Tsunami Blue

Apr 13, 2010 Donna rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal-romance, 2010-read

Tsunami Blue was a terrific mixture of action, fun, and romance with a looming sense of forbidding lingering in the background while you read. It was a definite page turner, with heroine Tsunami Blue's snarky wit filling up the pages as she tries to figure out if she can trust super, sexy (and I do mean super sexy *fans self*) Gabriel Black, a runner who washes up on on her lone island. And I'm always a sucker for any story that includes a pet, like Blue's dog Max, because it makes the story a l...more

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Jan 29, 2013 Sherry Roberts rated it 4 of 5 stars

Gayle Ann Williams builds an amazing, tsunami-ravaged world where civilization is on the edge of evaporation and those who have survived either hate or hang onto a voice coming from their ham radios: Tsunami Blue. The water talks to her, warns of "monster waves coming," and she feels compelled to use her gift to save lives. But everyone wants a piece of her, especially the Runners, brutal and ruthless modern-day sea pirates who see many ways to profit from Blue. If only they can capture her. She...more

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Apr 10, 2010 Michelle, the Bookshelf Stalker rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is addictive. It is one of those books where the action is non-stop and you feel like you are on a non-stop wave yourself (yes I did really just write that). I could not put the book down. Before I knew it, I was done with the book and then I was stumped. There were some story holes that weren't filled. hmmm, I even went back to see if I missed those small gaps in the story. Nope, I didn't. Oh well, it still was a great, fun read and hopefully there will be a book 2!

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Nov 17, 2012 Monique Atgood rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is story telling at the finest. The author has a great sense of story, balance, action and romance.

SYNOPSIS:
Earth has been destroyed by tidal waves or ‘tsunamis’. Billions are dead, most of civilization is under water. Governments have failed en masse, and pirates rule the seas, islands, and coastal towns.

“Blue” lives alone with her dog on an island. She can accurately predict tsunamis by supernatural means, and warns people over shortwave radio. She saves thousands, but grieves and is wei...more

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May 25, 2012 Linda rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: animal-involved, children-involved, first-person-tense, futuristic-romance, lots-of-words-not-much-substance, time-i-can-never-get-back, expected-more-from-great-reviews

Tsunami Blue had a 'gift', she could predict when a tsunami would land. She had been alone for a long time, just her and her dog, Max. They lived in a secluded place on the St. Juan Islands off of Washington State. It was 2023 and the world as we know it no longer existed.

Enter Gabriel Black. Blue thinks he is a 'runner': an evil man who rapes and plunders. Except the author never shares this idea with the reader. It is just in Blue's mind. For all intents and purposes, Gabriel is a sweet hero w...more

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May 14, 2012 Jana Stocks Brown rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: dystopian, female-protagonist, romance

This was one of those books where I really WANTED it to be better than it was. There were these moments of brilliance in terms of character and setting and those moments kept me reading. Unfortunately, there were also so many moments of TSTL and places where the author glossed over important bits both in the world building and the character and plot arcs that I ended up very frustrated. The idea in this piece is that killer giant tsunamis have wrecked the world as we know it and Tsunami Blue (re...more

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Apr 10, 2012 Melinda Le Baron rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-romance

This was a good book. As typical in a romance, the main characters are simply gorgeous. This one takes place in a post-apocalyptic America which has been ripped apart by natural disasters, especially tsunamis. Our heroine, Tsunami Blue, can predict when the next tsunami will hit and so many unscrupulous men wish to possess her to make use of her talent for their own power and profit. Gabriel washes up on her island and she saves his life only to find out that he belongs to one of the groups that...more

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Oct 10, 2010 ♫♥✿LovLivLife Reviews✿♥♫ (Chasity) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: i-own

My main fascination with Tsunami Blue was the Ocean. I grew up near the Ocean and seriously no matter where I live on O'ahu I will be close to a shoreline. And I would not have it any other way. I must admit it was a bit nerve racking because I know how powerful the Ocean is and I don't want to imagine battling those kinds of waves.

Kathryn "Blue" O'Malley once a young girl crying warnings of a Tsunami that nearly wiped the population out is now an adult and the most highly sought after commodity...more My main fascination with Tsunami Blue was the Ocean. I grew up near the Ocean and seriously no matter where I live on O'ahu I will be close to a shoreline. And I would not have it any other way. I must admit it was a bit nerve racking because I know how powerful the Ocean is and I don't want to imagine battling those kinds of waves.

Kathryn "Blue" O'Malley once a young girl crying warnings of a Tsunami that nearly wiped the population out is now an adult and the most highly sought after commodity. Living in isolation with her dog she broadcasts wave reports on the air waves to whom ever can hear her. Tsunami Blue or Blue for short knows that survivors want to either kill her or use her but still she broadcast what the waves whisper to her.

Runners are the Pirates of the sea but they do not limit themselves to terror on the sea but the land as well. They are dangerous, murderous, greedy and heartless bastards. Until she meets Gabriel Black, the runner who washed up on her shore and whose life she saved.

The plot is undoubtedly stimulating. The setting is perfectly placed for me that I had little difficulty imagining this world. Ocean, waves, sand, sharks, fish (Salmon especially), and the boats. Of course, on the flip side there was blood, guts, knives of all wicked properties, pirates and a few other thing I sure as heck am not used to, only in a novel that is. With this wicked blend of familiarity and fantasy I was captured. Hook, line and sinker.

The romance was almost immediate. There was no guessing who the love interests would be but how it evolved is an adventure. On the negative, I hated how Blue kept on second guessing Gabriel's intentions to almost the very end.

Adventure. There is an element of adventure to be had sailing the open seas. The Author did not spare Blue and Gabriel- they were thrust into trial after trial. The author was not selfish- each character had the opportunity to play the hero. The author was daring- Characters were diverse in appearance and in perversity *shutters*

Confusion. I am a wee bit confused on one matter: The cause of the Tsunamis. There is a brief mention global warming but only brief but mostly it is more of a mystical cause and effect. The whispering seas. The ocean is given life and personality- playing tricks on blue. Teasing and taunting as well. I am leaning towards the mystical element since this is a PNR book and all signs come from that direction but there was no clear explanation. Even with the slight guess work I read this novel in a day. It did not hinder me from enjoying the flow of each page.

Epilogue. I love authors who give us Epilogues because when I enjoy a storyline and the characters I want more and I need a sense of closure. And, oh, how I adore the Epi. *sigh* I am a creature of habit and crave for a HEA.

All in all, I enjoyed this novel. The Gayle Ann Williams is very talented and I will continue to follow her work.(less)

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Jul 26, 2010 Nicola O. rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was kind of a mixed bag for me.

I quite liked Blue's character. Her wistfulness and loneliness come through sharply and the author does a good job of making us understand the level of danger she lives with. It's scary stuff. I also liked the "Tokyo Rose" inspiration, and the idea that Blue is a voice out in the world, bouncing off the moon.

World-building is a bit uneven-- generally I like the premise, but the details don't always hold up

Likewise, the romance. I think all the right ingredien...more

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Jul 18, 2010 Heather C (Darkly Reading) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What would have happened if the tsunami that struck Southeast Asia in 2004 was just the first of many that ended up destroying the world as we know it. This is the world the Blue lives in – one where there are no countries since the waves destroyed almost everything and a lawless and dangerous world now exists. But Blue has an advantage over the other survivors – the ocean speaks to her and warns her when other waves are coming. Though this gift also has made her a target for those who wish to c...more What would have happened if the tsunami that struck Southeast Asia in 2004 was just the first of many that ended up destroying the world as we know it. This is the world the Blue lives in – one where there are no countries since the waves destroyed almost everything and a lawless and dangerous world now exists. But Blue has an advantage over the other survivors – the ocean speaks to her and warns her when other waves are coming. Though this gift also has made her a target for those who wish to control the waves – the ruthless pirates known as the Runners. Blue is currently living on an island trying to keep hidden from the Runners while broadcasting what the ocean tells her to save other survivors. The only “person” she has for company is her dog Max who she often chats with (I talk to my dog too so I can appreciate a heroine who does this as well). One night when Max and Blue are out for a stroll they come across the body of a man that appears dead. Blue is quick to resuscitate him and brings him back to her cabin to later determine whether or not he is an enemy when he wakes. Though Blue doesn’t get much time to determine whether the man, Gabriel is a friend or foe, since the next day the Runners catch up with her and she is forced to trust Gabriel and flee with him.

There was definitely a Mad Max/Water World feeling to the book and the lawlessness and brutality of Blue’s existence was engaging as it was scary. Blue has been raised since a child in this increasingly dangerous world and she struggles to maintain hope that there are people out there that listen to her warnings from what the ocean tells her. One of her greatest fears is that there are no children that survived the waves and as Gabriel helps Blue escape the Runners she gets glimpses of what’s left of the Pacific Northwest area. And for the most part it isn’t pretty.

This book is a great mix of action, adventure, and romance in one quick read. Gabriel, otherwise known as "what the ocean washed up", seems to want to help Blue though he does have ties to the Runners. It’s hard to know whether Blue should trust him or not since he keeps his intentions hidden from her, though Blue can’t help but be attracted to him, he gives her coffee and red meat – things in short supply in their world. Truthfully a world without coffee would be a very difficult one for me to survive in – so I can totally understand her attraction to Gabriel. Though coffee isn’t the only thing Gabriel has going for him and as Blue gets to know him better she feels drawn to him as well. I have to admit I loved reading about their little “lessons” during the book and what buds between them is pretty hot. The constant threat of his possible betrayal also kept the story engaging since you’re never quite sure what his intentions are for most the book.

Overall 4 out of 5 for me, the ocean washed up a pretty sexy package for Blue and she knows how to use it. (less)

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Apr 12, 2010 Pamela rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, paranormal-romance

Gayle Ann Williams’s debut novel is an entertaining read, but it unfortunately suffers from stilted characterization and a weak ending.

I have to confess, I bounced back and forth between liking Blue, the main character, and being completely irritated by her. On one hand, she was raised by her Runner uncle–Runners are basically pirates, more on this later–and has lived alone since she was a young teenager. It makes sense that she’d talk to her dog as if he were human, and it makes sense that she...more Gayle Ann Williams’s debut novel is an entertaining read, but it unfortunately suffers from stilted characterization and a weak ending.

I have to confess, I bounced back and forth between liking Blue, the main character, and being completely irritated by her. On one hand, she was raised by her Runner uncle–Runners are basically pirates, more on this later–and has lived alone since she was a young teenager. It makes sense that she’d talk to her dog as if he were human, and it makes sense that she would have become a tough person to both fight off the Runners and to survive the isolation of her life. On the other hand… I found her bad ass banter with both the love interest and with the Runners to be contrived and eyeroll-worthy.

The fact that the novel is written in first person didn’t really help me get past my annoyance with Blue’s dialogue–inner and spoken. For example, from page 27:

I twirled the knife into a blur, which was habit. . . . “Depending on what I hear,” I continued, “if I like your answers, I’ll decide if you live” –twirl– “Or die.” Twirl. Man, I’d just impressed myself with this knife act, set a new speed record, even. I was such a badass.

The book falls victim to telling-not-showing syndrome. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, a book will be much better if the author shows you what she wants you to understand about her characters/world/plot. When the reader is told that the protagonist is a badass over and over and over, it just doesn’t have the same effect as being shown that Blue can, in fact, kick someone’s ass. We get to see her fighting the bad guys, but she’s constantly telling us how tough she is. I would have liked her much better if she’d stopped talking about it so much and just kicked ass.

Gabriel Black, on the other hand, just didn’t feel developed enough for me. He shows up, half-dead on Blue’s beach, and after she saves his life, he smolders at her, flirts with her, and acts generally dangerous. We get hints of his history throughout the book, particularly in his relationship with two orphaned boys, but I felt like he didn’t have much of a personality at all. He also seems to have a strange obsession with Blue that never quite made sense to me, but this might be because I do have a problem with the love-within-hours-of-meeting trope that’s so integral to a lot of romances.

The world itself and the overall concept of the book are very interesting to me. I like the idea of a world wracked by natural disasters and tsunamis so violent that they’ve reshaped the continents. However, my inner science nerd really wanted more about what was happening, and the explanation that’s given just didn’t satisfy me. However, I say this with the caveat that I like hard science fiction and I read a lot of nonfiction about geology, so I expected a lot more than the average reader will. I did have trouble believing, though, that every major city in the world has been wiped out by the waves. The waves reached Chicago? Denver? Moscow? Wow. Those were really some serious waves. The Runners reminded me really strongly of the Reavers from Firefly in that they’re big, scary, evil guys who rape, murder, and pillage (well, the Reavers didn’t pillage) their way through the islands that make up the world. Life in this world is dangerous, and that definitely comes across through the writing.

The ending, however, just didn’t satisfy me as much as I wanted it to. I won’t spoil it, but it just happened too easily for my taste. It was rather formulaic and would have benefited greatly either from more explanation or less happy-ending. Again, this is one of my issues with romance tropes–I’m not the biggest fan of the happy happy ending where everything bad is gone, blah blah blah, so if you’re a romance fan, your mileage may vary, but I just wished it had been a little more difficult for them.

Despite all of the stuff I’ve just complained about, it was a fun read with some nice, sexy scenes and a very interesting concept. I’m just a ridiculously picky romance reader, haha.(less)

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Dec 23, 2012 Tina Williams rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Tsunami Blue, a post apocalyptic paranormal romance, is set in the year 2023, when most of the Earth, following a series of cataclysmic tsunamis, becomes covered by water with small isolated island communities. Modern technology and conveniences have all but disappeared under the waves, which continue to plague the world.

We meet Blue, the 24 year old heroine, who has lived alone on an island with her dog since her uncle was murdered by Runners, violent pirates who rule the waves. Blue is special...more Tsunami Blue, a post apocalyptic paranormal romance, is set in the year 2023, when most of the Earth, following a series of cataclysmic tsunamis, becomes covered by water with small isolated island communities. Modern technology and conveniences have all but disappeared under the waves, which continue to plague the world.

We meet Blue, the 24 year old heroine, who has lived alone on an island with her dog since her uncle was murdered by Runners, violent pirates who rule the waves. Blue is special – she ‘listens’ to the sea and can predict where and when the next big waves will hit. She transmits this information over the radio. Blue chooses to remain alone due to this ability, knowing how valuable she would be to the Runners if they captured her and her gift used by them to extort valuable goods and punish and terrorise communities.

Blue’s peaceful existence is shattered one day when a man washes up on the beach, half dead. Blue rescues him and saves his life, learning that his name is Gabriel Black. She is kidnapped by him the next day and forced to flee her island and her home, as it is overrun with Runners looking for her and trying to take her away from Gabriel. She is left wondering what Gabriel wants with her and what her fate will be. Suspicious that he too is a Runner, she tries to prevent the growth of their mutual attraction and resolves to escape him.

The story is narrated in the first person. This is effective in that whilst we are privy to Blue’s personal feelings and motivations we too are uncertain of Gabriel’s true intent and this both heightens and prolongs the suspense, which added to my enjoyment of the novel. In fact I could not put it down until I had finished it! I liked the author’s writing style, which was sharp and descriptive enough to paint a vivid picture of the post –apocalyptic world, without getting bogged down in detail. I imagined the world to have elements of ‘Mad Max’, ‘Waterworld’ and ‘Pirates of the Caribbean.’ The dialogue between all of the characters was witty and entertaining, particularly the repartee between Blue and Gabriel.

Blue is a strong heroine with an interesting past. She prefers her life of solitude as it gives her the freedom to broadcast what she knows about the next big wave in the hope of saving others. Life has taught her valuable survival and combat skills and she has plenty of chances to put these to use in the book – she does not just use her knives to filet fish! She is devoted to her dog Max and is loyal not only to Gabriel, even when she is suspicious of him, but can also be relied on by other characters, who the author introduces us to. She despises Runners and suspects that Gabriel, the man she is overwhelmingly attracted to, is one, thus creating a great deal of tension, not least sexual, throughout the book.

Gabriel, is all male and Blue is instantly attracted to him. I wondered what he wanted from Blue and whether he could be trusted not to hand her over to one of the groups of Runners who were pursuing her, particularly as he appears to be a Runner himself. He is clearly attracted to Blue and has a compassionate side, which he exhibits from the start, not just in relation to how he treats Blue, but others. He also has a wicked sense of humour and is a skilled fighter.

The other main characters include Trace and Indigo, the leaders of the two opposing factions of Runners who are eager to capture Blue and use her for their own nefarious ends. Both characters were twisted and evil and there are descriptions of many violent scenes within the book, in a society where only the strong survive and it does not pay to exhibit a weakness. The violence highlights how social order has collapsed since the apocalypse. The author did well to also imbue the sea with feelings, to the extent that it becomes a character in its own right, its actions adding to the twists and turns in the plot.

The romance between Blue and Gabriel was both sweet and hot, but not graphic and it provided an excellent counterpoint to the violence going on around them and the fear of where and when the next big wave would come. The paranormal elements of Blue’s communication with the sea were well done and there is a nice twist at the end, which I did not see coming.

I would recommend this book to lovers of post apocalyptic tales, particularly those who enjoy romance with the story. I believe that the style of the book and the witty dialogue, along with violence and ‘kick ass’ hero and heroine, would also appeal to lovers of urban fantasy. I was totally absorbed in the book and will be reading the next in the series.
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May 09, 2012 Claire rated it 4 of 5 stars

Kathryn O’Malley was a five year old girl when she was stood on a beach in Thailand in 2004 shouting to everyone who would listen that a Tsunami was on its way. You see Kathryn has a special gift that allows the oceans to talk to her forewarning her of its cruel intentions. The year is now 2023 and Kathryn who is known as Tsunami Blue or Blue for short lives on her own with her dog Max, as she has done for the past five years, on an Island in a post-apocalyptic world that has been destroyed from...more Kathryn O’Malley was a five year old girl when she was stood on a beach in Thailand in 2004 shouting to everyone who would listen that a Tsunami was on its way. You see Kathryn has a special gift that allows the oceans to talk to her forewarning her of its cruel intentions. The year is now 2023 and Kathryn who is known as Tsunami Blue or Blue for short lives on her own with her dog Max, as she has done for the past five years, on an Island in a post-apocalyptic world that has been destroyed from Tsunamis. Blue spends her time broadcasting Tsunami warnings to those people who are left in the world. That is until one day she finds a handsome man washed up on her beach. Suffering from hyperthermia and close to death Blue has no idea who he is but saves his life. But should Blue have bothered because pirates who are known as Runners want to capture her so they can utilize her special gift in order that they can rule the waves.

I absolutely loved this book. I got it from Amazon as a freebie although it is a cheap book to buy anyway. It is action packed right from the off and it doesn’t let up until the end. It has a bit of everything you could want, laughs, love and a fair amount of gruesome bits. The world building is fantastic I’ve not read anything like it before. There isn’t much land left as it is all covered by the sea and the people who are left alive have turned into ruthless killers; well the Runners have at least. Money has no value anymore in fact Starbucks Christmas Blend is the new gold.

I think that Blue is an amazing character, she is as tough as nails but she also comes out with some witty comments. Blue has led a messed up life, brought up by her Runner Uncle she was taught from an early age how to kill, take care of herself and play a mean game of poker. She has lived on her own with no contact from another human being for the past five years then suddenly she meets Gabriel Black. She is so overcome at having contact with another human that she saves his life even though she doesn’t know anything about him. I mean he could be an evil Runner for all Blue knows. Gabriel is your quintessential lead male, tall, dark and good looking dressed in black he is fantastic character too, although we are kept guessing throughout the book though whether he is hero or villain.

I couldn’t put this book down it consumed me from start to finish. So you are probably thinking that I will give it a 5 star review, well unfortunately I’m not. You see there are a couple of things that occur that mean I can’t give it full marks. The first thing is that like Blue we the reader have a lot of questions about events and we don’t get answers to some of those questions whilst others are simply glossed over. The second thing is the ending. The book is really well paced, it is not rushed neither is it slow I would go as far to say as perfect until we have read 80%. With on 20% to go I was wondering how is the author going to get the ending in there is loads left unfinished so maybe this will carry on into book 2. But no the ending is very rushed in my opinion and again a lot of the events are glossed over. I thought this was a huge shame and because of these two reasons I was thinking of giving this book 3 stars but then again 80% of the book is truly amazing. I was completely hooked on it so I am going to give Tsunami Blue 4 stars. I am going to carry on with the series even though the next book is about different characters. I would class this as UF and would recommend it to people who like reading that genre.
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Mar 28, 2010 Fiendishly Bookish rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, paranormalromance, 5-star

Kathryn “Blue” O’Malley has always had an affinity for water. When the first waves came dooming humanity to live the rest of their lives on islands surrounded by wave prone oceans of death, it was the first indication that she was able to do something “special”. On that day, humanities last blast, Blue was able to save lives, and warn those that would listen. Call her what you want, savior or witch, that very gift has also made her highly sought after.

Now the world has adjusted as well as they...more Kathryn “Blue” O’Malley has always had an affinity for water. When the first waves came dooming humanity to live the rest of their lives on islands surrounded by wave prone oceans of death, it was the first indication that she was able to do something “special”. On that day, humanities last blast, Blue was able to save lives, and warn those that would listen. Call her what you want, savior or witch, that very gift has also made her highly sought after.

Now the world has adjusted as well as they can to its blue surroundings. Humanity is limping along as best as they can. There are Uplanders…those who dwell on land in what cities still standing, scavenging the leftovers of civilization, and other pioneers living in remote isolation. And there are Runners…modern day pirates, some with an evil cannibalistic bent, scourge to anything living and dead. These days, Blue is in the wind…with her short-wave radio, saving the innocent and teaching the ignorant that when the sea talks you listen.

When Gabriel Black lands on Blue’s remote island, half dead, the dreaded 666 Runner tattoo emblazoned on his shoulder, Blue scarcely knows what to think. Does she save his life or kill him? Not far behind him are the smoking fires of Runners. Decision made, Blue and Gabriel embark on a treacherous journey to outwit an entire fleet of bloodthirsty pirates. The tentative trust between these two main characters is chock full of erotic suspense and the searing attraction licks off the pages. But who is Black exactly and what does he want from her? Does he work for Indigo the leader of the Runners? Or someone else? What powers does he possess?

Tsunami Blue translates as an experience, and so much more than a book. Williams will take you on an amazing adventure; her stunning vision brilliantly conceived, and rapid fire from start to finish. At times I felt propelled by jet fuel as I ripped through the pages. Her exceptional sense of humor and the witty repartee present within the pages are screamingly funny. Blue is not a meek female by any means, but a knife-wielding temptress that can quip with the best of them, and hold her own against the worst of Runner scum. And Gabriel Black will die first before giving her up.

The world building of the newly submerged Pacific Northwest that Williams portrays is completely believable and illustrated with ferocious examples: lethal cage fights (reminiscent of Mad Max), the great white shark pens where the unlucky end up as daily meals, and the predators that exist around every corner. In Williams’ world its kill or be killed. But there is room for love and Gabriel and Blue must learn to depend on one another, giving into the tsunami of feelings that is inevitably building between them. I am a huge speculative fiction fan, and this is the best original work I have read in ages. It’s an exceptional meshing of Williams’ unique storytelling skills, her post-apocalyptic vision and red-hot romance. More please! Fans are definitely going to demand a sequel!

A Fiendishly Bookish Review
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Feb 22, 2012 Kristin (MyBookishWays Reviews) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: pnr, urban-fantasy

You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2012/02/...

It’s 2023 and the world has been devastated (and reduced to mostly islands) by killer tsunamis. 24 year old Kathryn O’Malley (aka Tsunami Blue), lives by herself with her dog Max and takes to the airwave where she uses her gift to warn whoever is listening, when a tsunami is on its way. You see, the ocean speaks, and Blue can hear it. Her hopes of saving as many lives as possible keep her going in a world that’s seemingly...more You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2012/02/...

It’s 2023 and the world has been devastated (and reduced to mostly islands) by killer tsunamis. 24 year old Kathryn O’Malley (aka Tsunami Blue), lives by herself with her dog Max and takes to the airwave where she uses her gift to warn whoever is listening, when a tsunami is on its way. You see, the ocean speaks, and Blue can hear it. Her hopes of saving as many lives as possible keep her going in a world that’s seemingly gone to hell. Constantly on the lookout for pirates (aka Runners) who would capture Blue and use her for her gift (to pillage and plunder), Blue is always on alert, and knows how to protect herself, so when a handsome stranger washes up on her shores, all her barriers come crashing down. Gabriel Black looks like an angel, albeit a dark one, and at first, Blue takes him for dead. She manages to get him back to her cabin and eventually nurses him out of hypothermia, only to find out he’s a dreaded Runner. Or is he?

I was so surprised at how much I enjoyed this little gem! I kinda fell in love with Blue, in spite of myself. She’s stubborn, untrusting (for good reason), and often bites off a little more than she can chew. But! She’s also refreshingly innocent (having been by herself for so long), is killer with a knife, and has a heart as big as the tsunamis that she predicts. A big part of the appeal of Tsunami Blue is the playout between Blue and Gabriel. In spite of his seemingly sinister background with the dreaded Runners, he’s determined to protect Blue at all costs, and seems to already harbor a serious crush on her. Blue, in spite of the undeniable attraction, is just determined to steal his boat and escape. Gabriel, excruciatingly so, manages to hold on to his mysterious origins, and the reasons for kidnapping Blue, for almost the whole book. So frustrating!! Yes, but it’s totally worth the payoff. Trust me on this one!

Tsunami Blue’s world is a cross between Mad Max and Waterworld (yes, I liked that movie, feel free to comment on that below), and I thoroughly enjoyed the engaging, fascinating characters that the author populated it with. The Runners are absolutely terrifying, and Blue is not afraid to get her hands dirty when engaging with them. She fights for her life right along with the best of them, and is a force to be reckoned with. The sweet romance with Gabe makes a nice counterpoint to the relatively dark world and that our hero and heroine are living in. However, Tsunami Blue is no frou frou romance. The worldbuilding is great, the fighting is fierce, and the perils are terrifying. You’ll zip through it wanting to know what happens next right now, not to mention wanting Gabe and Blue to get together already! Loved this one, and hope you will too!(less)

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Mar 31, 2010 Brooke rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Tsunami Blue can talk to the ocean, or at least it talks to her and rarely listens to what she has to say. When she was younger she was able to save people from a gigantic wave that wiped out whole countries and left little islands that are vulnerable to more waves. The ocean does warn her when a tsunami is coming so that she may broadcast over the airwaves to let people across what's left of the world know they need to get to high ground. Some people believe while others do not, some people thi...more Tsunami Blue can talk to the ocean, or at least it talks to her and rarely listens to what she has to say. When she was younger she was able to save people from a gigantic wave that wiped out whole countries and left little islands that are vulnerable to more waves. The ocean does warn her when a tsunami is coming so that she may broadcast over the airwaves to let people across what's left of the world know they need to get to high ground. Some people believe while others do not, some people think she is a savior while others thing she is an evil witch. Living in a world overrun with Runners, futuristic pirates, isn't easy and when they come after Blue wanting to put her powers to use, she must take up with a very unexpected ally.

The way the world is split up into islands Blue is cutoff from all humanity. It's just her and her dog Max living life and waiting for the next wave or the next group of runners to come and invade her home. When Blue and Max come across a man who seems to be dead on their beach, she doesn't know whether to save him or make sure he's dead and stays that way. She ends up being drawn to him and decides to save his life. Turns out his name is Gabriel Black and he's a runner, but instead of sticking around for a whole slew of runners that plan on capturing her, she decides to deal with just one, Gabriel Black.

I must say that Gabriel Black must be one hell of an attractive man. Because if a man left my dog for dead, I'd definitely kill him, not fall in love with him. As soon as this happened in the book I was pissed. It was almost enough to make me put the book down, but the story is actually really good so I of obviously stick with it, and there is also the hope that Max may still be alive back on the island.

There is a huge issue with being up front and honest in this book, and it ends up making Blue seem whiny and on the verge of annoying. Which isn't really the case, she's just getting bits and pieces of information tossed at her instead of it just being given all the information up front. Gabriel loves Blue but it's impossible to understand why. Seeing as he's never really met her and only followed her via her broadcasts.

Even with the problems I had with the book it was still action packed and fun to read. Blue is likable and she honestly cares about the good people and kids she comes into contact with. She's also a fighter, an actual fighter, she's great with a knife. Plus, she's smart, and understands how people work, thanks to her Uncle Seamus (a runner) who raised her.

Overall I'm digging this world and hope there is more because I had fun reading Tsunami Blue.(less)

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Mar 29, 2010 VampFanGirl rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, for-review, paranormal-romance, favorite-books-of-2010, favorites

There was something about TSUNAMI BLUE that caught my attention before I'd even read the back blurb. The cover and the title were both so compelling that it managed to catch my attention and never let go. Generally I rely heavily upon author posted excerpts to determine my overall yearning for a book but TSUNAMI BLUE had no excerpt to speak of. All I knew was that it was about a girl that could predict the most deadly of all waves and a naked pirate that washes up on her island shore. Somehow th...more

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Apr 20, 2010 Katie(babs) rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Earth of 2023 has been devastated by a series of tsunamis where the majority of the planet is underwater. Kathryn O' Malley, known only as Tsunami Blue, lives on the San Juan Islands near Washington State. She was once a celebrity, who at a very young age, was able to predicting when a killer wave is coming. She now uses her shortwave radio to try and give people fair warning. Blue is all alone with only her dog Max to keep her company since her parents and twin brother where kill by a tsuna...more The Earth of 2023 has been devastated by a series of tsunamis where the majority of the planet is underwater. Kathryn O' Malley, known only as Tsunami Blue, lives on the San Juan Islands near Washington State. She was once a celebrity, who at a very young age, was able to predicting when a killer wave is coming. She now uses her shortwave radio to try and give people fair warning. Blue is all alone with only her dog Max to keep her company since her parents and twin brother where kill by a tsunami nineteen years ago. Blue lives in fear, because pirates called Runners are looking for her. Whoever has the power over Blue, will rule the world.

The day after Christmas, Blue finds an unconscious, drop dead gorgeous man washed up on her beach. Instead of leaving him to die, she helps him recover. Blue is in for a shock when she sees a design of 666 on the handle of a knife he left on the shore. This is a sign of a runner and now Blue will kill him, regardless of her attraction to him. After a fight ensues between them, which she loses, she finds out that his name is Gabriel Black and he has been searching for her for years. Gabriel has been trying to keep Blue hidden from the runners. She now has no choice but to go with him because the runners have found her and are out for blood. Blue has to put her trust in a man who keeps things from her as well as the runners on their tail who will stop at nothing until Blue is theirs.

Tsunami Blue is more than your average post apocalyptic story. This is one with a high scenes adventure, suspense and a romance that although has promise, doesn’t deliver all that much because of the overall lack of connection between Gabriel and Blue. Gabriel's reasons for the way he feels for Blue are not all that solid and a bit weak. His survival techniques are also far fetched. He had his moments where I really enjoyed the way he handled Blue and the dangerous situations they find themselves in, but the majority of the time I found the writing to be unfocused. I also couldn't connect with Blue, who comes across as too confrontational and has a habit of repeating herself way too often. She also calls Gabriel, "tough guy" way too much, which grated on my nerves. Their love scenes were rushed and seemed out of place, especially because Blue doesn't trust Gabriel as for as she can throw him. But that still doesn't stop her from enjoying the practicing she and Gabriel do in his bed when there are no bad guys storming his boat.

The scenes where Blue and Gabriel fight to the death do bring forth some thrills and on the edge of your seat action readers can come to expect. The main villain is more cartoonish if anything and the tension and drama came across a bit weak and not all that shocking. More of a shock-light. Tsunami Blue does have a high concept that with a little more depth, could have worked in so many ways.(less)

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Apr 07, 2010 Mandi Schreiner rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Why I read: Received for review from the publisher.

Favorite Quote: First, the shower did make me feel better, and second, the tighty whities were just fine. Okay. More than fine. What that man could do for a pair of underwear. Wow.

Kathryn “Blue” O’Malley is living in a world where water rules. When she was five, a tsunami struck Thailand, devastating the area and killing her family. But the water has not stopped. Wave after wave has decimated the world. There is no infrastructure, currency, sto...more Why I read: Received for review from the publisher.

Favorite Quote: First, the shower did make me feel better, and second, the tighty whities were just fine. Okay. More than fine. What that man could do for a pair of underwear. Wow.

Kathryn “Blue” O’Malley is living in a world where water rules. When she was five, a tsunami struck Thailand, devastating the area and killing her family. But the water has not stopped. Wave after wave has decimated the world. There is no infrastructure, currency, stores. Everything is underwater or just gone. She was raised by her uncle Seamus, a violent man who belonged to a group of people called Runners, very violent gang pirates that have taken to the seas to ravish and loot. Although Seamus was blood thirsty and anything but a good guardian, he taught Blue how to survive in this post-apocalyptic world. Blue has a power of her own though, one that scares many and one that makes her a very valuable catch – if anyone can find her. The ocean speaks to her. It whispers on the waves and warns her when another tsunami is coming. She listens and interprets, then takes her shortwave radio equipment and broadcasts it as best she can so people have a chance to survive. Many are skeptical, but Blue is determined to help them. With her very blue eyes, and her wave tattoo, she stands out somewhat, but she knows how to hide.

Since Seamus’ death when she was thirteen, Blue has been on her own and she has never left the string of islands that border Washington State. It is a lonely life, but really the only option she has – that is until a mysterious stranger washes up on shore, barely alive. She decides to take a chance and save his life – only it is her life that is going to change forever. His name is Gabriel Black – as she warms his body that night, she can’t help feel an attraction. He is stunningly male, and Blue hasn’t had a lot of time for romance in her life.When she wakes in the morning she realizes he carries a knife of a Runner. Before she has time to confront him, the Runner sirens go off. He tells her he wants to help her escape, and the memories of what the Runners once did to her haunt her so much, she decides to trust him. Off into the sea they go, both with many questions, both finding an attraction building. When Blue hears from the ocean that a wave, bigger than any other is going to hit in the near future, they race to save as many as they can, but the Runners have other plans for them.

I love, love, love Tsunami Blue . First, the world Gayle Ann Williams has created is violent, scary, and hard to grasp. The entire world has been turned into a world of islands. Water is everywhere, death is an every day occurrence. You can feel the horror when another wave is set to hit, and even the daily horror of constantly being wet. All the malls are underwater, all there is to eat is salmon. Kids are left orphans, and worst of all – the Runners have put terror into the heart of every living soul. They rape, murder, torture and there is no mention of any type of law enforcement willing to rule over the land. They want Blue – they want to use her. If they know when and where the next wave will strike it gives them power.

Blue is a heroine who has grown up since the age of five with the world in turmoil. She has an edge because her uncle Seamus taught her how to survive, although her childhood was filled with horror and violence. She has basically grown up alone, so when she sees the mysterious Gabriel Black, she wants to save him. She wants that chance for companionship. Who she finds is a very suspicious man. He is apparently a runner, but he is running from the same people she is. He says he wants to keep her safe at all costs, but why? She doesn’t want to trust him, or even like him. But when he woos her with Starbucks and cream – two things she thought didn’t even exist anymore – she becomes putty in his hands. When their life is endangered, and Gabriel risks everything to save her, their relationship takes on a new level. Gabriel is fierce, lethal, and very sexy.

When we finally discover what it is Gabriel really wants with Blue, I thought the reason is solid, although I would have liked to see the actual big event at the end played out in more detail. It seemed a little anticlimactic after the build up the entire book. That being said, there is plenty of other action throughout the book, and I really enjoyed how it all plays out.

Tsunami Blue is an action packed book filled with romantic tension, and a heroine that will make you laugh along the way. With a unique and interesting world, I definitely recommend.

(less)

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May 18, 2010 Melindeeloo rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Tsunami Blue was a really different post apocalyptic paranormal romance, and I think this is a stand-alone novel too.

The world is being eaten away by a series of tsunamis, burying cities under the wake of giant waves and leaving only scattered islands in the wake. But the ocean speaks to the heroine, Blue, telling her where the waves will strike next. Blue, who lost her family to the first wave of the giant waves, when she couldn't get anyone to heed her warning, now broadcasts her predictions...more

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Dec 04, 2010 Dana S rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sf-futuristic, apocalypse

More like 2 1/2 stars.

One of the most frustrating books I've ever read. I loved the world building, Blue is a likable enough narrator, and I liked the author's voice. But I hated the mysterious hero thing. I pretty much spent the whole book wondering why Gabriel wouldn't tell her anything.

There was absolutely no reason for him to keep things such a secret. Really didn't like Blue being hot for him one minute then cold then hot, it got tiring after awhile. Also, since Blue is trying to keep a lo...more

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May 25, 2010 Rose Lerner rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal-romance, sci-fi-romance

I freaking loved this book! Full disclosure: Gayle is a friend of mine. But wow this book was awesome. I loved the world she created and all the cool little details she put into it--it's not a place I'd ever like to go personally (too dangerous! I'm a wuss) but I can't WAIT to read more books about it. And I loved the heroine SO MUCH. She was incredibly badassed and vulnerable and tough and she and Gabriel were truly partners--he was never her white knight. I loved that her DOG was trying to get...more

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Mar 25, 2012 Sara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own

Tsunami Blue was a fast paced, action packed book from start to finish. I liked the pirates, the escapes and chases and of course Gabriel Black. The story itself was fun to read and it was never boring. I'll most likely read the next book to find out what happened to Finnigan. I liked Blue though I wished she'd act just a tad more human at times. There's nothing wrong with being tough, but even people with hard shells have feelings. Sometimes the constant front got on my nerves but overall I lik...more

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May 13, 2012 Tarra rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: free-on-kindle

Really interesting premise. The world has been destroyed by massive Tsunamis. Land masses consist of small islands throughout the seas, which are overrun by despicable pirates called Runners. The world, as we know it, ceases to exist. Money means nothing, coffee is something to kill for. I enjoyed this take on dystopian fiction, I wish there was more about the world and how it has functioned and changed in the 20 years since the Tsunamis first started occurring. It is a wretched world and how ho...more Really interesting premise. The world has been destroyed by massive Tsunamis. Land masses consist of small islands throughout the seas, which are overrun by despicable pirates called Runners. The world, as we know it, ceases to exist. Money means nothing, coffee is something to kill for. I enjoyed this take on dystopian fiction, I wish there was more about the world and how it has functioned and changed in the 20 years since the Tsunamis first started occurring. It is a wretched world and how horrible to think that people could so easily lose their humanity.

Blue has a unique gift, or a curse. The seas speak to her. Sometimes they help her. Sometimes they hurt. Interesting, but I wish I learned more about this, especially why she was the chosen one. The "hero" is Gabriel Black, Blue's dark angel, her tough guy. He has a really interesting back story, something I wish was focused on more. Blue had a very tragic childhood, explained quite well throughout the book. She definitely has reasons for being angry, tough, and jaded. I would think that the things she experienced as a child, and the isolation as a young adult, would have made her a little insane. She did some crazy things, but I think we were supposed to see those as brave. She's definitely a touch chick that you wouldn't want to mess with.

Which leads me to one of my problems with her character. She fell too hard and easy for Gabriel. She dropped her guard almost immediately with him, and in her world, that could have meant certain death. Throughout the book I wanted her to demand answers from him. She's too busy musing about his tanned body and his shiny black hair. She waits and we have to progress to the climax at the end to get some answers. This frustrated me. Why would she have not asked immediately things like, who are you, what do you want, how do you do that? Gabriel is still quite the enigma.

Pretty much non-stop action, which was very good and vivid. The dialogue was pretty B-movie cliched, especially when it came to Blue acting tough. Blue says early on that her education has been in pop culture that she has read from surviving magazines. To hit this point home, there are many pop culture references, from MC Hammer to "A Kodak Moment." Some of these were a bit distracting and really wouldn't have made an impact, even from old magazines, on a child who was 5 years old in the year 2004. That's just me, but sometimes less is more. I would have preferred more from this new world than name dropping from "years ago". The epilogue was the standard romance book finale and didn't really wrap anything up or answer any remaining questions.

This book was pretty sexual and very violent. Don't be fooled by the cover on this one, it is most definitely not YA. More towards UF because of the violence.

In all, I liked this book. It was a fast read with a really unique premise and take on the dystopian world. Plotting and characterization weren't perfect, but it was a good read. 3.5 Stars. (less)

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Oct 17, 2011 Calla Jones rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was such an interesting take on a possible future. Basically, a bunch of tsunamis destroyed the U.S. Coastline. The heroine is able to predict tsunamis, and that puts her in danger from just about everyone...yet she still sends out warnings when possible. One day, a very sexy and dangerous man washes up on her beach. She's afraid he's a pirate...

The romance is both sweet and sexy and I rooted for the characters from their first interaction. The hero is just awesome--protective, vulnerable,...more

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Jun 27, 2012 Kristy ConQueso rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kick-ass-heroines, romantical, i-want-to-cuddle-it, oh-thats-just-my-boyfriend, paranormal-whatsits, kindle-freebies, 2012-has-been-a-weird-year, the-future-freaks-me-out

This was one of those books that as you're reading it you keep thinking, "I shouldn't be enjoying this as much as I do." I couldn't pick out exactly WHY it was bad, but there was something there that kinda was, but in the end it was addicting and fast paced and action packed and OKAY. I LOVE BLUE. ALRIGHT. I SAID IT. I love the idea of the ocean talking to her and warning her about tsunamis and I love that she fights the man and broadcasts these warnings to save people even if they don't believe...more

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Dec 06, 2010 Renee Rearden rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was a VERY cool idea. Different and creative. The characters are interesting, and Blue makes for a great heroine. She's still got a soft heart, despite the fact she can slit your throat in two seconds flat! The plot was intriguing and kept me guessing what might happen next. My only frustration with the book was the lack of explanation/developmet of our hero's ability and our heroine's difficulty accepting it and then conveniently deciding since she had an ability, it's possible he could to...more

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Oct 15, 2011 Shelley aka Gizmo's Reviews rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010-release, borrowed-library, library-book

*Rating* 3.5
*Genre* Lemme see....Science Fiction, post apocalyptic, romance..that about covers it.

*Review*

Kathryn O’Malley is known around the globe as Tsunami Blue because of her uncanny ability to know when and where the next destructive Tsunami wave is going to hit. She is never wrong. Because of this fact, she is called everything from a witch, to a goddess, to a savior, to the devil herself for creating the destructive waves that kill thousands.

In Tsunami Blue’s world, the US as well as the...more *Rating* 3.5
*Genre* Lemme see....Science Fiction, post apocalyptic, romance..that about covers it.

*Review*

Kathryn O’Malley is known around the globe as Tsunami Blue because of her uncanny ability to know when and where the next destructive Tsunami wave is going to hit. She is never wrong. Because of this fact, she is called everything from a witch, to a goddess, to a savior, to the devil herself for creating the destructive waves that kill thousands.

In Tsunami Blue’s world, the US as well as the rest of the world, is made of up thousands, and thousands of islands where survivors have to continually fight off Runners, aka pirates who use intimidation, and murder to get what they want. These same runners have targeted Blue for death, and for their own uses because of her accuracy in forecasting when the next wave will hit.

For Blue, her only companion for the past 5 years has been her dog Max. On the anniversary of the 2004 Tsunami that claimed her family’s lives, Max finds a mysterious man lying on her beach seemingly dead. Blue quickly finds a way to save him, and then finds that she is in danger when Runners appear in force on her island. Who is this mysterious man, and why did he end up on her beach of all places?

Gabriel Black has a few secrets of his own, including an ability that, while over the top just a little bit, makes sense in why he has been trying to find Blue since 2004 and has helped stave off the Runners from finding her for the past 5 years. Gabriel ends up playing a dangerous game with Blue's life because various factions of Runers want him to find her for them.

I love Tsunami Blue's character because of the fact that she has an insight into when a Tsunami is going to hit the mainland and can talk to the sea. I love the fact that she can actually fight back and save herself from the bad guys who continually come for her because of her abilities to predict the next wave. Blue is also sweet when it comes to the twins Nick and Alec, as well as the little girl named Aubrey who she saves from New Vancouver by playing Texas Hold’em.

There is an interesting connection to real life events that happened 12/25/2004 when a large Tsunami wave devastated the Far East. In this story, Blue’s entire family was killed by a wave while she somehow survived. In real life, thousands of people lost their lives by a wave that stretched from Indonesia to India.

Because I live in sea locked state like Florida, I can actually see this happening in a much distant future when I'm dead and buried. Nature is what it is, wonderful and dangerous all at the same time. You can’t take anything for granted any longer for fear of one day finding that your entire house has been eating by a sink hole, or blown away by a hurricane or tornado.

I would have been interested in continuing to follow Blue further if Williams had made this character into a series, or even a movie of the week on Lifetime. As it is, I can't see how she can come back to this character with what happens at the ending...no spoiler zone!

(less)

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Oct 11, 2010 Yodamom rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: owned

3.5 stars for originality and my love of ocean stories- It was a great story with a girl that the ocean talks to, it tells her of up coming tsunami's starting with the one in Singapore 2004. The world become a "water world" with pirates all nasty and disgusting, reeking terror on sea and land. The nasties are truly nasty and the cities left are ugly and ruled with gangs and thieves.This part was very good.
I had trouble with another part of the book, she is a virgin/he is not, she fell for him to...more

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Feb 07, 2011 Darcy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011

I have to say that this book was much better than what I expected, it was one of my maybe books. You know, those books you think look somewhat interesting, but could turn out to be duds.

This book is set in a world where Tsunami's have taken over the world, most of what we know is covered with water. This new existence is a rough one for those left behind, one where Runner's (read pirates) are all over, reeking havoc.

At the center of this world is a woman named Tsunami Blue. Blue has a unique tal...more

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Tsunami Blue (Tsunami Blue #1)

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