Skin Dive by Ava Gray (Skin #4)
Paranormal Romance
July 5, 2011
Paperback
Berkley

Reviewed by Mandi

We first meet Taye and Gillie in book two of this series, Skin Tight. Both captured years ago, they have been held under ruthless circumstances, with numerous testing and experimenting done on them. Gillie can heal, whether it is an injury or a wound, although the process takes quite a toll out of her. Having lived in captivity in a very small apartment for years and years, all Gillie wants to see is the sun.  Taye can wield electricity, shooting it out of his hands – causing destruction wherever he goes. These two form a bond of friendship, surviving these horrible conditions they have been exposed to for so many years.

But as Skin Dive opens, they have escaped. No money, no clothes and probably worst of all, no ID. Taye doesn’t even have any memories of who he really is or where he comes from. Taye can use his electrical power to manipulate the ATM machine – but it has consequences. The Foundation, the very people who have been experimenting on him all these years are not happy he escaped and when he uses his powers, it alerts The Foundation to where his location is.

Gillie and Taye find themselves constantly on the run and under attack. They do have an ally though. Mockingbird, as he goes by is the leader of the survivors. He has made it his mission to destroy the Foundation and offers a start for those that can escape. Gillie and Taye agree to work for him, but that also means they won’t be together. At least until Taye realizes, he can’t be without her.

Skin Dive is a wonderful conclusion to this very unique paranormal series. We watch this couple go from their lowest point, stuck in the Foundation tortured by their leader, to the joy of their escape and their fierce determination to never, ever, be under Foundation control again. They will do anything to stay free – and their journey is a really fun one to read. They are not only fighting to stay free but they are falling in love too. Their love would bloom much faster if it was not for Taye and his powers. They drain him, and make him sick. To the point that a cancer is spreading throughout his body. Gillie is a healer, but Taye knows that asking her to cure this, might just end her. And it will come back time and time again as he uses his powers. So he pushes her away, and their love takes awhile to bloom. Once they get together though,watch out. Even though Gillie has been locked up since she was a child, she is a vixen! I love her forthright demeanor and that she knows exactly what she wants sexually out of her man. Go Gillie!

We also get two side stories in this book that are done really well. First, Kestrel, a girl who escaped the Foundation, only to be hauled back by them. She is a tracker, and the Foundation wants her to track Taye and Gillie. And in Ava Gray style, her handler straddles the line of good and evil and she gives you a situation that is not black and white. You have to make up your own mind who you like in this situation, and I like that.

We also get a lot from Tanager, who is kind of like Mockingbird’s second in command. Tanager can manipulate men’s actions, and again – not to repeat myself but Ava Gray gives you characters that are not 100% honest and wholesome. But you still root for them. They have to make quick decisions in this dangerous world they live in and sometimes they don’t choose right – but that doesn’t mean they have fallen to the evil side. Such ambiguity in these characters and it is a big factor in what makes this series so unique.

I definitely recommend reading book one, Skin Game and book two, Skin Tight to get a full understanding of The Foundation and that is were you first meet Taye and Gillie. Book three is more of a tangent book, with it’s own separate story.

Rating: B+

Recent Reviews:
Goodreads

Amazon l Kindle l Nook