C. J. BarryReseñas

Okay finished this one for the SFR challenge. It was okay. The sci fi element, while definitely there was not really intense enough for me. Some element of gritty realism was lacking for me. I realize that many who like sci fi romance are not as into hard sci fi as I am so there may be plenty of sci fi for them.

I also had a personal problem with the story in that it was about saving slaves. I wasn't real interested and I realize that slavery exists today so the topic is timely. I just needed more of an escapist story right now since I currently have so much stress in my life. I kept thinking, I don't want to have to think about bad stuff. Another time it may not have bothered me.

About the story itself. It was competently written, no big holes in the plot. I could have used a little more background on the characters, the hero especially. The whole thing came together nicely. There was actual thinking and deciding to be done by the characters. I did like Nod, the little light ball computer. He was cute without trying to be cute. Which shows good writing. Also while he helped the characters out, he was not all knowing or all powerful. He could do the things he could do but that was it.

The supporting characters were very well written. They all had solid motivations and were whole in themselves not cardboard cutouts. The character that gave me the most problem was the villain. His motivation was weak and his power too powerful without sufficient explanation of how he managed to know so much about the hero. He was the most cardboard cutout character.

All in all this was good enough for me to try another of this author's books.

I'm not sure what I expected from this book, but I know I did not get anything from it. It took me ages to read which is a rarity for me these days. Most books I finish within 3 days of starting, but man did Redemption never take my full attention or envelope me in the safety of a new world.

I was bored for most of the book. Bits and pieces were interesting, but those parts seemed fleeting at best. I'm honestly just disappointed this book. I really wanted to like Reya and Thane, but for the most part it all felt forced to me.

I desperately wish I had enjoyed this book more, but I can barley gather a good thought about it. I felt relieved when I'd finished it. I can't say the last time I felt that with a book.

Unraveled was OK. It started off fine, but Rayce's prejudice against the Majj got old fast. Tru was a nice heroine who grew as the story progressed. They were cute together, but I thought their romance was a bit sappy. This story wasn't as entertaining as Unearthed.

4.5 stars

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It was funny, romantic, quirky, adventurous, and suspenseful. I thought Tess did a wonderful job handling all of the things thrown her way; I felt her reactions and emotions to the situations were realistic. Cohl was a great hero. Though he was stubborn at times, he really cared for Tess and wanted what was best for her. I'm looking forward to reading the others in this series.

Unleashed was a cute and sweet romance. I really liked Lacey and Zain; they were really good for each other. I admired Lacey's tenacity. She was in a situation many would falter in, but she stuck to her guns and wanted to be the decider of her fate. She made some bad decisions in her past and wouldn't let Zain make them for her. Zain was a lonely explorer and suffered because of the death of his partner. Lacey made him realize that maybe he wanted something more for himself. The ending was a nice surprise and left me with a smile on my face.

This book was pretty good, though it was a departure from the first three books. I thought the others were light and fluffy reads. This one was a lot darker. I thought Torrie and Qaade made a great team, but were not convincing as lovers. That sexual spark was missing in their relationship. Torrie was a bit of a spoiled princess, but boy did she get an eye opening experience with the life Qaade led. His mission was to rescue slaves from their slavers. Qaade wanted to be the one in control of everything, but he had to learn the hard way that it was okay to have help from others. There were a few times I got teary-eyed and I was really rooting for Torrie and Qaade to come through to save the day. I'm a bit disappointed that there are no others in this series.

My only slight gripe with this book is that it could have been much longer with all the awesome original ideas and characters C.J. Barry has packed into this deliciously exciting and sexy story. (I want a Pitz of my own...but I'd settle for Cohl.)

When his father is kidnapped and held for ransom so the hero will retrieve a special amulet, he in turn kidnaps a human girl from earth to use her voice to unlock said amulet. Though he really feels guilty about taking her from everything she knows, he's a man who is willing to do what needs to be done despite person heartache or the heartache of others. As a prince to his people-though he turned away from his responsibilities and his title-it's clear that he's willing to do anything for the good of his people. The heroine spent most of her life until this point working to help her parents and now that they've died-she's determined to follow hr dream and be a famous singer. She's at first pissed about being taken front hat dream-and rightly so-but she's not the type of girl to spit those who needs her help and without her voice the hero's father will die. I really enjoyed this book because it was balanced and the characters were relatable. The heroine at first comes off as that feisty take no shit from no one girl but she's also willing to admit when she's in over her head. She isn't stupid or selfish and though she's able to handle most situations the adventure throws at her-she turns to the hero for protection and saving when needed. She leans on him as he relies on her for breaking his loneliness. The hero is kidding himself when he thinks he can just gallivant around the galaxy forever. He's angry about being trapped by responsibility and as a result has broken ties with his parents. He was immature and childish in a lot of things but it was the heroine who made him finally realize that his path in life wouldn't make him happy forever. I loved the fact that neither the hero or the heroine truly realized know much the other person loved them until the end. Due to the way they met-the hero kidnapping the heroine and all- it's understandable to think that things couldn't work out. But all's well that ends well. Nice easy read-nothing too deep. A little healthy drama here and there to spice things up.

Imagine finding out your grandmother wrote erotica when you inherit her house. Now imagine that she used your picture for the author. If that’s not bad enough, you live in a small town where people can’t understand the words private life.

C. J. Barry creates a fun ride with the story set in a small town where everyone thinks they have a right to judge you. Then she throws in a hot architect on a secret mission, a woman with plans to leave town, and a mystery at the the building site.

If you are a fan of C. J. Barry, you’ll love this story. I recommend it to anyone who likes a romance with a little mystery attached.

I snagged this while it was available as a read it now from Netgalley.

Started off pretty good, good writing, interesting plot and likeable characters. A new idea in the urban fantasy genre. Unfortunately the more I read around the half way through mark the story failed for me.

I still liked the main characters, but the plot and the mythology in the book got on my nerves and ended up irritating the hell out of me so in the end I was glad to be finally done with it. Not going to go into details because it would he major major spoilers.

I would definitely read something by this author again, I liked the writing style, but this book didn't work for me.

**I received a copy of this book from Netgalley, from the Author and Publisher for a honest review**

This was a good story, even though it wasn't exactly what I expected or really my type. I expected it to be more of a paranormal romance. However even if it lacked the romance that I had anticipated it was still a good paranormal book. There is romance though, just a bit.

For me this story started off strong, but then had so much background that I almost felt lost at times. But it was very thought through and well explained for the most part.

Reya is a redeemer who's job is to go to those that have been pretty evil during their life: rapists, murders, child molesters, abusers, and those you have made millions off their greed. I could go on, but basically a combination of the above and other horrific things you can think of. That is what her jobs consist of. So she goes to these evil doers before their deaths and tells them their sins, and then asks if they are sorry. This is their chance to redeem their souls, to choose the right path. Because as much as the rest of us hope these type of people will burn in Hell, everyone is able to ask for forgiveness, given a second chance.

Thane is a cop who works in the paranormal unit. Even though no one believes in paranormal happenings, the unit is basically for when the "crazies" call in and say they seen this or that. His unit is for the unexplainable crimes. Thane's soul is nor good or evil, but straddling the line. He has done things that are unmoral but most of us would see as justice. But whether justice is served or not is not what is important, it is the decisions we all make that affect our soul. If we do a bad thing for a good reason, it is still bad and goes against our soul, no matter how many lives we may save.

Thane and his partner Martin are assigned to the mysterious deaths that have been ruled accidental, however in every video Reya has been to the victim before their death. This makes her a suspect. Not to mention Thane feels in his gut that she is involved. But when he meets her and finds out what is going on he's in for a surprise. Not only is she innocent, but now he is about to wake up and face his destiny, one he never knew existed, one he never could of imagined. In the end will he find his redemption too?

**I received a copy of this book from Netgalley, from the Author and Publisher for a honest review**

This was a good story, even though it wasn't exactly what I expected or really my type. I expected it to be more of a paranormal romance. However even if it lacked the romance that I had anticipated it was still a good paranormal book. There is romance though, just a bit.

For me this story started off strong, but then had so much background that I almost felt lost at times. But it was very thought through and well explained for the most part.

Reya is a redeemer who's job is to go to those that have been pretty evil during their life: rapists, murders, child molesters, abusers, and those you have made millions off their greed. I could go on, but basically a combination of the above and other horrific things you can think of. That is what her jobs consist of. So she goes to these evil doers before their deaths and tells them their sins, and then asks if they are sorry. This is their chance to redeem their souls, to choose the right path. Because as much as the rest of us hope these type of people will burn in Hell, everyone is able to ask for forgiveness, given a second chance.

Thane is a cop who works in the paranormal unit. Even though no one believes in paranormal happenings, the unit is basically for when the "crazies" call in and say they seen this or that. His unit is for the unexplainable crimes. Thane's soul is nor good or evil, but straddling the line. He has done things that are unmoral but most of us would see as justice. But whether justice is served or not is not what is important, it is the decisions we all make that affect our soul. If we do a bad thing for a good reason, it is still bad and goes against our soul, no matter how many lives we may save.

Thane and his partner Martin are assigned to the mysterious deaths that have been ruled accidental, however in every video Reya has been to the victim before their death. This makes her a suspect. Not to mention Thane feels in his gut that she is involved. But when he meets her and finds out what is going on he's in for a surprise. Not only is she innocent, but now he is about to wake up and face his destiny, one he never knew existed, one he never could of imagined. In the end will he find his redemption too?

Redemption is the latest book by C.J. Barry, author of multiple science fiction romance series. As I thought about this book review I had mixed feelings. This is the first of a series of books and I do look forward to the next book, but this one made me wonder if there’s a line between speculative fiction and religious fiction.

For me, this book skated close to the line on religious messages. I liked the concept that there is always time for redemption, but I started to feel like I was getting a sermon in a few places. That said, it’s a solid romance, and it’s hot. The world that C.J. created is, at the same time, familiar and strange. It has an almost comic book (oops graphic novel) quality.

You’ll like this book if you like stories that present you with romance and fantasy and a helping of spirituality.

4.5 stars. Reya is an immortal being called a Redeemer; her job is to confront thoroughly evil people, just before they are scheduled to die, to offer them once last chance to turn their lives around. If she performs her job well enough, and in accordance with the ba-zillions of irritating and ridiculous rules set up by the Powers That Be, not only can she redeem those souls, but her own soul, and just possibly, help the planet Earth itself move more firmly into the light. If she fails... not only her own soul, but all or Earth could be plunged into spiritual darkness.

I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thane is a rulebreaker, a cop gone dirty for the right reasons - at least in his mind. He's killed a lowlife scum more than once, he's planted evidence, and more than anything else, he'd like revenge on the man? who killed his father. He's also coming into some very special paranormal powers of his own, and of course, Thane and Reya must work together.

This story puts a whole new twist on the concept of "the ex-boyfriend from Hell." It offers angels and demons and paranormal critters while tying them more to a New-Agey reincarnation spiritual theme, ALTHOUGH it doesn't talk trash about any traditional religions or churches, either. And the most unexpected people step to the plate and turn out to be heroes.

I really enjoyed the pacing, the slow reveal of the rules for this world, and the way in the end, the key wasn't smarts alone, but love. This seems to be the first in a series but has its own satisfying ending; not a cliffhanger.

I found this to be a really good read. The story is well-written and very detailed. The characters are interesting and the concept is very different from anything I have read before.

Reya is working to redeem her soul, she's been doing this for a long time and hasn't had any problems until just recently. She has been noticed speaking to the people just before they have died and now she has a detective trying to find out how she is connected to their deaths.

When she finds out that she needs to protect Detective Thane, a cop who isn't as squeaky clean as he would have people think, she realizes that it isn't going to be easy. As well as protecting him she has to work out why good, innocent people are being killed and who is trying to get to the detective.

She also has to do this without revealing too much about herself to him. Not an easy task and as the job gets harder, she finds herself telling him the truth about what she is and what she does. It also turns out that the detective is the key to a plan to turn the world to darkness by someone she knows from her past.

With a good amount of action, a nice romance that sizzles along at the right pace and a race to save the earth, this book entertaining and doesn't rush you to the finish but maintains a nice speed.

The only negative I could find was that there wasn't much information about why she is working for redemption and how she made the choice to do so. It may be in the next book but if it isn't I would hope that the author would eventually write either a short story or a follow-up.

Reya is a Redeemer. She is the last person someone sees before they die. She is their last chance at salvation. Sort of a soul-cleansing grim reaper if you will.

Thane is a dirty cop whose soul is on the verge of becoming lost. He, along with his partner, head up the paranormal investigation unit in the police force. His path crosses with Reya as he is called in to investigate the "accidental" deaths of so many citizens.

At first the book was somewhat confusing. The various dimensions and ascending worlds sent me threw a loop a few times. However, I liked the over concept and the book was well-written. The characters developed and grew throughout the story. Over all I give the book three stars.

I love Sci-fi romance. My favourite authors are Lizzy Ford and Alexandra May so this one took me by surprise.But this is a great story if you love Star Trek/Lost in Space type Science Fiction Romance. There's quirkiness, suspense, mystery and lots of heartbeating romance.The story takes us from Earth to a space abduction (I refuse to use the word alien!) and then bring on the chemistry!I loved the two characters, their development was sweet, endearing and the story was told really well by the author.I haven't read any of the other books in the series but I'm going to start the next one straight away! Thank you to Net Galley for allowing me to read this book!

Unearthed is a fast, fun, romping space adventure. It's space opera in a good way. Tess is the fiery-haired heroine who is abducted by the devastatingly handsome alien Cohl. Only Tess can save Cohl's father and his planet.

The story is written with an upbeat pace that kept my attention. The characters are engaging and quick-witted. I loved Cohl's robot bodyguard! Wish I had one of my own!

This is not a high brow science fiction novel. Don't look for minute details on quantum space theory or black holes. This is a feel good space adventure romance that doesn't take itself too seriously. Grab a copy and enjoy the ride.

Thank you Carina Press and Netgalley for allowing me to review Unearthed.

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy

BODY THIEF by C.J. Barry is the second book in The Body series which is a paranormal romance/science fiction mashup. Don’t let the science fiction part scare you off since the ‘aliens’ in this book are shapeshifters. Honestly apart from a few references to the Shifters home planet, you could really read this as a straight paranormal romance.

The writing and subtle worldbuilding is quite good. I picked up on a bit of an Alias vibe when it started out with Cam having to work together with Agent Griffin, which I loved. But I feel like I should have really loved this book and can’t quite put my finger on why it was just a good but not great read. I’m going to chalk it up to a mix of things that on their own wouldn’t have made a difference, but added up together ended up costing BODY THIEF another bat.

As a story telling device, I’m not a fan of villain POV chapters and there were a handful of those here. There were also a few reoccurring scenes that involving phone messages that never seemed to serve a real purpose. Also there were some unique abilities that Griffin possessed that were never explained. My main issue, however, was with the characters. I just never found their chemistry believable. Griffin had just had his entire live irrevocably destroyed by a Shifter who impersonated him for months. Camille was in a desperate search to find her long lost brother in order to help cure her father who was dying from ‘alien cancer’. Considering their situations, I just didn’t buy that either one of them would be overcome by attraction during the short period of time they were together.

Overall, I enjoyed the writing and premise of the BODY THIEF very much, but a combination of factors kept it from being a really fantastic read for me. It did open my eyes to what a paranormal/science fiction romance could be like and I think it’s a genre I’ll read in the future. Feel free to jump right into this book as it’s a completely contained story, however if you want more background info about Shifters and how they ended up on earth, you can check out the first book in The Body series, BODY MASTER. There is no word yet on future books.

Sexual Content:
Two graphic sex scenes

The overall rating for the series is 4 butterflies. I had a great time reading these books, I had fun, I got a healthy dose of smutty galore, and I was very, very glad I got a chance to read them.
If I were to say what genre they’d go in, since people are always big on tags and stuff like that, I’d think these are romance with a sci-fi-ish twist, and not the other way around. There is a lot going on in each book, and there’s a whole universe weaved for them, but I feel the main element is the romance. So I’d disagree with some reviews I read up on Goodreads, that slightly bash them for not being solidly sci-fi. I don’t think they were meant to be; and I don’t think I would have liked them more if they would have been, honestly. Buuut then again I’m not a sci-fi buff, I just like the occasional sci-fi because the book was very well written and the writer is very talented, not because of that genre. Anyways…

Unmasked (UN-Forgettable #4)
Aaaand my least favorite one – this one was a 3 butterflies. As I’ve mentioned before, a part of it may very well be the fact that I’d sort of started to detach from the series, knowing full well this one was the last book. And because they’re ‘related’, one character being introduced by the previous book, but they can very well stand on their own, separately, without any issue really, there wasn’t a bunch of tension carrying over from the previous twists and turns in the series. Plus it came after a book I had a lot of fun reading, so without my intending to, it surely got compared and lost some points that way.

I attribute my slightly less enthusiastic reaction to this read to Torrie, really. I mean, Qaade didn’t exactly outshine the other male characters of the series, in my opinion, but Torrie was decidedly less fun then she seemed to be when she was introduced in book #3. I mean, I thought she’d be more fun, and for some reason, she wasn’t quite as much as I thought.

Of course, another factor is all the slaves thing, and the tone of the book in general is more sober, the characters deal with some disturbing issues. I dunno. But I still enjoyed reading it, and if we’re talking series, I say read all the books.
There are some patterns, like the uber-hot-stud male character, and the perky female character, and the outrageous attraction between then, you know, the smutty ingredients for an awesome read

The overall rating for the series is 4 butterflies. I had a great time reading these books, I had fun, I got a healthy dose of smutty galore, and I was very, very glad I got a chance to read them.
If I were to say what genre they’d go in, since people are always big on tags and stuff like that, I’d think these are romance with a sci-fi-ish twist, and not the other way around. There is a lot going on in each book, and there’s a whole universe weaved for them, but I feel the main element is the romance. So I’d disagree with some reviews I read up on Goodreads, that slightly bash them for not being solidly sci-fi. I don’t think they were meant to be; and I don’t think I would have liked them more if they would have been, honestly. Buuut then again I’m not a sci-fi buff, I just like the occasional sci-fi because the book was very well written and the writer is very talented, not because of that genre. Anyways…

Unleashed (UN-Forgettable #3)
Now this one I loved the most out of all 4 of the books. This one I’d love to reread anytime I’ll have the chance.

The plot is, like with book #2, more sci-fi-ish then the first. But what really makes this awesome are the characters, Zain and Lacey, and their chemistry. It felt to me like they had the most intense connection out of all the pairs, and I loved them separately and together. Of course, I may be also influenced by Lacey’s cat in this…it shall remain a mystery.

The entire book felt fast paced, and it kept me on the edge of my seat basically from start to finish; I loved it so much, I read it in one go. It felt to me like in this book there was the most humor, and it’s all thanks to Lacey, she’s super smart, and funny, and a pleasure to read. And Zain was the awesome partner for it.
Lacey and Zain rock!!
This one was more like a 4,5 butterflies, it was close to 5, but not quite there for some reason. But it’s one awesome and fun romance book, and I say you should read it, totally.

The overall rating for the series is 4 butterflies. I had a great time reading these books, I had fun, I got a healthy dose of smutty galore, and I was very, very glad I got a chance to read them.
If I were to say what genre they’d go in, since people are always big on tags and stuff like that, I’d think these are romance with a sci-fi-ish twist, and not the other way around. There is a lot going on in each book, and there’s a whole universe weaved for them, but I feel the main element is the romance. So I’d disagree with some reviews I read up on Goodreads, that slightly bash them for not being solidly sci-fi. I don’t think they were meant to be; and I don’t think I would have liked them more if they would have been, honestly. Buuut then again I’m not a sci-fi buff, I just like the occasional sci-fi because the book was very well written and the writer is very talented, not because of that genre. Anyways…

Unraveled (UN-Forgettable #2)
This one came close to being my favorite of the series. I liked both Rayce and Tru, a lot, and their chemistry was awesome. I also loved the emotional tension between them, and the healing that their connection brought them both.

The first part of the book seemed more fun then the second one, for some reason. Here I felt a slightly more interesting level of world-building then in the first, the whole Majj thing, and their intolerance for anything less then ‘perfect’ seemed more sci-fi (to me) then the more space-fairytale flavor the first book had. The fact that I liked both the characters of course influenced me, and this would be a full 4 butterflies rating.

The overall rating for the series is 4 butterflies. I had a great time reading these books, I had fun, I got a healthy dose of smutty galore, and I was very, very glad I got a chance to read them.
If I were to say what genre they’d go in, since people are always big on tags and stuff like that, I’d think these are romance with a sci-fi-ish twist, and not the other way around. There is a lot going on in each book, and there’s a whole universe weaved for them, but I feel the main element is the romance. So I’d disagree with some reviews I read up on Goodreads, that slightly bash them for not being solidly sci-fi. I don’t think they were meant to be; and I don’t think I would have liked them more if they would have been, honestly. Buuut then again I’m not a sci-fi buff, I just like the occasional sci-fi because the book was very well written and the writer is very talented, not because of that genre. Anyways…

Unearthed (UN-Forgettable #1)
Now, if I were to talk about them book by book, the first one was more like 3,5 then a full four. I liked the writing, the mood, the world, but I can’t say I liked both the characters that much; Cohl was cool, and Tess was funny, but I didn’t love either of them.
What I really liked, in all the books (maybe a little less in the 4th though), was the chemistry between the the characters. I mean, it was right there, intense to smoldering, on a case by case basis. And it was hot as hell in space, I can tell you that!
I will admit to the fact that the first and the last book in any series always benefit from less of my willingness to commit emotionally; the first one needs to really win me over for the rest of them, and the last one I approach with one foot outside the door, more or less, anticipating the separation and all that. So, there’s always that…

The Unforgettable Series by C.J. Barry began with UNEARTHED, followed in short order by UNRAVELED and UNLEASHED. With UNMASKED, the author has brought us the most delectable hero of all-Qaade Deter. A man of many faces, he's at once a plunderer known only as the Ghost Rider of the Dead Zone. To law enforcement officials on a number of planets, he's a pirate wanted dead or alive. For the men and women forced into slavery and set free by an unknown hero, he's laghato, the savior. To Torrie Masters, a freight captain on a maiden voyage for her family's business, the man in the mask is nothing but trouble with a capital T.

When the Ghost Rider and his gang of roughshod, yet lovable pirates capture the Ventura2, Torrie refuses to bail. This is her ship, by God, and if the engine core is going to melt down, it will just have to take her with it. Fortunately-or not, depending on your point of view-the inevitable breakdown doesn't happen. Instead, her ship is overrun by pirates, and Torrie is taken captive.

In what could have been the end of a very short-lived life as a Captain, the leader of the Ghost Riders sets her free-then turns around and demands her help in return. The pirates are intent on setting free those in slavery, and Qaade expects a grateful Torrie to assist him. Torrie, who had a hand in the rescue of her brother Zain from just such a fate, admires Qaade and his gangly band of merry men in their endeavors. But Torrie isn't sure that joining forces with a man both feared and admired the solar system over is someone to go into league with.

As passions ignite, tempers flare, and forces unite in a bid to save the universe, both Torrie and Qaade are thrown into more and more desperate-and dangerous-circumstances. They'll have to trust each other to survive, and dealing with the emotions of their hearts seems to be the least of their worries.

UNMASKED, although the fourth in the series, is a stand-alone book that lovers of action-adventure, science fiction, and futuristic romances can all enjoy. The story is almost like a ragtag Robin Hood, with the bad guys as good guys in disguise, and a heroine that makes Maid Marian look like a wimp. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and happily anticipate the next book in the series.

This was my first book by this author and it was pretty good. A futuristic that takes place in space, Torrie Masters is captain of her own spaceship on her maiden voyage when she is set upon by pirates. Qaade Deter is captain of the pirate ship looking for drugs that heal the minds of brainwashed slaves who he has rescued from captivity. Torrie is a kickass heroine and I really liked her. I have this obsessive-compulsive problem about reading series books in order. It just makes me feel twitchy if I don't follow the plan. So when discovering about halfway through that this book must be part of a series, I wanted to cut and run. But I was too engrossed to take this thought seriously and I'm glad I finished. It stands alone just fine. It was very fast paced with some hot sex scenes. One quibble though... Torrie could kick some serious ass quite well but was afraid to stand up to her brothers who would like nothing better than to put her in a desk job. This just didn't sit well with my view of her. She could stand up to pirates but not her brothers? That part didn't work for me. My Grade: B-