I really enjoyed getting to know Genevieve, I found the story really interesting and thought it worked well in the scifi genre.

Review excerpted from my blog post over at FanSciHist Romance Reviews (https://fanscihist.wordpress.com/2020/06/13/clean-install-by-r-z-held/)

My Rating: 3.5 stars

Library recommendation: Recommended for public library science fiction ebook collections.

Warning: Hereafter, you chance spoilers. I will try never to reveal major plot points, but to review any book, you must reveal some parts of the story.

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Number of titles I have read by this author: 1

Love story speed: The romance is secondary in this novella. What is included is slow burn.

Relationship dynamics: The Infiltrator (h) / The Medic (H)

Physical Descriptions: Not really given for Genevieve; Pyrus has an “undistinguished” face and a short beard that strengthens his jawline.

Sexual content: A smidge, “off-screen,” and really only alluded to

Triggers: War, PTSD, familial estrangement

Grammar/Editing: My ARC had some typos

Review: This is a fast-paced novella set on-planet (e.g. no spaceships) at a security outpost. The world building is situational only, and there isn’t much addressed in terms of physics to be able to assess consistency. The technology mentioned is consistent (if difficult to puzzle out), but frequent readers of sci fi will notice that nanites are presented differently in this story than is usual. I also felt that the flow of the story would have been better if the events were told in a different order at the beginning. This would provide better context for character motivations.

As is mentioned above, the romance in this story is secondary, but the characters who do form a relationship are Genevieve and Pyrus. Genevieve’s attraction to Pyrus is described, but that’s really as much of a typical romance as you will see here. Really, the tension in their relationship happens entirely before either one of them seems to be contemplating a relationship with the other.

The main supporting characters are Eriope and Carex. Eriope is fairly well fleshed out for the length of story, and Carex is an interesting character but, as usual, I think there would have been more room for character development if the book were longer. I understand that the next book does not pick up until years after the events of this one, so it’s difficult to say whether or not one should expect better development in future installments in the series.



Full disclosure: I received a free advance review copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Romance, Science Fiction

NetGalley lists this book under two headings: Romance and Science Fiction. I normally would not touch a Romance novel but this one didn't sound so bad. While it is not an icky romance novel, it isn't particularly well written SF either. It's a reworking of the "enemy technology infects our hero who then goes off for revenge" story. Genevieve is supposed to infiltrate an enemy stronghold and release a counter technology that will wipe them out. There are lots of thin spots in the plot and some implausible medical stuff – like how blood nanites would cause you to sprout metal wings and behind that why would the people who developed the nanites think metal wings are a good thing to have.

I don't recommend it unless you have no alternatives.

I liked it, interesting and unique take on the science fiction romance theme. The characters where engaging and made you care about them quickly.

I really wanted to like this book, however I just couldn't. First, you have to go back and read the description to even realize what is going on in the book. You are started from what feels like a second book location with no explanation of what is going on. Just boom, in the thick of it. She is in enemy territory, but no explanation of why. She is panicking but you have no clue why, how she is different, nothing. The more you read, the more the author expects you to just know information that was never given. This book felt so incomplete and like it was in the middle of a series. Not to mention the COMPLETE lack of chemistry between the h and everyone else. Isn't this a romance? Where? This was just not well done which was really disappointing because the description sounded great. There was potential that got lost somewhere.

This novel was a short and interesting read. It brings a new type if infection, one involving nanites where those infected die. However, someone survived and she has a mission to infect the Installs. As usual, nothing ever goes as planned and the lines between friend and enemy become blurred. Different motives and objectives for some of the characters, where some have secrets and hidden agendas. Seeing the Installs in a new perspective has Genevieve rethinking her initial mission. Will she follow through with it or can she be persuaded otherwise? How will the truth of her own identity affect the relationships she has developed and her position within?
I received this novel from net galley and the publisher. Thank you! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A triumph! This book is spell-binding, conflict-driven, and I could not put it down. The speculative fiction elements of it are woven in so beautifully and the narrative is so compelling that one minute, it was a perfectly decent time to be reading, and the next, it was after midnight. Highly recommended!