Book Reviews

Book Blurb

What would you do if you could go anywhere, do anything?

Chicago 2039: Head Trip, a virtual travel service, promises exactly that to anyone willing to pay for it. Shelby Hutchinson, a young computer professional, loves the idea and can’t wait to take a trip. She turns to her favorite video game for inspiration and travels to Berlin in 1985. With the assistance of a memorable Soviet agent named Tasha, Shelby learns that chasing spies through Cold War Europe might be a great adventure, but nothing is ever as easy as it seems. When her virtual trip takes an unexpected and dangerous turn, Shelby returns to everyday life, but finds that even that has been changed by her experience.

The biggest change comes in the form of a magazine reporter named Trish, who bears more than a slight resemblance to someone Shelby met once before. Together, they discover that Head Trip is hiding a secret, and when that secret turns deadly, will Shelby do whatever it takes to make everything right again? Will she risk everything and take one more Head Trip?

 

Book Review

This book is very entertaining and as it appears to be happening in 2039, adds an attractive factor of a peek into the future. Then, the being in the future gambit takes a wild and woolly leap into a mind assault which leaves the heroine battling brain seizures. The nefarious businessman responsible for multiple physical and mental breakdowns, seemingly feeling no remorse, seeks to cover up the disabilities by any means necessary. The romp into the future with its amazingly imaginative worlds has turned into a battle to the death. I was completely captured and glued to my seat! There are also two potent love stories with a most intriguing connection. If you like your socks rocked as I do and some incredibly energetic storylines, you are in for a super treat. I most certainly recommend this, but not to the faint of heart!

Shelby Hutchinson, often called Shel, is the information director for Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. She has not taken a vacation in over four years, but does have eight years of perfect attendance. Her good friend and work associate, Jake, thinks he has the ideal solution to Shel's inability to take a vacation...an entire week compressed in a little less than a couple of hours and all happening within the monitored confines of Head Trip Travel Services. Jake convinces Shelby she hardly spends any money on herself so she would qualify as an 'über-affluent' person. Shelby seems convinced that not only can she afford this but can do it on a Saturday, thereby not missing any work time. Can anyone be that locked into their job? Of course! 

Comrade Natasha Mikhaylova, Tasha to Shel, commandeers Shel's attention early into her computerized action adventure vacation. Tasha is very Russian and very hot. Tasha gets a tad annoyed at Shel's lack of skills for a United States CIA Courier. In fact, Tasha is completely disgusted about Shel's class A doofus rating. However, Tasha is quite delighted with all of Shelby's sexy qualities. They get hot with each other at every possible opportunity. A few opportunities do crop up as they are racing against other agents and the clock to get to their final destination. The head trip is just completely fantastic and I wanted to sign up immediately! 

However, Shelby's adventure ends precipitously and with severe consequences. Shel's adverse response to the abrupt ending of her trip could have been worse as she later finds out. She takes a proactive stance to get to the bottom of Head Trip's severe failings. Two somewhat separate situations envelop Shel as she is masterminding her counter-offensive on Head Trip Travel Services. Both of these elements make the end of the story even more of a romp and a blast, which I totally enjoyed.

This book is definitely for geeky and futurist computer type folk, but it can certainly be enjoyed by anyone with a wide-open imagination. It is also fairly easy to be totally drawn in, joining Shelby's single-minded battle to get her mind completely restored and to nail the soulless businessman behind all of her current troubles. Magnificent!

 

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been provided by Bold Strokes Books for the purpose of a review.

Additional Information

Format	ebook and print
Length	Novel, 192 pages/53757 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	01-November-2010
Price	$3.99 ebook, $12.95 paperback, $13.99 bundle
Buy Link	http://www.boldstrokesbooks.com/9781602824867e.html