The First Starfighter: Game 1

The Mission . . . I have to admit that this felt strange, having loved the movie so much and watched it so many times. But this author has always been one of my absolute favorites, and her writing will still pull me in without fail. The game was “Starfighter Training Academy”, a fun experience where the gamer, Jamie Miller from Baltimore, MD, United States, builds a hero and goes on a mission to save the Vega star system from the evil Queen Raya. It keeps her engrossed for hours. The alien avatar is so gorgeous that it’s easy to spend half the time obsessing over him! And finally she beats the game with a feeling of satisfaction and victory. But what happens at 3:00 a.m. when the person banging on Jamie’s door is the sexy hot alien she had created and she ends up somewhere out in the galaxy with him since – in reality, she has not actually been “playing” a video game, but has been finishing up her training program to become the first Starfighter from Earth? Sound familiar? Well keep reading because this is the grown-up version! As mentioned, this author is a favorite of mine. Her writing is, as always, excellent and she grabs you from the first page where Jaime settles into her gaming chair to join her team on their final mission. They had been trying to defeat this level of the same mission for two months. Jaime was the only one who had reached this level, successfully completed every mission except this one, and was ready to become a Starfighter pilot. Her gaming friends were cheering her on and were close to their own victories. The story line is well-paced and, though familiar, builds that world around you that keeps you rooted in your new reality. The characters are developed well and have qualities that will connect strongly with readers. Grab your copy and reminisce or enjoy something amazing… either way you will become a fan!

IT'S ONLY A GAME FOR HUMANS I loved the concept of this story, the characters, interaction, mystery, suspense, danger, angst, and then throw in a bonded mate and cue up the romance! What appears as an interactive Starfighter Training Academy game, played with other players and teams worldwide, might actually be much more in reality. Each player designs an alien to their specifications and let the games begin. The story will have a loner, Jamie Miller, Baltimore, Maryland, looking forward to her time at home and playing Starfighter Training Academy with her virtual friends, Lily and Mia. Jamie is so close to completing her training, and both Lily and Mia aren’t far behind. Jamie is so sure that she will succeed, but it comes with mixed emotions—the end of the game--saying goodbye to her teammates and Alexius of Velerion that she created. But, what if this isn’t a game? What if this is just training for the future? What if Alexius is real? At the end of the game, the bonding ceremony is more—much more? “We have been paired through the Starfighter Velerion training program. We have spent many hours training together. Fighting together. Do you accept my crest as a sign of our permanent bond? Will you stay with me, Starfighter? Will you remain at my side and fight with me to the end of our days?” “This is General Aryk of Velerion. Congratulations, Starfighters. Your successful bond has been recorded in the Hall of Records at the Citadel. It is my honor to bestow upon you the rank of privileges of Velerion Starfighters.” What happens when Alexius shows up at 3 am and ready for Jamie Miller of Earth to join him as a Starfighter? Is this some kind of joke? The story has plenty of interaction as she must decide what to do, stay or go. Then to discover that what appeared as a game was actual training missions to aid the Velerion against an evil Queen and the Dark Fleet. “You were trained. You excelled. It is time to fulfill your destiny and fight at my side. I was with you through your entire training. We sat side by side. We spoke. We fought. We failed. We won. You chose me from a statistically large number of Velerions. I desire you. I crave your physical form. You spirit. You mind. You already said yes.” The story has Jamie accepting the pair bond, going with Alex and discovering that everything he told her is real—down to the decorations in their home—and better yet, Valor, the ship she named and flew in all the missions. Can she actually fly it—this isn’t a video game; this is an actual vessel with weapons. “I am yours and you are mine. I’ve been waiting for you for months, Jamie. You are an Elite Starfighter, bondmate. We were in the Valor together. We are a team. Nothing you do is done alone.” “Jamie had no idea what she was to everyone on this moon base and the entire planet below. She was hope. Protection. Strength.” I love the chemistry between Jamie and Alex and how she learns quickly that they are compatible while working, during dangerous encounters, and especially as passion engulfs them. The story has life and death danger, and while she feels he betrayed her, maybe if she listens, she will understand more—playing games, or is it a fight for survival? A great beginning to this series, and knowing that both Mia and Lily are about to complete their missions—I look forward to their stories too.

Jamie is a gamer. In real life, she's loner. Her only friends are on the game. Jamie faces a dilemma over her pending completion of the game. She'd essentially have to start over. New character. New partner. And she wouldn't be able to play with her friends either. So new team. As she reaches the final stretch she's offered a special promotion. Thinking it's part of the game, Jamie accepts. She later wakes to her partner Alex from the game at her front door. It's no longer a game. This is real life.. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.