Monday, December 03, 2007

Books: Playing With Fire

For all my talk about how I don't read back cover copy, every once in a while as I do the quick scan to figure out if I have the right book, I get sucked in.
Gena Showalter's Playing With Fire was a perfect example. I was in the book store for one book (hee, even I didn't really believe that) which was not actually Gena's (it was not even that part of the alphabet but - you know book fumes, they take over). So, in theory I was just going to scan the back to figure out if Playing With Fire was related to the one I had finished recently. And it wasn't - but seriously - it sucked me in such that I could not leave this book behind. I think I waited three whole days or something before I read it but - scarfed, loved it, done.
So, what did that back cover copy say? I'm so glad you asked:
"Used to be my greatest achievement was holding a job more than three days. Now suddenly I can shoot fireballs, chill your drink or blow-dry your hair at fifty paces with a blink of my eye!
It all started when this crazy scientist dropped something in my Grande Mocha Latte.
Of course I got wicked sick.
Next morning I'm waking up with this total hottie bending over me.
He tells me 1) his name's Rome Masters, 2) he's a government agent and
3) I can control the four elements with a thought.
He seems even less pleased by my (apparently irreversible) transformation than I am…. Because now he'll have to kill me."*
Seriously. It was a great read and I hear tell another one is in the works. It lived up to the promise in the back cover copy. It reminds me a bit of Christine Feehan's Game series in that we've got folks who used to be 'normal' and now are trying to figure out how to make things work. That said, I had a friend who felt the Game series moved a little too fast (most of them have been 'different' for longer than since this morning) so this might be more her speed.
Also, we all know there are rules - you know, the person who says, "I'll be right back" is doomed and all that. Well, there was one bit (since it occurs much too far in, so no details) where I was sure X was going to happen so I was reading quickly - braced for doom, and...nothing, it was all fine. So my guard was down and - bam! Totally got me. So, sneaky.

*All rights and permissions of course remain with all the right people