August Buddy Read: Alien Tango by Gini Koch

[Christine]

I haven't started it yet, but on Martini's insecurities we have to remember he comes from a race where everyone is as gorgeous as him. So really he's just average by their standards. Plus, the women of their race prefer men for their brains rather than their looks. Didn't it come out at some point in the first book that Martini was afraid he wasn't smart enough for Kitty? And didn't Kitty have a "moment" with his cousin in the first book. On more thing for him to carry around in the back of his mind and worry about. I will confess that at one point in the first book I kind of hoped she would hook up with the cousin instead of Martini.

And I found it annoying even on the first book how she would flip flop between calling people by their first names and last names. Usually people pick one or the other and stick with it. I remember being confused once or twice by that in the first book.

[Christine]

Just started chapter five and I'm guessing (view spoiler)[Chuckie is the CIA contact? Her mother was hiding things from her, so why not her best friend, too? (hide spoiler)]

[Jeann (Happy Indulgence)]

Yeah, I definitely get what you mean about Martini's insecurities. I'm nearing the end (about 83% of the way through and Chapter 64) and it turns out it's a key point of the book.

(view spoiler)[I can tell for sure that there's something wrong with Martini. Perhaps a superbeing got to him or he's really sick from being worn out lately? I know this isn't the end for him and Kitty. (hide spoiler)]

[Jeann (Happy Indulgence)]

I'm blazing through these final chapters, it gets really good and slightly addictive!

Chapter 70 (view spoiler)[Kitty's kung fu training is hilarious! One of the most memorable points in the whole book is when she's holding that pipe of gushing water and she does the kung fu horse stance to try and stay balanced. Hahaha it's hilarious! I did kung fu for a few years during high school so I can picture it clearly in my head.

She was absolutely bad ass when she unleashed her inner dragon at Shannon, haha. I really enjoyed her banter with Gloria too.

When Martini arrived, I got the warm and fuzzies. He's definitely the one for her. Even though Chuckie never really had a strong presence, you knew he was always a contender judging from what her mum said. I just loved how he turned up in an Armani suit. (hide spoiler)]

Seriously how good is the artwork for the covers?





This guy is talented: http://www.dandossantos.com/gallery.htm

[Jean ~ Kindle Queen]

I didn't realize this was the same artist that did the Mercy Thompson and Alpha & Omega covers. His alien covers are really good and very appropriate too.

[Jeann (Happy Indulgence)]

Yeah, I could see them being awesome posters! I like his artwork. I notice the crocodile in the cover of Alien Tango, lol.

[Christine]

I do like the artwork on these. And it was the cover of Moon Called that first drew me to Mercy Thompson, which I love. They are beautiful, but I also like that they seem to try to be true to the books and characters.


I've made it through a whole 20 chapters (110 pages). I'm really enjoying it. But I learned with the first book that this is a series I can't think too hard about or little things start to bug me. Like is the men's room really the best place for their gates? They couldn't put some in women's rooms now that Kitty's on board?

As far as Kitty appreciating how hot Kevin is, that doesn't really bother, so far. I know she cares about Martini, beyond his good looks, and I don't think for a second that she would really dump him on the spot for some other hot dude. There's nothing wrong with appreciating the scenery as long as you don't get so distracted that you drive off of a cliff. That being said, I could also see it becoming tiresome to read if Kitty is constantly sizing up every hot guy. So far, I'm a little more irritated by how horny Kitty and Martini are. Hours of mind-blowing sex? Really? He may be an alien, but she's only human. But this does raise the question: would his alien hyper speed be a help or a hindrance in the bedroom? I guess that would depend on a number of variables...

I like that Kitty is so darn smart. Maybe smart isn't even the right word. More that she's perceptive and she's able to make mental leaps that most of us would miss. Like the situation with the commercial flight that waited two hours for them. I like that she figures things out and then walks us through her reasoning and it all makes sense when she explains it. None of this pure dumb luck that some characters rely on or explanations that don't really make all that much sense.

[Jeann (Happy Indulgence)]

Oh Christine, I always thought that myself! How does Kitty keep up with all the sex with Martini, she's only human, albeit one with a high sex drive.

I'm glad both her and Christopher now know better after that elevator incident. Doesn't seem like he'll be after her anytime soon after Martini's breakdown in the last book.

I totally agree with you about Kitty's perceptiveness. That's probably what has gotten her so far.

[Christine]

I'm about half way now. I've got to say that I like Kitty's friendship with Reader. I like how they understand one another and can give support as the main humans on the Alpha team. And I love how they flirt with one another. About threesomes and him trying to go straight. It's cute to me without being annoying (atleast so far). I think it's nice they have one another to relate to.

[Christine]

Alligators!!! How fun!

[Leah]

Christine wrote: "I'm about half way now. I've got to say that I like Kitty's friendship with Reader. I like how they understand one another and can give support as the main humans on the Alpha team. And I love how ..."

I'm at about the same point in the book, and I totally agree, I love Reader. He balances out the A-Cs really well.

[Jeann (Happy Indulgence)]

Yeah I love their relationship, it's a refreshing change from people she's attracted to all the time.

[Christine]

Oh my lord! Kitty is usually such a sharp cookie, how can she be so blind to the fact that something is seriously wrong with Martini?! I'm up to the part where she has just arrived (alone) at her reunion and I keep waiting for her to figure it out.

[Christine]

I just finished it and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I think it was just the fun read I needed right now. It got a little heavy when Kitty got into it with Martini's family about the A-C attitude about inter species marriage, and when she lectured them about insisting on serving him meatloaf. Whe part of me was stunned that she would speak that way to her boy friend's mother (her potential mother-in-law), part of me was cheering her on for sticking up for her man. And it was pure Kitty after all.

I don't get how she missed what was going I with Martini near the end. I felt like Kitty was so sharp through the whole book, how does this one slip by her. Especially when she and Kevin agreed that it wasn't over and something was goin to happen. I also wasn't at all surprised by the big Chuckie reveal at the reunion. I saw that one coming since the beginning. But I did like that Kitty didn't just discount their relationship as just friends, but recognized that had things gone a little differentlu she would have been happy with him.

Now the actually plot did seem to be a little disjointed. All these different groups/people out to get Alpha Team, then Kitty's stalker. Then Kitty's stalker turns out to be part of some elaborate plan by the group trying to destroy Alpha Team and all the A-Cs. And even that I was. A little confused on. I wasn't clear if he wanted to just destroy them because they don't belong here or he wanted to control them as part of some elaborate power play. Maybe a combination of both?

I'm still not quite sure how Kitty came up with the idea of alligators as a distraction, but that whole thing was pretty funny to me. "you threw balled up paper at an alligator?" And then again with the VW Beetle. "just shove her under the hood. She's small. She'll fit"

But my hands down favorite scene was the chase scene at the end when Kitty was on the phone with the emergency assistance people. That whole exchange with Gloria cracked me up. You have to wonder how many weird calls like that those people do actually receive.

I guess for me this book was like a summer action flick: Just sit back and enjoy the effects and don't try to analyze it too much.

[Christine]

And clearly I shouldn't attempt such long posts via my phone! Forgive all the type-os.

[Jeann (Happy Indulgence)]

Loved your rundown on the book Christine! How good was that chase scene with Gloria on the phone? "You've received two blind marriage proposals" lol Kitty is just hilarious.

It seems like Kitty's too perceptive and busy with other sorts of situations that she doesn't see what's in front of her. eg. about Chuckie liking her and about Martini getting sick. I really liked how even up against an A-C, Chuckie had the balls to say that she still said "maybe" to him. It seems like he really would have been perfect for Kitty if it wasn't for Martini.

Yeah I got a bit confused with the whole alligator thing too, but it was hilarious lol. They ended up being more of a problem than a distraction.

[Christine]

Since the next book is Alien in the Family and the one after is Alien Proliferation, does that mean we get a wedding AND a kid?

[Jeann (Happy Indulgence)]

Hmm I'm suspecting something like that. The next cover has a blonde girl on it so I don't think that's Kitty, unless she got a dye job.

[Christine]

What color is Kitty's hair? Obviously I didn't pay any attention to that in the book. There are very few characters with whom I associate a certain hair color without having to be reminded. I am curious to sing where things go with Kitty and Martini. And I really want to see Christopher happy, too.

[Jeann (Happy Indulgence)]

Well based on the covers of the first 2 books she's a brunette. I like how she doesn't think she's that good looking whereas everyone around her thinks she's gorgeous.