Review: Alien Diplomacy by Gini Koch

Alien Diplomacy
Book 5 in the Katherine "Kitty" Katt series
Author: Gini Koch
Publisher: DAW
Release date: 4/3/12
Author's website: Link

Being newlyweds and new parents is challenging enough. But Jeff and Kitty Martini are also giving up their roles as super-being exterminators and Commanders in Centaurion Division while mastering the political landscape as the new heads of Centaurion's Diplomatic Corps. Enter a shadowy assassination plot and a new set of anti-alien conspirators, and nothing will ever be the same...

Trouble seems to follow the main character in this series wherever she goes. Katherine "Kitty" Katt has gotten used to it. In the last 4 books she's seen and dealt trouble from just about everywhere. But now she's facing it head on in one of the scariest and weirdest places possible, our nations capital, Washington D.C. Kitty and Martini are now Ambassadors for American Centaurion and are trying their best to fit in with the DC crowd all while raising their baby.  They have a lot of new responsibilities and it's a good thing that they are surrounded by so many family and friends that they love.  

A lot is thrown at the reader in this book as the characters try to figure out just exactly who is planning on assassinating someone at the President's Ball.  A party that a lot of important and high ranking people in town will be attending.  Before the ball, there seems to be several groups of people trying to kill Kitty and no one can be trusted.  At one point in the book there is nothing but action sequences as Kitty and company run for their lives.  Heck I wasn't the one doing the running and even I was tired!  Since I live so close to D.C. I felt like I was there with the gang as I'm familiar with a lot of the locations that they visited.  From now on I will always think of Kitty as I pass by the Potomac River.  Kitty as always was hilarious and kept me laughing throughout the book.  She is truly unique and isn't afraid to be herself regardless of who she is dealing with. She has a way with words and uses her many "Kittyisms" throughout the book which I love!  Some of the people that she has to deal with don't understand her, but that fans of this series sure do.  Her hunky hubby Martini (I love you Martini!) is so supportive in this book and has matured in some ways.  He does the best thing for the team when he has to and doesn't let his emotions get in the way. I like this new side of him and hope to see it in the upcoming books.

I'm giving Alien Diplomacy a rating of:

 

While I'm a huge fan of the series, I had some issues with Alien Diplomacy.  There's a lot to digest as so many new characters are introduced. So many that I had a hard time keeping track of exactly who was who. I also had a small problem when the characters had to figure out The characters in this series always act as a team and with that there are lots of brainstorming sessions which end up with lots of questions being asked.  This became a little tiring and due to them not knowing who was responsible for the evilness in this book, there were a couple of these sessions. Yet I knew that team had to have them to share information and get to the bottom of things.  Other than that, I enjoyed the different setting in this book since everything is new to the characters.  New town, new baby, new enemies.  So many scenes, so much going on. I tell you, I don't know how Gini Koch manages to keep it all together in her head yet put it all in words!  I like this new direction that the series has taken and can only imagine what the characters are going to have to deal with next.  They are going to have enemies coming from all directions and if anyone can handle it, these characters can.