Shoot the Messenger
Author: Pippa DaCostaSeries: Messenger Chronicles, Book 1
Publisher: Crazy Ace Publishing
Published: February 22, 2018
Kindle Edition, 285 pages
Rating: 5 Stars
★★★★★
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Summary: "Lies aren't her only weapons against the fae..."
In the Halow system, one of Earth’s three sister star systems, tek and magic—humans and the fae—are at war.
Kesh Lasota is a ghost in the machine. Invisible to tek, she’s hired by the criminal underworld to carry illegal messages through the Halow system. But when one of those messages kills its recipient, Kesh finds herself on the run with a bounty on her head and a quick-witted marshal on her tail.
Proving her innocence should be straightforward—until a warfae steals the evidence she needs. The fae haven’t been seen in Halow in over a thousand years. And this one—a brutally efficient killer able to wield tek—should not exist. But neither should Kesh.
As Kesh’s carefully crafted lie of a life crumbles around her, she knows remaining invisible is no longer an option. To hunt the fae, to stop him from destroying a thousand-year-long fragile peace, she must resurrect the horrors of her past.
Kesh Lasota was a ghost. Now she’s back, and there’s only one thing she knows for certain. Nobody shoots the messenger and gets away with it.
A new space fantasy reverse harem series where the guys are hot, the perils are many, and one rebel messenger holds the key to the survival of the human race.
REVERSE HAREM INFO: The Messenger Series is a slow burn reverse harem space-fantasy adventure. This series contains sexual encounters with multiple partners. The harem develops during the series.
I'm still not even sure how to begin reviewing this book. I can't even peg the genre. The blurb touts it as being "a slow-burn reverse harem space fantasy adventure" romance. Apparently the reverse harem develops over the course of the series, as there isn't actually much romance in the book. It's set in this future society where we've advanced our society to space, but also has a sort of alternate reality where the fae are a part of the human history, so it's sci-fi, but it's also fantasy? But also romance. Oh, and with a sort of mystery element too. And adventure. But also paranormal/paranormal romance? But with a sort of steampunk, sort of western feel, sort of urban fantasy. ...Genre party! ALL THE GENRES!
This was my first book by Pippa DaCosta, but now I need to go check out her back catalog. And I also need the next book in this series, preferably injected directly into my veins RIGHT NOW. There is so much to recommend this book. The world building is amazing, the dialogue is witty and sharp, and Kesh is bad ass who doesn't take crap from anybody while walking around in a sweet pocket-filled techno duster that can disguise her and carrying a chain whip charged with magic. Add to that the bad ass warfae out to frame her for murder who has kidnapped her best-friend-slash-droid, a hot marshal (read: old west cop but in space, also with a sexy duster) who is more than he appears, and a caged and exiled (also sexy) fae, and you can see the beginnings of this reverse harem starting to build up. Oh, also, holy plot twists, Batman. I got so emotionally invested in this book and in Kesh and the other characters, and then right at the end it was like Pippa DaCosta reached her hand inside my chest and ripped out my cracked and broken heart. (...Which is fitting, actually). I felt like I needed to go find some tape and try to put my heart back together after finishing this book. That's after resisting the mighty urge to fling my kindle across the room and sob broken heartedly into a pillow.
So yes! Read this book and be forever ruined, like me! I make it sound kind of awful, but it's that really good kind of pain, where you're like "Oh God, I can't take it! ...Give me the next book right now so you can continue sticking pins into my heart, Pippa DaCosta!"
Wow, it really must've been something to earn that initial review! And holy cow, it does sound like it is quite the genre mash-up, haha. Reverse harems are everywhere all the sudden, and I like that this one is taking more time to lead into that instead of making it happen immediately. I've never tried anything by this author, but I've seen her books around. I prob have one or two on my kindle lol. You're definitely making me consider this one though!
ReplyDeleteYeah, it was A-MAZING. I need the next on in the series, stat! I don't typically read things that are tagged reverse harem because they tend to focus more on the explicit-ness and less on the story (in my limited experience) but this one is non-stop story action! Totally amazing and you should read it RIGHT. NOW. :)
DeleteThis is the most accurate review to date of this book. The plot twist is enough to give you IRL whiplash. If you haven't read any other her other series I recommend "The Veil" series, there are five books so it might see you through until Messenger #2 is released.
DeleteTHANK YOU Caitrin, and I KNOW, RIGHT?! Whiplash, for serious. Heart, ripped out of chest and stomped on my combat boots. </3
DeleteThanks for the rec of what to read next - I haven't read anything else by her yet, so I appreciate the recommendation on where to start! :)