Hasenberg and ended up trapped in a terrible marriage. When her husband dies unexpectedly and leaves her a happy widow, she vows never to marry again. Instead, she uses her connections to save other young women. Information is power and Bianca has a network that would be the envy of the ’verse—if anyone knew about it.

After an attack, Bianca’s oldest brother, the House von Hasenberg heir, disappears from Earth without a trace. Determined to find him, Bianca leaves against orders. When she refuses to return, her father sends Ian Bishop, the director of House von Hasenberg security, to haul her home like a recalcitrant child.

Bianca leads Ian on a merry chase across the universe, but when their paths finally collide, she persuades him that they would be far more successful at finding her brother if they worked together. She will do anything to save her sibling, even if it means spending time alone on a small ship with the handsome, infuriating man who once broke her heart.

As clues lead them deep into rival House Rockhurst territory, Bianca must decide if she can trust Ian with the one piece of information that could destroy her completely...

What did I think of it:
I loved Polaris Rising, so I dove into Aurora Blazing as soon as I could.

And this book might even be better!

I will confess I really didn't like Ian at first. He is a controlling jerk who tries to keep Bianca out of things. I was happy to see Bianca ignoring his unreasonable commands and doing what she thought was right. As the story progresses Ian starts to learn though, and I loved seeing his change and growth as a character. He went from jerk to someone worthy to root for.

I loved Bianca from the start. She went through a lot and is still dealing with things that happened to her in her marriage. Her determination and strength are admirable. I rooted for her to succeed in finding her brother.

There's lots of action, intrigue, and suspense in this book, and I kept reading to see where things would lead. The ending promises lots of intrigue and action still to come for the Von Hasenberg siblings, so you bet I'll get my trotters on the third book when it releases.

Why should you read it:
It's an amazing SF Romance.


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Polaris Rising - Book Review

Polaris Rising (Consortium Rebellion #1)
by Jessie Mihalik

What is it about:
A space princess on the run and a notorious outlaw soldier become unlikely allies in this imaginative, sexy space opera adventure—the first in an exciting science fiction trilogy.

In the far distant future, the universe is officially ruled by the Royal Consortium, but the High Councillors, the heads of the three High Houses, wield the true power. As the fifth of six children, Ada von Hasenberg has no authority; her only value to her High House is as a pawn in a political marriage. When her father arranges for her to wed a noble from House Rockhurst, a man she neither wants nor loves, Ada seizes control of her own destiny. The spirited princess flees before the betrothal ceremony and disappears among the stars.

Ada eluded her father’s forces for two years, but now her luck has run out. To ensure she cannot escape again, the fiery princess is thrown into a prison cell with Marcus Loch. Known as the Devil of Fornax Zero, Loch is rumored to have killed his entire chain of command during the Fornax Rebellion, and the Consortium wants his head.

When the ship returning them to Earth is attacked by a battle cruiser from rival House Rockhurst, Ada realizes that if her jilted fiancé captures her, she’ll become a political prisoner and a liability to her House. Her only hope is to strike a deal with the dangerous fugitive: a fortune if he helps her escape.

But when you make a deal with an irresistibly attractive Devil, you may lose more than you bargained for...

What did I think of it:
I've heard from a lot of people that Polaris Rising was a great read, so when I got some extra birthday spending money I decided to get hold of it.

And what a cool read!

The action started almost right away and soon Ada is on the run and in danger. She strikes a deal with Loch, a man accused of terrible crimes, to help her escape. And immediately the sparks start flying.

I loved both the action part of this story as well as the romance. Where the romance is a nice slow burn the action never stops. Ada manages to tumble from one dangerous situation in the next. She takes risks, but never in a way that made me think she was being stupid. Loch was a total alpha, but luckily not in a super controlling way. He is capable of seeing Ada's worth, and letting her do what she's good at. I was totally invested in them escaping their enemies, and rooted for them to trust each other and get together.

Other cool characters got introduced, and I also loved the world building. I very much enjoyed all the different places Ada visits and their different social structures. There luckily wasn't too much hard tech, but the tech that was used, was explained in a logical way that fitted the story.

All in all a really cool SF romance that I couldn't put down. You bet I'll read more books by Mihalik.

Why should you read it:
It's an awesome and action-packed SF Romance


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