Audio Book Review: The Machines of Bellatrix

The Machines of Bellatrix

By:  Cary Caffrey

Publish Date:  November 4, 2013, Audiobook Release May 4, 2016

Format:  Audiobook - 9 hrs 57 mins
Narrated By:  Kristin James

Genre:  Sci Fi

Series:  2nd in The Girls from Alcyone series; Book 1 ~ The Girls from Alcyone

First Impression:  The girls are hunted, and Sigrid is determined to keep them all safe, at any cost.

Synopsis:
Alcyone is gone. The Independent stronghold on Scorpii is destroyed. Sigrid and her sisters have fled the Federation to make a new home on the remote world of Medea.

But with a price on her head the size of a planet, and pursued across the galaxy by the Council for Trade and Finance, Sigrid knows she and her sisters are not safe. As long as there are those who would seek to control them, hunt them, they will never be safe.

Unless Sigrid can stop them first.

But to stop them, Sigrid must first find them. But how? And where? Her only clue is a mysterious coded message; one that could serve as either warning or invitation; one that will lead Sigrid to a factory world at the very edge of Federation space, and to a deadly confrontation with her most dangerous enemy yet: the machines of Bellatrix.

First Sentence:
The TGV sped along, cruising at a pedestrian 782 kph.

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My Thoughts and Summary:
*I requested a copy of this audiobook from the narrator, author, or publisher for an honest review.

Sigrid, Lady Hitomi and all the girls have a price on their heads. But they need supplies badly in order to continue building their new home and survive. Sigrid is sent to acquire these, and ends up taking a job for supplies that are beyond valuable to them now, to learn that she was tricked. Now, the coordinates to New Alcyone is in the hands of another looking to make some serious cash. The deception opens up the possibilities of trouble for the girls. There are others hunting the girls of Alcyone, and have their own projects in process. And Sigrid is determined to keep them all safe, at any cost.

Dr. Farrington is determined to continue researching what Lady Hitomi Kimura has done with the girls. He's determined to do more than she did. Running to Bellatrix, he finds there are others here with their own facility, and working on what he wants to do.

Kristin is a favorite voice of mine. She does many different tones, accents, and emotions in her voices as we listen to the story. All these differences present help differentiate characters for me, and makes them more individual and personalized. As always, Kristin's voice is crystal clear in speaking and no background noise as well as seamless in flow. A pleasure to listen to.

This book starts like the previous ends, and my kind of story. Action and danger at each decision. I believe the girls would be in trouble if Sigrid doesn't act, yet it was her action that could bring danger to their doorstep and gives Sigrid the reason to correct what was started. There are slower times as they plan to protect New Alcyone by finding those after them. But I felt this was attracting due to the setting up of the people in positions and clues to where they are going and what they will look for. This book kept that feel throughout the story, adding more weight and backing to who Sigrid is after, and why.

We learn there is new research being done, and these prototypes might be more dangerous. The things these doctors are doing! They are just mad! But it's the next logical step in what they started to create with Alcyone. Scary.

This book feels more adult to me than the first book as well. The first book was them growing up and training, this is Sigrid and the first set of girls as they fight to survive. There are intimate moments with Sigrid and Suko. The private moments are rather detailed, so definitely adult content. These two ladies have a solid relationship and we see the romance between them through the book. Suko flirts more than Sigrid in stressful moments, but it helps them and us get through the serious moments and reminds that there is love there.

We do get addition POV's with Sigrid. In doing so we learn different directions and plans of others, slowly they come to light as we go through the book, all coming together. I feel there is more story and drive in this book where in the first book we got more of the girls growing up and training, which felt slow to me.

The ending... Oh my! Sigrid... Wow. I can't tell you but it takes the story to a new direction and makes me worry. What has happened? Oh, we were lead to this by everything in this book pointing to here, but it's still a shocker when we get there.

I was engrossed in this story the whole time. For me, this book was better than the first and I'm pleased I continued with the series. Where Sigrid is now... oh I am soooo looking forward to the next book!



***If you found my thoughts helpful, please click Yes at Amazon and/or Audible. Thank you!