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Sunday, June 12, 2011
Review: SKIN GAME by Cara McKenna
By Cara McKenna
ISBN: 9781419933691
Publisher: Ellora's Cave
Release Date: April 29, 2011
Format: eBook, 114,630 words
SKIN GAME is available from:
Ellora's Cave, All Romance eBooks
Seven days, seven challenges. Twelve strangers. Eight thousand cameras. Only one winner.
Welcome to The Ant Farm, a social study in the wilds of interior Alaska, documenting the dynamics between a dozen competitors as they take part in a series of physical and psychological face-offs. With five hundred grand up for grabs at the end of the battle royal, the stakes are high and the tension blazing.
Could the seemingly mild-mannered nice guy win it all? The cutthroat alpha female? The strongest or the smartest, the idealist or the cynic? It's anyone's guess as teams are undercut by alliances, loyalties tendered and tested, and passions enflamed by both affection and animosity.
In this contest where even knives and guns are fair game, sex may prove the most dangerous weapon of all.
Reader Advisory: This book features the recreational use of illicit substances, and non-explicit references to childhood abuse and trauma. It also features an unlikely mix of romance, lust and hate-sex, plus a ton of way crazier crap that the authors delights in not preparing you for.
What is The Ant Farm? Imagine a social experiment in the wilds of Alaska that is a cross between The Amazing Race, Survivor, Big Brother, and a touch of So You Think You Can Dance? (Okay, maybe not the latter, though there was an awesome dance scene.) The only difference is that none of it is meant for television, as far as we know. There are 8,000 cameras recording every move of the 12 contestants as they compete for a chance at the half-million dollar prize. But who's watching? It's a team of doctors who are supposedly studying human behavior by observing the contestants as they face physical and psychological challenges.
This book was a wild trip! Cara McKenna (aka Meg Maguire) is known for her emotionally charged stories with memorable characters, and SKIN GAME is no exception. With such a large cast of main characters, I was afraid I'd never get to "know" them as individuals, but that was not the case. The author gave each one a distinct personality, especially the last seven. Even though I didn't particularly *like* them all, I knew them. Here's a sample of the contestants: A ball-busting photographer, a cynical army medic, a pompous tough guy, a young optimist, and Ian...where do I even start with Ian? That man needs a book of his own!
SKIN GAME was a well written story that had me gasping and cringing the whole way through. This was published as part of the Ellora's Cave Exotika line, which means you won't find much in the way of romance. It's more of a psychological thriller peppered with very hot sex scenes. It is titled "Skin Game" for a reason.
As for the ending...wow. Personally, I was thrilled at who the two final contestants were. When I found out what the last objective was, I think my jaw actually dropped. No. Way. The way the winner actually "won" was fabulous, and it made me like the 2nd place contestant even more. I can't go into any more detail because I don't want to reveal spoilers! My only gripe with the book is that I still have too many unanswered questions about the whos and the whys behind The Ant Farm experiment. The author did leave a nice opening for a possible sequel, so *fingers crossed* I can find out more about this crazy ant farm in the future...
The Book Cover: I have to share my thoughts on the cover of SKIN GAME. It really is beautiful, isn't it? One of the most striking covers I've seen in a long time. However, for the longest time while reading the book, I could not figure out how it tied in with the story. Well, it does! But, you won't find out how until close to the end. Awesome.
Story Rating: 4.25 out of 5
Heat Level: 3.5 out of 5
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2 comments:
I have been intrigued by the blurb & excerpt for Skin Game and I really want to read it! I agree wholeheartedly that the cover is beautiful - and now I'm more intrigued knowing it ties into the story!!
This certainly sounds like something different - I look forward to reading more.
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