Review: What a fabulous ride!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 5, 2013
WOW, what a ride!Mindlink by Kat Cantrell is a sci-fi romance...and I loved it.Ashley V is so annoying to begin with! She's an actress that has made some really bad decisions in her life. Like being photographed passed out in a bar. And it goes downhill from there. She's been offered the part of a lifetime: Pretend to be a scientist and travel to another planet and if she can pull it off, then she'll get to play a big part in a movie that is a shoe-in for an Oscar. She seems so shallow and selfish when we meet her. This story follows her growth and I loved her journey.Her photographic memory helps her to nail every aspect of the scientist she is pretending to be. The aliens, the Telhada, have asked for ten of the brightest minds that Earth has to offer. The group will spend the next six weeks on another planet, sharing ideas.The PR company that's running the event has rejected one scientist and brought in a "contest winner" to replace him. The other eight scientists are not amused to have this girl, Natalie, with them.The ten step into a ship, slip into pods and are whisked away. They step out onto a gray world. There's no welcoming committee. No parade. It was quite shocking when they were separated, stripped, and a probe that appears to be somewhat alive is forced into their heads.Ashley's biggest fear and regret at that moment is that she's may not be able to make it back to Earth and make a splash in that new movie she was promised. Then she decides to fight to survive. She doesn't know how she's going to do it, but, by gosh, she's going to try!Acquisition Manager, ZXQ-One, has orchestrated the entire "kidnapping" of the scientists. In the past, the aliens have snatched people from here and there on Earth. But they have been disappointed in the "quality" of the minds they've gotten. That's why they thought they'd invite the best and brightest to come visit. Of course, none of the humans thought the visit would be one way.There's something about Ashley that ZXQ-One is drawn to. And she's drawn to him, too. But how can that be? They are not the same. He's an alien! But what a cutie...This planet has some really strict CLASS segregation. There's the Ruling class, and everyone else are just worker bees. Humans are the dregs. When a worker, or a human, are no longer deemed necessary, the are recycled. Yes, killed, their bits used for various things.ZXQ-One has messed up. He gets sent to the recycle cells. There he actually gets to "chat" a bit with Ashley, who is trying to protect Natalie, who seems pretty fragile. She IS going to escape. Because how else will she be able to make it back to Earth and be in that movie? She thinks that "ZXQ-One" is not a good name. She decides he's Sam. She invites him to help them (by now a couple more of the scientists are in her cell and a boy child has been put in the cell next to them) to escape. He's told her that it's his duty to be recycled, since he made a grave error. She doesn't believe that for a minute. No one should die.The thing in her head (he has one, too) accidentally connects them mind to mind when they are close and make eye contact. They are now linked. MINDLINKED. Their memories are shared and they can speak telepathically once they get the hang of it.So begins their journey to Kir Dashamun, a place that's rumored to be paradise.There's a thread of mystery here. Just WHO are these aliens? And how alien are they? Can Ashley make it back to Earth to star in that movie?And Sam, would someone really want to leave him after they got to know him? I don't think I would because he's sweet, and hot, and charming...and he's learned some shocking truths about his planet and his people and he's pretty ticked off at the king, too.This was a rough journey for both of them. With some tender moments, some hot moments, growth for both of them, and some shocking moments, too.I'm not taking any stars off for a couple of questions that I had when I was done. Like, who left the food squares out in the woods? This is not a "how to get to another planet" sort of book. So, suspend your disbelief over some of the transitions and just enjoy being in another world, meeting aliens, and falling in love.I loved it. Totally. And while this book had an ending, I'd sure not mind seeing more of them. Ms. Cantrell has built a world that was fascinating. She kept me worrying over these characters and hoping for a good outcome. What a ride and I'm so pleased she shared her vision with us.Thank you, NetGalley and Carina Press, for the opportunity to read MINDLINK.