Alien Tango by Gini Koch

Title: Alien Tango
Author: Gini Koch
Format: book

Now I'm not familiar with formal dances, apart from the fact that I can't do them, but I do know that the tango is very sensual and emotive. It's a dramatic and romantic dance between partners which tells a story between movements.

Alien Tango is very much dramatic and romantic. If there is one thing I've learned, the cover tells all. Well, not all all, but it hints well enough about the major events of the book to tease the reader about what to expect. We see Jeff carrying Kitty, which he happens to do quite a bit of in this sequel. For good reason too. Setting aside the romantic factor for a bit, this book is full of action and mind-blowing terror that's too much for one person to handle.

Kitty has never taken the backseat when it comes to missions, and she definitely shows this all throughout the book. Her ideas never fail to shock and amuse those around her, especially the reader. I've never heard of a marketing major being this creative, but there's a first for everything, and Kitty is definitely unique. She's one part ingenious, one part crazy, one part sympathetic, and one part brassy. Some people might want to keep her on the other side of the planet for safety's and sanity's sake. Others want to keep her at the hip just to make sure she doesn't do anything too insane.

She shows she's one of those infectious characters you kinda wish you never knew, but once you do, you can't forget. I'm sure Jeff and the other boys of Alpha can agree to this to some degree or another. It's not hard to sympathize with them a little when they have to deal with her antics, especially during dire situations.

And how dire the situations get in this book. So much is going on, it seems like there's no stop to it. Lots of books like to steamroll through the action and go ear-bleeding fast towards the end for a definite massive explosion. This series, however, doesn't follow that method. Like general events in life, not everything gets dumped on you at once. Sometimes it does, or it feels that way, but there are lulls every once in a while too.

Kitty and the gang get their wild moments, and their quiet moments, and run through a roller-coaster of events that surprisingly gets a whole lot more accomplished than you realize. Issues that are introduced in the beginning of the book are solved in stages, almost in an unintentional manner. A lot of what Kitty does appears/feels like it's a spur of the moment, and her shotgun method of making decisions often leaves those around her (and the reader) with little preparation for what's to come. There is no time for anticipation or warning, no time to brace yourself for whatever bomb she has to throw next.

This makes for the events that take place so special and thrilling. It doesn't feel premeditated. It's very much "flying by the seat of your pants."

I'm starting to wonder if Koch or Kitty loved going to amusement parks as kids because that's what I feel like I've stepped into when I read this series. I'm sure I'll continue to have fun with this series as I search for the next installment of the series. Now that Kitty and Jeff are on the right track, I'm sure things are bound to get a lot more interesting. As if they weren't interesting enough!

Overall: 5 out of 5