Alien Huntress Series by G. Showalter

I’ve known for a few years now that Gena Showalter is one of the most amazingly awesome authors out there. (That’s a fact.) Yet, once upon a time, I was unaware of that fact. (This was one of those times where ignorance was NOT bliss.) Until one day, after finishing some book (a book that I remember nada about) I saw Gena’s name in the back with a picture of her novel Awaken Me Darkly. Well, when I went to the library a little bit later, I found Awaken Me Darkly on the shelves, checked it out and sat down to read it. Except then I found out that, holy crap get this, it’s about ALIENS!!!!

This is the part where you probably say, “Well, duh, Casey. It IS called the ALIEN Huntress series. How could you NOT know it was about ALIENS?!” Well I’m kind of weird and rarely read the synopsis of a book before I read the book (I will rant about this oddity of mine at a different time). Ergo I did not know about the aliens until it was too late.

Anywho, I was so shocked that it was about aliens for two reasons. One being, I rarely see books about aliens (apart from science fiction novels, which I avoid).  Secondly, I avoid science fiction novels with aliens because I am TERRIFIED of aliens. (Thank you, Aliens, the movie.) Because of those two reasons I came THIS close to not reading Awaken Me Darkly, but for some reason (some miracle reason that I promptly forgot) I read it. Then BAM! I fell in love with the awesomeness also known as Gena Showalter’s novels. Shortly after that I read book two in the Alien Huntress series, Enslave Me Slowly. It was just as full of awesomeness and I knew, without a doubt, that no matter what Gena Showalter wrote, whether terrifying aliens or man-eating slugs, I would absolutely love it. (As far as I know, she’s never written about man-eating slugs, but yeah. I still love all of her books.)

Due to some major brain farts on my part, it wasn’t until last week that I read the rest of this epic series. Yep, in the last week I’ve read Red Handed, Blacklisted, Savor Me Slowly, Deep Kiss of Winter, Seduce The Darkness and Ecstasy in Darkness. I was so tempted to write reviews on each of the books, but then I realized, why write five separate reviews saying that each book is awesome when I can just write one rant saying that the ENTIRE FREAKING SERIES is totally freaking awesome. So I’m going to say for the jillionth time, Gena Showalter’s Alien Huntress series is EPIC and you MUST read the entire series.

Each book is packed full of action and such intense, whirlwind romances that yeah, I’m not going to lie, I took a lot of cold showers in the past week. But these books aren’t only intense, they’re hilarious at the same time. That’s probably why I was able to read these books and not run away screaming because of the scary aliens. Laughter cures everything and these aliens (the good guys at least) were unbelievably hot. Like, “Oh mama!” hot. I’d be sitting there, fanning myself, laughing and screaming, “Come on! Kick his ass! He’s just a measly alien!”

Red Handed and Blacklisted are young adult books, set in the same world as the Alien Huntress series yet they don’t have anything to do with the main plot arc. Technically, you can read them at any point in the series, or not read them if you aren’t into young adult books. But, um, you totally should read them because they were written by Gena Showalter, and I’ve already repeated myself a million times people. Everything she writes is better than chocolate dipped strawberries. Way better. Blacklisted was nonstop action and the sexual tension was hotter than Red Hots covered in wasabi. You know, exactly like all of her other books. (But because these are YA books there isn’t any sex, just the build-up.)

I swear on holy cheez-its, Ava and Noelle who we first meet in Ecstasy in Darkness, are EXACTLY like my sister and I. Except, my sister and I don’t hunt aliens. And we don’t live in New Chicago. And we absolutely, positively do not make out with each other to distract vampire convicts we’re trying to apprehend. I mean, apart from all that, we’re exactly alike! Ava and Noelle can sit there and insult each other but as soon as McKell repeats one of Ava’s insults  to Noelle, he gets stabbed. Damn straight. I’m the only one who can insult my sister, just like Ava is the only person who can insult Noelle. Anyone else tries it and they better be prepared for bloodshed. Their bloodshed. See, we are so alike! And now I’m literally counting down the days until I get Noelle’s story, Dark Taste of Rapture, which doesn’t come out until August 23. (I really should have asked for an ARC of it months ago, you know, before I read the rest of the series.)

To recap: Gena Showalter is amazing, everything she writes is better than food and comparing her novels to food has made me hungry. So I’m going to go eat something delicious while reading a Gena Showalter novel. Because I can multi-task like that.

The latest novel in this fantastic series, Dark Taste of Rapture, was just released.

With one caress, he can give unforgettable pleasure . . . or unending pain. . . .

Hector Dean is shaved, tattooed, and totally ripped—and he has a deadly secret. He is a walking weapon, capable of killing with a single brush of his fingertips. Little wonder he’s determined to remain on his own. But Noelle Tremain is a temptation like no other. She is beautiful and rich, with a party girl smile that hides a shocking vulnerability, and from the beginning his sizzling attraction to her is undeniable. For the first time, his stone-cold resistance is tested. But to be with her, he risks destroying her.

When a wealthy businessman is murdered in New Chicago’s seediest district, the two are partnered, and there’s no escaping what they both want: each other. Yet neither Hector nor Noelle knows what to fear more—the killer case, or their own lethal desires. . . .

Read order:
Awaken Me Darkly
Enslave Me Sweetly
Savor Me Slowly
Tempt Me Eternally (in Deep Kiss of Winter)
Seduce the Darkness
Ecstasy in Darkness
Dark Taste of Rapture