Amanda Bouchet has quickly become a new favourite author. I really enjoyed this sci-fi/urban setting. The story was so enjoyable that I couldn't put it down! I can not wait to see what happens next!

This book is for fans of Illona Andrews Clean Sweep series.

I have always been a huge fan of Amanda Bouchet and this book did not disapoint. I was on the edge of my seat waiting to find out what would happen next.

Thankyou to NetGalley, Hachette Australia, Piatkus and the author, Amanda Bouchet, for the opportunity to read a digital copy of Nightchaser in exchange fro an honest, unbiased opinion.
I thought this book provided a good read. The story was well written and wonderfully descriptive.
Worth a read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book!

I will say first off that I am not really into Sci Fi. Sometimes they will hook me but mostly not, so I had to work up a feel for this one and it took a lot longer than my usual jaunts into Netgalley territory (sorry!) but when I was in, that was it. I liked the beginning the best I think, as everything was introduced. I felt like the plot got a bit muddied in the middle and veered off in odd directions, but then we had an ending where the cuharacters have some goals and some things have been resolved. The things up in the air are important too, which is why I guess this is a series with more to come!

Shade and Tess make for a cute couple, but the insta lust was a bit much. Plus she leaves him hanging in that department waaaay too much, but usually it's him doing the declining for other activities. Huh?

I look forward to more from this series, and of course I'll read whatever Amanda Bouchet writes; her name is now cemented with me as an enjoyable read. Four stars.

"Narrowminded ideas about the natural order of all things, including how people should think and act, became law. What to learn wasn't a vast choice anymore, but instead determined by statistical analysis and apparent strengths, with no regard for human interests or desires."

Tess Bailey is Captain of the Endeavor, a rebel and a fugitive from the Overseer and the Dark Watch who rule the galaxy through a potent mix of fear and propaganda. Tess has stolen something important to their stranglehold on power risking imprisonment, torture and death. With shades of The Hunger Games and Star Wars plus a dollop of steamy space romance, this was an easy, entertaining, science-fiction read.

Nightchaser is the first in a new series by Amanda Bouchet. This series is set in the future in outer new galaxies. The world as we know it has imploded and people live in a variety of places in outer space. This "world" is ruled over by a despotic Galactic Overseer, who rules with an iron fist.

However there are pockets of resistance and none more so on board the cargo cruiser Endeavour, captained by Tess Bailey. She has a small crew with her and when we meet them for the first time they also have attached to them a stolen cargo that is going to be central to this book and further on.

Tess is tough, strong, young woman and along with her crew she has escaped the wily and cruel clutches of the Overseer - for the moment. At all costs they need to stay out of the hostile Dark Watch soldiers and do what they know is important. It turns out there are hidden depths to Tess and as the story unfolds much is revealed. I especially liked her total focus on the needs of Starway 8 where orphans live under the care of two amazing women. By the end of the book we and she understands herself more, but yet more is to be learned I suspect.

On board along with the stolen cargo is "big guy" and later when they dock, Shade is introduced. While there is a strong attraction immediately between Shade and Tess, things are rather till unclear about him.

It takes awhile to become acquainted with this world, but once all the details are gathered, I was completely along for the ride. The main and minor characters are interesting and many of them soon started to grow on me. I look forward to seeing how they all develop in the next book.

The story is full of adventure, while at times there are lulls, there is always a sense of danger either right there or just ahead.  The romantic element is strong without being overpowering.

The book leaves us all set up for the next one, the adventure or quest has began but is no means finished or near finished. I certainly will want to read the next one and am waiting eagerly.

I loved Amanda Bouchet's other series so I was really excited to read this one! I did really enjoy Nightchaser but not as much as her other books. I loved the characters especially Bonk lol the chemistry between Shade and Tess was awesome but most of the action doesn't really start until the end of the book there is a really cool action scene at the start. the middle of the book dragged a little for me but when things pick up towards the end it got super interesting and it left me wanting more of the story I found my self a bit disappointed when the book ended because I could have kept reading! overall if you like smutty sci-fi romances with a bit of action this book is for you ! cant wait for book two

A brilliant start to a great new series. I can’t wait for the next book! A great new world, a fresh new take on space.

Huge thank you to Hachette Australia and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to review this book!

This book right here is a fantastic example of the perfect mixture of a captivating story and steamy romance. I loved the characters of both Tess and Shade, and of course Bonk, and their chemistry together was so much fun to read, especially their silly little flirtatious teasing.

Full (spoiler-y) review here: http://wmsreads.tumblr.com/post/181235833522/

If you like smutty romance novels and science fiction, I definitely recommend Nightcaser!

I remember someone recommending I read an Amanda Bouchet (not that I can remember who or why) so when I saw this cool looking sci-fi novel I decided I would give it a go. 

Disclaimer - I am not a fan of smut. I now know that Amanda Bouchet writes interesting stories then slaps a heap of smut in. As such, I did not read about 3% of this book and felt rather uncomfortable for at least another 5%. 

Our MC, Tess Bailey, is a tough cookie with a heart of gold. Yes, she is a thief, but the theft she is being hunted down for at the start of the novel she believes to be a lab full of medication that could be used by an orphanage. Unfortunately, she is wrong and that, plus the reveal of her true identity, sets off a galaxy-wide manhunt.
I rather like Tess, but her inner monologue and her behaviour when it comes to Shade were not my favourite.
Shade Ganavan. How does one feel about a shady character who seems to be at odds with himself because he wants a good payday but also a good root? I still have not decided but I know that he is someone I would suggest staying a billion light years away from. He is smooth, flirty and described in a way that makes the reader believe he is insanely hot, but I still cannot help but think he seems like a tool.
The other members of Tess' crew are Shiori, Fiona, Jax and Miko. Shiori is blind, Miko knows how to navigate, Fiona is basically a scientist and Jax is a kind, protective man whom Tess was paired up with while in this stories equivalent of a working prison camp. Other than that, I do not feel like I learned much else about them. They seem to only be around when they are needed for the plot.

With the exception of the smut scenes and my personal struggles with the characters, I actually enjoyed the storyline. It was rather well written and the plot was interesting but the excitement for me was limited to the first 12% of the book and the last 34% where the story is very much in sci-fi mode. However, there are a few scenes in the middle 54% (the more romance section of the story) that took place in a bookshop filled with cats and a kooky shop owner named Susan. That shop sounded like a little pocket of heaven in the hell of a universe they are living in.
I also need to mention Bonk. A tri-coloured kitten and one of Susan's gifts to Tess that stole the show. Regardless of how much I liked other elements of the book, I honestly care more about that cat than I did anything else. 

The story ended on a bit of a cliffhanger, as we should all expect from the first book of a planned series, but I think it was well done. Despite my personal issues with the smuttiness, I am actually inclined to read book 2 in this series.

I really liked the sci-fi storyline, loved the character of Susan and thought Bonk was a cute addition, but the story really lulled in the middle for me, as I felt it focused more on romance than anything else, and I personally dislike all the smut.

Tess is a stalwart force for good, taking from the privileged and giving to the less fortunate, acting cahoots with her jail partner Jax, her medical officer Fiona and two random she met along the way, Miko and her grandmother Shiori. She lives in a world where one person reigns supreme over all others. The Overseer, a malicious force for 'good' is in fact a malicious and manipulative old man determined to keep everyone under control (How To Write a Villain 101 BUT I liked his horrid presence). Determined to undermine him at every turn, Tess is smart and sassy, the perfect combo for a kickarse female protagonist. While on the surface, she is steely and closed off, on the inside she has a soft spot for pretty much anyone who isn’t her dick of a father. Especially for the local mechanic, Shade Ganavan, and a stripy cat called Bonk (Kit is so cute, and I want to hug it because kitty!). Basically, she's like those delicious Ferrero chocolates with the hard chocolate shell but full of gooey nutty goodness (I live for Ferrero Rocher, stop judging me). If I had to compare her to anyone I have read recently, it would have to be Mariam Xi from Corey J White's Voidwitch Saga but without the crazy cruiser crushing superpowers.

Shade is a conundrum. He's a local mechanic working for an honest living. But he's also a kickarse bounty hunter trying to make money to buy back his family business from the local casino. Upon meeting Tess, he is enthralled with her and determined to help the seeming damsel fix her ship and escape his rock in space. After bartering a deal, he sees her face pop up on his secret bounty hunter network with a reward that would buy back his business and help him live like a king for the remainder of his existence. I really liked him to be honest. He had the swagger of Lynette Noni's Niyx combined with the stoicism of The Princess Bride's Westley and a little of the badarsery associated with Die Hard's John Mcclane. He's just goals to be honest.

Now what I haven't mentioned is that it is a post-Earth space opera. The inhabitants of Earth abandoned the planet seeking greener pastures and have expanded throughout the known universe into 18 sectors. The usual wormholes, black holes and warp speed all feature within but there is a new aspect, a place called The Fold. Basically, it's a colony outside of the known universe, hidden behind a curtain of darker Dark (I scratched my head to start but it becomes just another 'thing' by the end). While there is a minimal number of pages actually spent within it, The Fold is a constant unobtainable destination for our crew.

The majority of the action occurs on a random planet in sector 2, Albion 5, inhabitable and running like any other. It feels like any other, people going about their business, commerce working as it would anywhere else. Due to this, I felt like it could have been set in any other universe and the story didn't revolve around its location, a characteristic which is frequently seen in sci-fi/spec-fic circles which frankly feels a tad lazy. I found the centralisation of the narrative around the actual characters to be refreshing and give props to Bouchet to separating herself from the pack.

I think was kept me intrigued was the pace and flow of the tale. It is not a slow burn but definitely not a flit around the galaxy where the reader feels confused as to the events unfolding Game of Thrones-style (yes, I read them recently. They are just so busy). I found the arc of the characters progression to be semi-believable although I don't know how many people would be willing to kill for someone after knowing them for a week... While Tess fixing her ship was the basis for the tale, her interactions with secondary characters allowed Nightchaser to feel less linear. I especially loved her love for the bookseller and their discussions about various... Things... It just felt complete. There was a tear-jerking scene for those who like to feel emotionally connected to their subplots, a conservative amount of smut and a large chunk of action. It was well rounded for wont of a better word.

Overall, I quite enjoyed Nightchaser. It provided a flawed protagonist who ran the full range of human emotions. There was betrayal, love (both romantic and platonic), envy and a good dose of friendship. And Bonk, my second favourite pet this year. The narrative was well paced and followed a semi-natural arc. There were meaningful relationships as well as a villain who by the end felt less Darth Sidious and more fall guy for The Mob. I give it a respectable 4 of 5 stars.

Although I am not a big sci-fi reader, something about Nightchaser appealed to me, and I am glad I requested it on NetGalley. I found the story great fun, and I liked both Tess and Shade as characters. They had great chemistry, too, which really sizzled on the page. The story premise is interesting, and the book certainly left me keen to find out what will happen next. My only main reservation was the lack of fleshing out of other characters. Tess and Shade came across fine, but everyone else seemed a bit two-dimensional. We never really got to know the supporting cast to any extent. However, that may be something that happens over the course of the series. I also didn't think the sex scene at the end was strictly necessary. All up, though, an enjoyable read for fans of sci-fi romance and adventures tales.

In a better world - one in which thousands of terrible books didn't drag the average down - this would be an average book. It's not bad. It's OK.

It's written to a template that a lot of books are being written to these days, which is a practice that tends to produce an undistinguished result. A plucky young woman with a traumatic past leads a band of ragtag rebels (or other people on the edge of the law) in space-operatic adventures.

Its debt to popular franchises is fairly obvious. Rebels vs evil empire, and a key player in the evil empire is closely related to the protagonist: Star Wars. Phasers: Star Trek. Yes, they're actually called "phasers".

The worldbuilding, such as it is, is very space-opera-standard-issue. Any time it goes anywhere near science, it gets it wrong. There are magical healing lasers; bullets don't work in space because they need oxygen for the sparks (that's actually built into the propellant, or it can be); a few days of charging via the ship's solar cells on a planet is enough to bring it to full charge, which is all it needs to get out of the gravity well of the planet (by some mysterious mechanism not explored) as well as hyperjump long distances; a small two-person craft can be used as an aircar and can also get out of the gravity well and perform hyperjumps; neither of these appear to use fuel or reaction mass; an increase in white cell count gives you, not leukemia, but a superior immune system so you never get sick (and your blood cures others); "purifying herbs" are used for "detox". The mention of floating cargo pallets suggests that there's antigravity, and that this also provides artificial gravity in the spacecraft and perhaps has something to do with the propulsion, but it's never explored at all, even in a passing mention.

There's a "midsummer festival" celebrated, seemingly at the same time, across multiple planets. In reality, it isn't even midsummer at the same time all over one planet.

There's a quotation from a famous (fictional) poet. The poetry is awful.

It's technically dystopian, which nearly made me quit it a couple of pages in, but I thought I'd give it a chance. It's also technically postapocalyptic, since Earth has been destroyed by nuclear war - the only evidence of anything nuclear; all power appears to be solar. Both of these would normally be an automatic "no" from me.

It's crammed absolutely full of misuses of the coordinate comma rule. Apart from that, and a few typos, the copy editing is mostly clean.

So why did I finish it? Well, the actual story, the adventure with a bit of romance thrown in, is well done. We start with a motivated protagonist in a dynamic situation. The stakes are personal, the action scenes are engaging, the tension escalates, the characters (at least the viewpoint characters) are more than cardboard cutouts, the conflicts are, if somewhat obviously set up, strong and compelling. If you mainly care about storytelling - and most readers do - this is a competent, even capable book. It's entertaining.

There are dozens like it, though, and I don't often read those kind of clone-army books because I'm usually disappointed at the missed opportunities to go beyond the template. Sometimes I'm pleasantly surprised. This time... eh, it was OK.

I received a copy via Netgalley for purposes of review.