Joint Review: Alien Tango by Gini Koch

Where did you get the book: ARC from author/Bought
What Publisher: Daw
Release date: Out now
Blurb taken from Goodreads:

It’s been five months since marketing manager Katherine “Kitty” Katt started working with the aliens from Alpha Centauri, and she and Jeff Martini are getting closer. But when an experimental spacecraft is mysteriously returned to the Kennedy Space Center, Kitty and the rest of her team are called in to investigate.
Now the team must survive murderous attacks, remove a space entity from a group of astronauts, and avoid an unhinged woman with a serious crush on Kitty’s high school boyfriend. And that’s all before evil masterminds decide Kitty’s extermination is vital.

Has: I have been looking forward to the sequel to Touched by an Alien I thought this was a great followup.

MinnChica:  I thought it was a great sophomore book as well. I’ve been looking forward to this sequel for awhile now, and have to say that it felt like Gini really delivered!

Has: Yes! The premise/setting gave the plot a tighter and more cohesive pace. I also liked how the focus wasn’t on the fuglies but the political and social ramifications about the AC’s and humans. I really felt that this expanded the world more realistically as well.

MinnChica: Absolutely. I loved getting a glimpse into the AC structure and seeing exactly where everyone’s place was. It really did expand the world and series more robustly.

Has:  And there was more time spent on exploring that, especially the personal aspects of Martini and Christopher’s family. I loved that scene when Kitty met the parents, it was humorous and serious at the same time and it gave some interesting insights on how rigid the AC’s can be about social norms and mores.

MinnChica: I really liked that scene as well. It was great to see Kitty struggle with the thoughts of Martini’s parents not liking her, and then getting to see how it all played out. It was great!

Has: Yeah. In this book – and like the title states – it showed why she was always flitting around from one relationship to another like a dancer at a ball. But Jeff was the one who knew figuratively what type of dance she wanted and I thought that was a clever metaphor.

MinnChica: It really was! I have to say though, my favorite parts were the scenes with the gators! I was absolutely in stitches as my mind created a video of all the hilarity that ensued!

Has:  And the Gator bombs! I had to try to keep quiet because I was laughing out loud at 1.00 am and I didn’t want to wake my family :P. But when I came across the VW clown car scene, IT was so side-splittingly funny. I think this was hands down the most hilarious scene I have read EVAH.

MinnChica: That was a pretty good one as well! I have to say the thought of poor Reader having to go from driving SUVs to a little bug while cramming in so many others, Priceless!

Has: With their legs sticking out LOL. And these are big men. Just thinking about this makes me crack up.  And this is why the Alien/AC books are so good; the humour with the crazy action –  it works so well and it doesn’t feel forced or contrived.

MinnChica: I know, it really is great! The one thing that somewhat bothered me about this one (and really it was the ONLY thing) was the fact that so many men from Kitty’s past came forward professing their undying love for her.

Has: Yes! I found that was too much of a coincidence especially since they both ended up working in the same kind of work Kitty ended up doing. I didn’t have an issue with Chuckie, her best friend, because I think that will bring interesting tension and development in later books. But I do think the thing with Brian, who was her first boyfriend, was a bit of a stretch because of him being hung up on her since he was 16 years old. But I got a feeling that there is something more to Kitty on why she attracts so many men because although I know the series does have a few coincidences, this feels like its leading to something. But in general this is not a trope I like with a heroine who attracts so many attractive men. It makes the heroine too perfect in my eyes and that is not Kitty.

MinnChica: Agreed! I have no idea what goes on in the crazy mind of Gini, so who knows if this will play into something more down the story line.

Has: I think it will be a twisty twist!  I really liked how the focus on the plot was concentrated on the human/alien side of the politics. I actually found it hard to guess what was going on. Especially how the side plots with infected astronauts and infiltration in the Space centre was linked, but at the same time it wasn’t. The plot kept me guessing right till the end!

MinnChica: Agreed! There was a lot going on in this book, and I was actually somewhat surprised that Kitty was the only one who had a bad feeling that things weren’t over when everyone else thought they were.

Has: Yeah, but I think like I said earlier there is more to Kitty that meets the eye, and I think this was a little clue about her insights.

MinnChica: Very true. I was really glad to see the whole gang back again, and really liked some of the new characters that were introduced, ACE in particular. I saw an interview with Gini where she mentioned that one of the characters Martini wouldn’t like is here to stay. Any ideas? I know who I would pick!

Has: I think its either Chuckie or Michael. Both didn’t have a great reaction from Martini! Hee :D. I also loved the new characters that were introduced, like the unhinged Serene and her love for astronut Brian. Kevin was a cool dude too, and I hope we get to see more of them in future books.

MinnChica: Oh, I was thinking it would be Kevin that is going to keep popping up. We’ll just have to see. There is definitely a great collection of cast members in these books. I adored Martini’s family, especially all his nieces.

Has: Kimmie was a cutie! I think his family and their beliefs – as well as the political fallout over the rebelling AC’s – will be very interesting to see how it plays out in the next few books.

MinnChica: All in all, I really enjoyed this book. It was an incredible follow up to the first in the series, really moved the overall plot along well, developed the characters nicely, and set up some really interesting ideas for the future. I adore Kitty and this series is a must read! I give Alien Tango a B+

Has: Alien Tango was a very enjoyable and a great followup to the first book. This was a character focused book that really developed the main protagonists, especially Martini and Kitty and their romance as well as being fast paced with full blown high gator action! I don’t think you will come across a series that combines these elements – as well as being hilariously funny which should have a ‘You will pee yourself’ warning sticker on the cover. I give Alien Tango a B

4 thoughts on “Joint Review: Alien Tango by Gini Koch”

  1. Pingback: Tweets that mention Joint Review: Alien Tango by Gini Koch | The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter -- Topsy.com

  2. @Janicu – I HEART the covers – I think they sum the series very well as well as being great artwork! This book was definitely more focused on the characters and their relationships and I liked how it expanded on the worldbuilding.

    @Amber Scott – thank you! 😀 This has been one of the breakout series/authors for me this year. Can’t wait for the next book! 😀

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