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melindavan's review against another edition
4.0
I picked up this story Hanna Martine on a "you might also like" recommendation by Amazon. I hate to admit it, but they were right. I really liked this story. I was fascinated by the concept of elementals embodied in a race called Ofarians. The main character, Gwen (a surprisingly normal name for someone so exotic) can literally become liquid. Is she the Lie? Maybe, maybe not. The title really refers to a bottle of magic which they sell secretly across the world. Their entire race has blended into our society and become rich by selling this magic, which basically is bottled Glamor. Want to look young without Botox? Take a drop of Mendacia (lies). It hides your age. It doesn't fix it, it merely conceals it from everyone else. I bet it would sell really well in certain circles.
Gwen has never asked how the stuff is made. She hopes to find out one day, because it'll mean she's finally accepted as a top leader among her people. This story is a classic case of be careful what you wish for, because when she finds out it rips her world apart. Through every hardship, though, she's a strong person who sticks to her moral code no matter what the personal consequences. She's a person to admire.
First Line:
At 3 a.m. Gwen Carroway and the chairman of the Company waited in an idling limo on the Embarcadero. To the left, the bay curled around a sparkling San Francisco. To the right, water poured incessantly from Vaillancourt Fountain’s hulking mess of squared concrete tubes. Water everywhere—soothing her, whispering to her, offering her protection.
She peered through the tinted windows. On the opposite side of the fountain, two male figures in dark suits appeared between a line of palm trees. Their steps slowed as they started across the angular half-moon of the plaza.
“They’re here.”
I loved the opening. It hooked me and took me right into the story. I also loved the twists and turns along the way. Just when I thought I knew where it was going, it went somewhere else. And just when I thought I couldn't handle one more obstacle... well, read it, and find out what happens! If you're a fan of light science fiction and romance, you'll like this. It's well written, with a solid plot, great pacing, nice romantic steamy moment or two and a heroine to root for.
Oh, and who wouldn't like to be able to turn into a puddle? It's fun to imagine just what I could do with that sort of power.
This is first in a series. I'm adding the next to my TBR list now.
Gwen has never asked how the stuff is made. She hopes to find out one day, because it'll mean she's finally accepted as a top leader among her people. This story is a classic case of be careful what you wish for, because when she finds out it rips her world apart. Through every hardship, though, she's a strong person who sticks to her moral code no matter what the personal consequences. She's a person to admire.
First Line:
At 3 a.m. Gwen Carroway and the chairman of the Company waited in an idling limo on the Embarcadero. To the left, the bay curled around a sparkling San Francisco. To the right, water poured incessantly from Vaillancourt Fountain’s hulking mess of squared concrete tubes. Water everywhere—soothing her, whispering to her, offering her protection.
She peered through the tinted windows. On the opposite side of the fountain, two male figures in dark suits appeared between a line of palm trees. Their steps slowed as they started across the angular half-moon of the plaza.
“They’re here.”
I loved the opening. It hooked me and took me right into the story. I also loved the twists and turns along the way. Just when I thought I knew where it was going, it went somewhere else. And just when I thought I couldn't handle one more obstacle... well, read it, and find out what happens! If you're a fan of light science fiction and romance, you'll like this. It's well written, with a solid plot, great pacing, nice romantic steamy moment or two and a heroine to root for.
Oh, and who wouldn't like to be able to turn into a puddle? It's fun to imagine just what I could do with that sort of power.
This is first in a series. I'm adding the next to my TBR list now.
edgyirishcupcake's review against another edition
5.0
This was a really gripping book. I thought it to be very well written and the characters and their conflicts were marvelous! I will be reading more of this series. I rarely ever find books with unique plots and twists anymore, and enjoyed this book a lot. If you want a romance novel that has more than the typical smut and good character development, I recommend Liquid Lies.
nelsonseye's review against another edition
3.0
This was pretty good, but I think I might have preferred it with more of an urban fantasy than paranormal romance vibe. I was more engaged with the world and the history than the romantic relationship, but the relationship was good too.
inmyhumbleopinion's review against another edition
4.0
With all the books I have on my TBR shelf I try not to pick up anything random at the bookstore. I must admit it was the cover that drew me in and then the blurb on the back convinced me that this book might just be right up my alley.
This book was terrific! It is an ambitious multi-layered tale and while Ms. Martine doesn’t always succeed she hits more than misses.
If President Barack Obama could have any "super power," it would be the ability to speak any language. Gwen Carroway has that gift. It makes her valuable to the company run by her father that supplies most of the wealth to her “people” the Ofarians. The Ofarians came to earth after a war with another peoples called the Tedrans. When an ancient Tedran hires Reed “The Retriever” Scott, a human, to abduct Gwen he has no idea that he is about to have his world and reality rocked. The chemistry between Gwen and Reed is there from the start but Reed is a professional and doesn’t let it keep him from doing his job.
This is a great read that defies pigeon holing into a label. Yes it could be considered paranormal romance or sci-fi romance or any number of other genres. I just call it a great read.
This book was terrific! It is an ambitious multi-layered tale and while Ms. Martine doesn’t always succeed she hits more than misses.
If President Barack Obama could have any "super power," it would be the ability to speak any language. Gwen Carroway has that gift. It makes her valuable to the company run by her father that supplies most of the wealth to her “people” the Ofarians. The Ofarians came to earth after a war with another peoples called the Tedrans. When an ancient Tedran hires Reed “The Retriever” Scott, a human, to abduct Gwen he has no idea that he is about to have his world and reality rocked. The chemistry between Gwen and Reed is there from the start but Reed is a professional and doesn’t let it keep him from doing his job.
This is a great read that defies pigeon holing into a label. Yes it could be considered paranormal romance or sci-fi romance or any number of other genres. I just call it a great read.
elliefufu's review against another edition
3.0
Liquid Lies, The Elementals #1, by Hanna Martine
Grade: C+
“It means ‘lies’ in Latin. Did you know that? You’re selling liquid lies. And there’s more than one lie in that bottle, other than how it’s made.”
Reed Scott is known as the Retriever and he find anything or anyone for just the right price. On a new job in San Francisco, Reed comes across a woman being attacked in an alley and he swoops in to rescue her. The sparks between Reed and the woman are electric and he’s pleasantly surprised to run into her again while meeting his contacts for his new job. Reed never imagined the beautiful woman who knocked his socks off is his next gig and it will take every ounce of strength he has to keep his feeling and work separate.
Gwen Carroway is an Ofarian, a being that landed on Earth in the late 1800’s and has the ability shift water with her mind and body. Gwen is the first translator born in generations to her people and she has the ability to pick up languages in minutes and she uses this gift to help the company that provides for her people. After a work transaction gone bad, Gwen is saved by a handsome stranger who sparks the Allure which is highly dangerous for her people. The Allure can make an Ofarian forget everything and only focus on one person and the pleasure they can give them. Gwen is shocked to learn her mystery man is now her kidnapper and soon both of their worlds are turned upside down.
Liquid Lies is the first in a new series by Hanna Martine called The Elementals. Liquid Lies is more science fiction romance then paranormal romance but I really enjoyed how different it was from anything that I’ve read in a really long time. Mrs. Martine introduces us to the world of the Ofarian and their golden child Gwen who also happens to be the daughter of the Chairman who heads the board. The board and the Chairman run and control every detail of their company that financially supports their people with the development and sale of Mendacia. Mendacia can create an illusion for anyone who can pay the enormous price tag and it’s Gwen’s job to sell it to wealthy clients all around the world.
I found the world of the Ofarian fascinating and I wish that I could have gotten more information about them and their culture. The Ofarian are painted as both good and evil in this book and at times I found it had to figure out who I was rooting against. I really enjoyed Gwen and she is an amazing heroine who isn’t afraid to challenge things that are wrong and to try to make things better for not just her people but everyone she comes in contact with. I wish that we could have learned more about her sister and what their relationship was like, along with her relationship with her mother before she died. I liked Gwen but I never felt that I really knew her and I was always wanting more information then I was being give.
As i mentioned it was very hard to know who to hate and who to cheer on which was a pleasant surprise in my opinion. There is a lot going on in this book and it seemed to take a little while for things to get moving. I think it was a little slow at the beginning which made it very hard to get into but halfway through things were happening left and right especially with Gwen and Reed. I had a hard time with Reed and as much as I wanted to like him I just didn’t. I found it hard to believe that he would stick around to make sure Gwen was okay when he is the one who put her in the situation where she might be hurt or killed just for a paycheck. I never felt that his intentions were good and he just rubbed me the wrong way for most of the book.
I wasn’t blown away by this book but I didn’t hate it and found it getting much better towards the end. I hope the momentum can be carried over to the sequel which comes out in December and tells Xavier’s story. I’m very interested to get to know him better and I think his book is going to be much better than Liquid Lies. I really hope we get to see some of the characters we were introduced to like Griffin who I really hope gets his own book in the future. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next in the crazy world of aliens, primaries and secondaries we’ve been introduced to.
Grade: C+
“It means ‘lies’ in Latin. Did you know that? You’re selling liquid lies. And there’s more than one lie in that bottle, other than how it’s made.”
Reed Scott is known as the Retriever and he find anything or anyone for just the right price. On a new job in San Francisco, Reed comes across a woman being attacked in an alley and he swoops in to rescue her. The sparks between Reed and the woman are electric and he’s pleasantly surprised to run into her again while meeting his contacts for his new job. Reed never imagined the beautiful woman who knocked his socks off is his next gig and it will take every ounce of strength he has to keep his feeling and work separate.
Gwen Carroway is an Ofarian, a being that landed on Earth in the late 1800’s and has the ability shift water with her mind and body. Gwen is the first translator born in generations to her people and she has the ability to pick up languages in minutes and she uses this gift to help the company that provides for her people. After a work transaction gone bad, Gwen is saved by a handsome stranger who sparks the Allure which is highly dangerous for her people. The Allure can make an Ofarian forget everything and only focus on one person and the pleasure they can give them. Gwen is shocked to learn her mystery man is now her kidnapper and soon both of their worlds are turned upside down.
Liquid Lies is the first in a new series by Hanna Martine called The Elementals. Liquid Lies is more science fiction romance then paranormal romance but I really enjoyed how different it was from anything that I’ve read in a really long time. Mrs. Martine introduces us to the world of the Ofarian and their golden child Gwen who also happens to be the daughter of the Chairman who heads the board. The board and the Chairman run and control every detail of their company that financially supports their people with the development and sale of Mendacia. Mendacia can create an illusion for anyone who can pay the enormous price tag and it’s Gwen’s job to sell it to wealthy clients all around the world.
I found the world of the Ofarian fascinating and I wish that I could have gotten more information about them and their culture. The Ofarian are painted as both good and evil in this book and at times I found it had to figure out who I was rooting against. I really enjoyed Gwen and she is an amazing heroine who isn’t afraid to challenge things that are wrong and to try to make things better for not just her people but everyone she comes in contact with. I wish that we could have learned more about her sister and what their relationship was like, along with her relationship with her mother before she died. I liked Gwen but I never felt that I really knew her and I was always wanting more information then I was being give.
As i mentioned it was very hard to know who to hate and who to cheer on which was a pleasant surprise in my opinion. There is a lot going on in this book and it seemed to take a little while for things to get moving. I think it was a little slow at the beginning which made it very hard to get into but halfway through things were happening left and right especially with Gwen and Reed. I had a hard time with Reed and as much as I wanted to like him I just didn’t. I found it hard to believe that he would stick around to make sure Gwen was okay when he is the one who put her in the situation where she might be hurt or killed just for a paycheck. I never felt that his intentions were good and he just rubbed me the wrong way for most of the book.
I wasn’t blown away by this book but I didn’t hate it and found it getting much better towards the end. I hope the momentum can be carried over to the sequel which comes out in December and tells Xavier’s story. I’m very interested to get to know him better and I think his book is going to be much better than Liquid Lies. I really hope we get to see some of the characters we were introduced to like Griffin who I really hope gets his own book in the future. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next in the crazy world of aliens, primaries and secondaries we’ve been introduced to.
ancientdebra's review against another edition
4.0
I had high expectations for this intriguing paranormal romance and I was not disappointed! Sci-fi and romance combine in this richly textured tale. I can't wait for the next!!
nelsonseye's review
3.0
This was pretty good, but I think I might have preferred it with more of an urban fantasy than paranormal romance vibe. I was more engaged with the world and the history than the romantic relationship, but the relationship was good too.
slc333's review against another edition
2.0
This is a paranormal/alien romance story and while I found the underlying story reasonable the "romance" angle was abysmal and basically ruined what could have been a good book. The hero Reed was completely unlikable. I do not understand why Grace would have any feelings for him at all. He KIDNAPPED her for MONEY, and because he liked the adrenalin rush, even after he found out it was the woman he was interested in. I think we are supposed to think he was ok because he stayed afterwards to 'protect' her. That would only have worked his reason for staying was to help her escape - which it wasn't. He only stayed to ensure they wouldn't kill her (what a prince). She wouldn't have been in any danger if he hadn't kidnapped in the first place. Then there was all the angst about whether Grace used him by sleeping with him (like that would have been a bad thing in those circumstances) and Grace had to prove she wasn't trying to manipulate him and that she had real feelings for him. Excuse me - he kidnapped her for money!!! refused to help her escape, did whatever her captors told him including giving her unnamed drugs - as far as I can see the only reason Grace SHOULD have slept with him is to try to manipulate him. Even Stockholm syndrome can't explain it - she slept with after about 2 days. Griffin would have made a much better match for Grace and much more likeable hero. Even Xavier would have made a better match for Grace. Yes he was horrible to Grace and hated her to begin with but at least he had a good reason, and the overcoming that difficulty would have been sufficient conflict, and he is a better person than Reed even after the way he was raised and all the crap he went through.
labraden's review against another edition
3.0
Liquid Lies wasn't what I expected. It was more science fiction than romance, kind of a cross between I Am Number Four and an episode of Star Trek the Next Generation called "Encounter at Farpoint." The two alien races in the story were on Earth secretly. Gwen was from an alien race that communed with water and Reed was a human whose job involved kidnapping people for money. Gwen's story was quite complicated while Reed's was fairly ordinary. That made for an unbalanced story that was more about her than him. I enjoyed the story but didn't really get into the romance between the two main characters.
mattyswytla's review
4.0
I had no real idea what this book would be like and I started it primarily because of a reading challenge. I totally enjoyed it, which is something I did not really expect. I'm glad I've read it and am certainly going to get my hands on the next instalment. It would be a shame not to know that my weakness for hurt souls is fully engaged. (The sequel is centred on Xavier, who has gotten really interesting the more we got to see of him in this book - I am dying of curiosity here now - evil, evil blurb at the end...)
The magical aliens we get to see are interesting and something I've not come across before, so I really liked that aspect of the story. It certainly was not predictable to me like the lycans, shifters, and other creatures of the night, or fairytales have become. The powers and weaknesses were handled really well too, so we never saw one side completely in control or being at a clear advantage outright. This is one of the reasons this story works so well - there's always some inkling of a power-shift in the future.
The heroine Gwen is competent enough on her own and while I did not buy into the instant and overpowering lust between her and Reese, I liked the overall story enough to push aside my feelings about the way their relationship is handled. I get that romance is written this way pretty much all the time, especially when we have some supernatural or alien force mixed in, but I hoped to have it done in a more believable way. The big plus here is that it's the heroine with the powers, not the man. This makes them more equal and I can disregard some things that bothered me - that she fell for a man who kidnaps her is troubling enough, but I won't go there...
The author handles tension and conflict really well; it was a pleasure to turn the page and find out more. I did not feel the story drag or pause; it was really smooth reading for me. I was emotionally invested in Gwen's survival and the mystery behind her abduction. When all is revealed, even more tension and conflict is added - I loved it. You're not sure if the heroine will ever manage to save herself or anyone else, so that is a big plus. No one enjoys entirely predictable storylines (well, most of the times, anyway). I should have guessed how it would all end but I was sucked into the story and lost my higher reasoning. I let the author take me for a ride.
This is a 4 stars book, easily.
The magical aliens we get to see are interesting and something I've not come across before, so I really liked that aspect of the story. It certainly was not predictable to me like the lycans, shifters, and other creatures of the night, or fairytales have become. The powers and weaknesses were handled really well too, so we never saw one side completely in control or being at a clear advantage outright. This is one of the reasons this story works so well - there's always some inkling of a power-shift in the future.
The heroine Gwen is competent enough on her own and while I did not buy into the instant and overpowering lust between her and Reese, I liked the overall story enough to push aside my feelings about the way their relationship is handled. I get that romance is written this way pretty much all the time, especially when we have some supernatural or alien force mixed in, but I hoped to have it done in a more believable way. The big plus here is that it's the heroine with the powers, not the man. This makes them more equal and I can disregard some things that bothered me - that she fell for a man who kidnaps her is troubling enough, but I won't go there...
The author handles tension and conflict really well; it was a pleasure to turn the page and find out more. I did not feel the story drag or pause; it was really smooth reading for me. I was emotionally invested in Gwen's survival and the mystery behind her abduction. When all is revealed, even more tension and conflict is added - I loved it. You're not sure if the heroine will ever manage to save herself or anyone else, so that is a big plus. No one enjoys entirely predictable storylines (well, most of the times, anyway). I should have guessed how it would all end but I was sucked into the story and lost my higher reasoning. I let the author take me for a ride.
This is a 4 stars book, easily.