Touched by an Alien by Gini Koch

Title: Touched by an Alien
Author: Gini Koch
Format: book

Oh me, oh my. Where do I start? Let's start with the title. I've heard cheesy titles before, and sometimes you just gotta snort and giggle at the alteration because it's so ridiculously corny. Simply reading the phrase "touched by an alien" is bound to make anyone laugh and give you a weird face. But that's not all the title did for me. It caught my interest and made me pull the book off the shelf.

Which brings me to another fantastic point: the cover. There are boring covers, there are plain covers, there are bad covers, there are good covers, and there are awesome covers. TBAA has an awesome cover. It speaks of all the major elements in the book: actions, romance, and aliens. I'm pretty sure I stared at the cover for a good ten minutes admiring the detail and blend of elements. And drooling over the guy -- who is a lovely rendition of main male character Jeff Martini. 

Of course, we all know a pretty cover and funny title isn't all there is to a book. It's the actual content that's worth it. I first took TBAA for a test run using Google Preview. Right from the get-go I was hooked. Being introduced to one of Kitty's crazy methods of improvisation had me laughing right away. I mean, seriously, a PEN? A darn good pen, but still -- a pen. If you're gonna make an impression, a pen is the way to go. 

After reading a couple chapters on Google Preview, I knew I had to get the whole thing. I couldn't stand to be teased with missing chapters and important content. I'm very glad I did. TBAA is full of snarky humor, romance, humor, tension, action, and ingenuity. Or maybe it's just craziness. Either way, it's very hard to find a slow moment in this book. It just keeps going and going like the Energizer Bunny, sliding from one event to another. 

While the content relies a lot on dialogue and not so much on physical description of the surroundings, that doesn't detract from the story. I had very little problem imagining scenes as they played out, because each character had personality in their words. Some books that rely heavily on dialogue can sometimes slip in this category, but TBAA does a good job of keeping the reader hooked and connected to the story and characters. 

This especially comes into play as Kitty interacts with her number one man: Jeff Martini. Let me just say every girl needs a Martini in her life. He's strong, he loyal, he understands, he's funny, he's protective, and he's a 20 out of 10 in bed. Beat that. 

The chemistry between Martini and Kitty is positively electrifying. You can't leave either of them alone. It's fun to see how they interact, and it's not hard to be emotionally pulled when tension rises high between them during critical parts of the story. 

Let me also add I love Reader. If every girl needs a Martini as a lover, she also needs a Reader as a BFF. He understands in a different way and creates a lovable relationship with Kitty that makes you want to snuggle the hell out of the guy and spend time with him on a normal afternoon. I wish I could name all the things that make Reader special but I'd probably run out of space. 

In any case, the characters all have a complex bond that grows and knits together a net of loyalty and love as the story progresses along. 

Speaking of story, TBAA had various elements of surprise that I found rather intriguing. The theories behind the actions of the enemies, and Kitty's conclusions as she conquers the challenges she's faced with, put a unique spin on old classics. Let me just say that the pen isn't the end of her ingenuity or creativeness. Kitty kicks ass in ways that make you go "What, no way!" and laugh at how well it works at kicking evil to the curb. 

If you're a fan of sci-fi movies like "District 9" or "Mars Attacks," this book will probably be right up your alley. Likewise, if you are a fan of comic books and like to geek out from time to time (or all the time), some of the references here will pull you right in. 

I greatly enjoyed reading this book. I'm planning on seeking out the sequel. There's no doubt I'll read it again and again somewhere down the road. :)

Overall: 5 out of 5