Clutch by J. A. Huss Series: I Am Just Junco #1
Published by Science Future Press on 1 October 2012
Genres: Science Fiction
Pages: 320
Format: eBook
Source: Kindle Purchase
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How long can you lie to yourself before it all comes apart?
In 2152 the avian race is on Earth looking for something stolen from them decades ago – their genetics. At the center of the search lies the Rural Republic; a small backwards farming country with high hopes of military domination and a penchant for illegal bioengineering.
19 year old Junco Coot is the daughter of the Rural Republic’s ranking commander. She’s the most foul-mouthed, wildly unpredictable and ruthless sniper the Rural Republic has ever trained. But when her father’s death sparks a trip into forbidden places, she triggers events that will change everything she knows to be true.
As an elite avian military officer, Tier’s mission is to destroy the bioengineering projects, kill Commander Coot’s daughter, and return home immediately. There’s just one problem. Junco isn’t who she claims to be.
With no one to trust, not even herself, Junco must confront the secrets of her past and accept her place in the future, or risk losing herself completely.
Junco is brilliant! And Clutch is so well done! Aliens, clones, war, fights, doubts, lies, amazing characters, it’s all there!
My Clutch review:
Clutch is really all I could wish for in a sci-fi novel. The world is slowly shown to me, Junco is a great character, even if both she and I were quite confused at the beginning of the story. Tiers intrigued me form the beginning, and I really enjoyed the fact that he truly let Junco have choices – it’s not like that really happened very often where she was concerned. Between being raised both as a killer and an acrobat on a horse, it took a while for me to reconcile both parts of her personality.
As I already said, the character development is really well done, and getting to know Junco and Tiers made Clutch pretty spectacular to read. I am really regretting not reading it sooner – I’m not going to make the same mistake with the next books in the series! The complicated intrigue and plot-line appealed to me, especially because I love reading a story where it’s impossible to figure out anything that might happen. Huss managed to keep me on my toes throughout the whole book, and I loved that even if it’s written in first person point of view and present tense, Junco didn’t let me guess what she was up to either.
If you enjoy a heroine who knows how to fight, how to plot, and how to just keep on going, Clutch is a story you should definitely read very soon if you haven’t already! The prose is really good, too, this author always amazes me with her way with words, because I’m always pleasantly surprised by how the characters express themselves, their feelings and how the show me their surroundings. If you’re already a fan of Huss but haven’t read Clutch yet, know that this is very different from her contemporary NA series, it’s sci-fi all the way, and it’s extremely edgy.
Some of my favorite Clutch quotes:
In the end I didn’t need to waste all this time in front of the gate. It was never a question of if I would go. Only when.
The night isn’t as black as it could be and for that I’m grateful. The moon has fully risen in the time it took me to free myself from the Goat and hitch up my arm, and while it isn’t anything near full, neither is it a sliver of hopelessness.
“Yet. You said yet,” I growl.
“Correct, I’m not gonna kill ya yet. Perhaps I will one day. Perhaps that day will never come. But right now I’m interested in keeping ya alive.”
“And that’s OK with you?”
“Yes, I’m OK with not killing ya. Yet.”
“I could almost love you right now for doing this, you know.” “That’s pretty much the point Junco.”
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 2015 Reading Assignment Challenge
- 2015 TBR Pile Reading Challenge
- Bookish Resolutions Challenge 2015
- Winter COYER 2014 2015
About Linda @ (un)Conventional Bookworms
Linda is an English as foreign language teacher and has a Master's degree in English Language and Literature. She's an avid reader, blogger, compulsive one-clicker and a genre omnivore. Ever since she learnt how to read she has been seen with a book or two in her hands everywhere she goes.
Thank you! <3 <3
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Thank you for always amazing me!
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Hangs head… I know, I want to meet Junco… I need to get onto this series too! Huss is amazing and I love how she can build worlds like this! Glad you enjoyed this sci-fi world.
Naomi @ Nomi’s Paranormal Palace
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I’m sure you’ll love Junco as well, Naomi! I know you have tons and tons of books to read, though… Thanks for stopping by.
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I have heard of this author before and she sounds fantastic! I like the quotes that you presented and you can never go wrong with a heroine that kicks ass. Fantastic review lexxie!
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I agree, Jeann, a heroine who is capable of ass-kicking is always great to read about 🙂
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Yay!! I’m so glad you *finally* read Clutch, Lexxie! 😉 As you know, Junco is how I began my love affair with Huss. And she and Tier will always hold a special place in my heart. Reading those quotes made me want to re-read. *sigh* Alas, I’ll just live it through you…and maybe Sky when she has time to get back to the series! 😉
Happy & safe travels today! We have a snow day today so my kiddos will be home today. I hope we can chat soon! 75 more days!! **BIG HUGS**
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Yeah, I always wonder why it took me so long to read a story when I love it once I do get to it… Sadly, there are much more books than time to read them! I wish my oldest would read a little more, she is so busy with school, though, and I’m really happy she’s working so hard on that.
And today (because I’m so slow at responding) it’s only 70 more days! 10 weeks, Brandee! *BIG HUGS*
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I don’t think I knee about this side if JA Huss! I know her romance/erotica but had no idea she wrote kick ass books too! This sounds like it’s even more up my alley than the others I’ve read, and that’s saying something since I really enjoyed them 🙂
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Yeah, I had heard from Brandee how great this series was, but I just hadn’t had the time to read it until now. Good thing we have the reading assignment challenge 😉
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Clutch didn’t work for me, I found the story intriguing, but I could’t stand Junco as a main character and I thought the book was confusing for the most part. I did like Tier though. Great review Lexxie, I am happy to hear you enjoyed this one!
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Oh that’s not good, Lola. I can’t love a story if the main character doesn’t work for me either.
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I wish I could say that I’ve heard of this author but I haven’t buuuuuuuuuuuuuut now that I see this review, I’m guessing I should! *wink* I’m so glad you enjoyed this one Lexxie! 🙂
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She writes really great NA stories, too, Cristina! Gritty, dark and sexy 😉
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Mmm, sci-fi, maybe I would enjoy it a lot more than I liked Social Media (I really liked, but not loved), I’ll give it a try 🙂 Once I’ve cleaned that e-reader !
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The first two stories in Social Media didn’t work all that well for me either, Iza, but after that I was loving it. I hope you’ll find the time to read about Junco, this sci-fi world is really well done.
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