Review: Bold Tricks by Karina Halle

I received this book for free from Grand Cen­tral Publishing in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Faster They Live, the Harder They Fall . . .

Raised by con artists, Ellie Watt has a lot of crazy childhood memories-but none crazier than being scarred with acid by the demented crime boss Travis Raines. Now Ellie is a full-grown woman who lives for revenge, and Travis is a full-blown drug lord who kills for pleasure. The sadistic bastard has kidnapped her good friend Gus as well as her mother, whom he's been holding as prized possessions in his heavily guarded lair. And Ellie has only one chance in hell of getting them out alive-using two dangerous men who love her to death . . .

One is Camden McQueen, a talented tattoo artist who's made a permanent mark on Ellie's heart. The other is Javier Bernal, her fiery ex-lover who's busted more than a few heads in his time. From the crime-ridden streets of Mexico City to the predatory jungles of Honduras, this unlikely trio forms an uneasy alliance in the deadliest game of all-a gun-blazing battle to the finish that will pit enemy against enemy and lover against lover. And Ellie must choose the right man to trust . . . or die.

*Spoiler free for the series*

Gah this book almost killed me! What an incredible finale! Bold Tricks ends The Artists Trilogy in the most action-packed, emotional way. Some of it is bittersweet, most of it will make you hold your breath in anticipation; I couldn’t have asked for a better ending. *Bows to Karina*

This is the road to the end, and like all endings should be, this one is a page-turner like no other. Intense moment after intense moment, Bold Tricks brings us into a whirlwind of emotion, passion, and disbelief. In other words, it’s a bloodbath! But honestly, what else would you expect from Ellie, Camden, and Javier together on the run? The biggest drug cartel is on the hunt for them, while they’re on the hunt for Travis. The last novel brought us into Mexico and this is where most of this finale is set as well. Much like its predecessor, the Mexican setting – the jungle especially – is absolutely vivid. Everything is described with cinematic beauty from the crowded, all encompassing cities to the hot, insect filled jungle. Not only could I picture it all clearly, but when they were walking in that jungle I literally had jitters from the ominous atmosphere and ever present threats (and the spiders *shudders*). There was a constant eerie factor that followed us through that whole section of the book. As if something was just about to pounce.

When I wasn’t feeling anxious from impending doom it meant we were either meeting that doom or getting hot and heavy with Camden – which admittedly I could never get enough of. The romance is a big part of this series, this book being no exception. It’s where a lot of the emotional baggage comes into play. Ellie and Camden are still fighting demons, trying to mend the wounds they’ve both inflicted on each other (or on themselves). There’s still a lot of character growth – especially on Ellie’s part. This is no doubt due to the numerous revelations that we navigate through during this finale. Ellie is finally made privy to the real intentions of people she once thought she knew. This makes her accept what she has always refused to believe, in a way. The characterization in this book is seriously complex, with our perception of each character constantly being altered. In the end, nobody is who I thought they would become. Some in a good way, others not so much.

When it comes to reviewing the 2nd or 3rd book in a series there’s only so much you can say without spoilers or repeating everything you have already mentioned. So I simply have left to say that anyone who considers themselves a character oriented reader who likes raw, gritty stories with tons of action, an agonizing, passion-filled romance, and brilliantly addictive writing has to – has to – pick this one up, and I assure you it will end up on your favourites shelf!

5 Hot Espressos

Find my review of Sins & Needles (Book 1), here!

Find my review of Shooting Scars (Book 2), here!

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Giselle

Canadian blogger, wife, mother, coffee lover, and sarcastic at heart! She has had a love for all things bookish since before Amazon and eReaders existed *le gasp*. You can also find her organizing tours and other fun things at Xpresso Book Tours.

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