"Savor Me Slowly" by Gena Showalter

“Savor me Slowly” is the fifth installment in the Alien Huntress series by Gena Showalter and as many people have claimed, it’s fabulous.

The focus of this story falls on Mishka Le’Ace, who is a feat of biological engineering, combining in herself various human, animal and alien DNA, which coupled with extensive training, a microchip inside her brain and other mechanical parts make her the deadliest assassin out there. Her latest mission to extract answers from A.I.R agent Jaxon Tremain about a newly arrived race of aliens, called the Schön, which spread a sentient virus. The virus is spread through sex, although later on, we learn that it is also air born, released from the blood.

Both fall in a very passionate love and Gena doesn’t spare a single steamy detail about how much these two lust for each other. The sex scenes go on literally for pages and keep the attention with their originality. Of course the intensity of the character’s feelings towards echa other is what makes this romance even stronger. As in every romance story there are hindrances in the lover’s ways. First and foremost both agents work on the opposite side of the la, Mishka being controlled through the chip by senator Estap. Miska’s reputation as a cold blooded assassin put Jaxon’s friends a barrier between both of them. However as much as they don’t like it, A.I.R agents have to team up and work on this case together, since they have one of the Schön, Nolan, who has decided to betray his brethren.

What I liked most about this story was not that much the sexual attraction and well done romance or the virus crisis. They were simple, yet masterfully created and elegantly presented to the reader. It was the characterization that hooked me from beginning to end. Gena does a brilliant job depicting how not anybody is solely evil in the face of Mishka Le’Ace, who is forced to kill and fight, but carries a caring soul, which only wants to be loved. The duality in the human personality exists in Jaxon Tremain, who has learned to play the role of the quiet, composed man, but upon meeting Mishka reveals his sarcastic, bit more violent and rash self. Both of her characters are strong, but without going to extremes with their stubbornness. The perfect balance has been found for me.

If I were to analyze further this novel, I would state that questions such as who do we think we truly are, is what we act like before other people really us and what is just show to abide society’s norms, how much do we know ourselves and what is it that we want in life. These are all pretty much standard existential questions that come up delicately like clues in a scavenger hunt. Gena doesn’t say things out right, just lets you think about what is possibly meant inside her work. Heck, I am not sure, whether I am on the right track.

In conclusion I give this book 10 out of 10. This is the best read for 2008 so far.