Beautiful Monster

by Joely Skye

Josh Mackay is hired to bring in Kiran Brunner, a Minder with the psychic ability to manipulate and kill. But Kir has been abused by the agency that wants him back and he'll do anything to escape.... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1599985683
• ISBN13: 9781599985688
• Release Date: August 2007
• Publisher: Samhain Publishing
• Length: 260 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.6" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Beautiful Monster

Josh Mackay is hunting a monster. He has been hired as a freelancer to hunt down and capture Kiran Brunner. He has been told that the psychotic Minder has the ability to invade people's minds and make them do things. With his voice, he can force people to act out his will, and he has killed everyone that has come after him. The agency who hired Josh has been hunting Kir for a year, and after a month on the job, Josh has finally gotten close enough to take him in. When Josh completes his mission with a pickup line, and administers a drug to knock Kir out, he expects to leave and forget about the Minder. But curiosity gets the better of him, and when he witnesses the brutal treatment of the young psi, he steps in to protect him. Captured and tied up beside Kir, Josh frantically fights for a way to get them both out of the hands of the agency. Now on the run, Kir must rely on Josh to help him. Despite what the agency believes, he doesn't have an unlimited ability to use his mind. Weak and disorientated, he must depend on someone else for once until he can become a little stronger. Unfortunately, his attraction towards Josh is starting to become a problem. Kir has never had anyone who cared about him before, but is it real, or leftover manipulation from tampering with Josh's mind? Their personal problems are nothing compared to the men who are still hunting them. Josh and Kir are a surprising couple. Kir has been brutalized in the past, and it has left him strangely vulnerable despite his powerful abilities. A small word of warning: As Kir is telling Josh about his past, some of the information may be disturbing to some readers, but in the context of the scene, it manages to fit seamlessly into the story. Josh has a strong moral core to him, and simply cannot leave Kir in the hands of a man who wants to hurt him. Josh is so incredibly patient with Kir, giving him time to get used to hands that aren't cruel; giving Kir something he has never had before. Even though their attraction is immediate, they both have issues to work out before becoming involved, and I really enjoyed the buildup toward this relationship. Monster is a beautiful story, but it ends with an uncertainty about what the future holds for both Josh and Kir. As such, there is no Happily Ever After ending. However, there is a sequel coming out later this year, and I am anxious to find out what will happen to both men. Shannon reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

GOOD BUT SLIGHTLY INCOMPLETE

Kiran Brunner is a 22 year old freak. Not the carnival side-show variety, more like a gorgeous mutant with the ability to control people's thoughts and actions. Many such Minders, as they are called, live among us and The Agency, a clandestine government organization that Kir escaped from a year ago, is determined to capture or kill them all. Josh McKay is an ex-marine freelancer contracted to bring in Kir. Regular agents have died trying, and considering Kir's sexual preference, a gay outsider might be just what the mission requires. Josh easily manages to convince Kir to accompany him home, and promptly drugs him. But Josh quickly discovers that Kir is being both physically and sexually abused by his captors, and decides to help Kir escape again. The problem is Josh doesn't know if he's doing it because he really wants to help the young man, or if Kir is controlling his mind. This is an exciting read that will keep you on edge from cover to cover. Joely Skye's pace is as frantic and direct as her plot, and Kir and Josh are beautifully fleshed out making both extremely three dimensional and believable. BEAUTIFUL MONSTER is actually three short novellas that combine to make this trilogy, and each installment is tense and engrossing, but there are problems. Simply put, Skye's narrative focus is much too narrow, and the scenario lacks critical detail. How and when did Minders appear in society, what have they actually done that makes them such a threat, and by what authority does The Agency operate? So much information regarding why things are the way they are is missing, that I felt somewhat cheated. Granted this is primarily background material, but it's crucial none the less, and not having it makes the novel seem slightly short of complete. I really enjoyed this book, none the less, and I hope Skye produces a sequel or two, and explains some of the things overlooked here. This is a fascinating beginning but, in my opinion, there's a lot more that needs to be said.

Beautiful monster,beautiful man, beautiful writing

Joely Skye created a beautiful, tortured, abused man who never knew kindness until he was captured by Josh McKay. Josh realized then that perhaps the agency and the'handlers' were the monsters, particularly Snow the man who manipulated and abused Kir. (Since I am a fan of long stories I would have preferred more background on Kir, his sister and the agency. Perhaps even a chapter devoted to Kir, sister, and Snow.) Josh and Kir form a difficult bond and very rocky relationship since Josh does not trust his feelings with Kir; since Kir can put his words into into other people's minds and make them do anything he says. Well developed characters and great secondary characters added to this fast-paced story. Skye managed to convey to the reader the feelings of what it would be like to be mentally manipulated to do things that the body did not want to do. I loved that Kir was innocent, shy, frightened and unschooled in the ways of love.Very sensual and erotic.

Emotionally stirring, original and gripping.

This M/M romance thriller is a gripping read as I finished it in one sitting, Highly original and suspenseful the setting involves a corrupted government agency which imprisons those endowed with the power to control minds. The victims include children born with such power and they are tortured from young into submission. One such victim is Kir who did manage to escape. Josh is an ex-marine hired by the agency to capture Kir. Thereon the plot is one thrilling and emotional ride as Josh falls in love with Kir, the beautiful monster who is a Minder with the power to kill. Theirs is one emotional "mind game" as Josh struggles with his feelings for the seemingly innocent Kir. Is his feelings for Kir real or is he being controlled and manipulated by Kir? Kir is an endearing character and a haunted young man as he has been abused and subjugated since young, and used by the agency both as a sex toy and a mind weapon. Josh's fate is equally disturbing as he later falls prey to a vengeful Brad, a powerful Minder, who turned him into his "Zombie" and forced to submit sexually and nearly losing his mind in the process. Kir patiently helping a "broken" Josh to heal is emotionally written and deeply moving and my favorite part of the story. Their pursue by the agency has me glued to the pages as one intriguing FBI agent, Trey Walter, adds to the complexity of the plot. The sex is hot and equally moving as the vulnerable Kir has been trained from young to be submissive. While I find the ending somewhat rushed, it is satisfying and I strongly recommend this to M/M fans who appreciate an emotionally driven and sexually charged story, with appealing characters. I look forward to the writer's next M/M effort.