Genre: Adult


Thursday, October 24, 2013

Review: Bold Tricks by Karina Halle

Posted by 16 Comments

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.

Review: Bold Tricks by Karina HalleBold Tricks by Karina Halle
Series: The Artists Trilogy #3
Published by Forever on October 15th 2013
Genres: Adult, Contemporary
Source: Grand Cen­tral Publishing
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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!

five-stars
5 Hot Espressos


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


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


Review: Vicious by Victoria Schwab

Review: Vicious by Victoria Schwab

Posted by on 09/10/2013 • 18 Comments

With such an addicting writing style I can see why this author has made a ton of fans from her previous books, Vicious was my first by Victoria but it definitely will not be my last. In fact, I already have The Archived on its way to me!

First to note should be that this book is not YA, it’s Victoria’s first adult book. Characters are in their 30s and you can tell by the maturity of the storytelling (which is ruthless and violent). Personally, I was pleasantly surprised as I was well overdue for an adult book, particularly a merciless paranormal read such as this. Vicious is ultimately a story of revenge. It’s told in an unusual time lapse, where we don’t have a story from A to Z,…

Review: Shooting Scars by Karina Halle

Review: Shooting Scars by Karina Halle

Posted by on 08/09/2013 • 28 Comments

*Spoiler free for the series!*

I don’t think I could ever tire of this series. Shooting Scars is an epic sequel and an impressively satisfying follow up to Sins & Needles, which I would have thought impossible.

Sins & Needles ended on an intense note that made the wait for this sequel brutally long. It felt like I’d been holding my breath ever since, and it was an amazing relief to finally be back into this world of scams and betrayals! In the voice of both Ellie and Camden, this book is thrilling through and through. We’re thrown into an action packed chase towards trouble on Camden’s side, and a plan destined for disaster on Ellie’s. Even though Camden and Ellie aren’t together for much of this sequel – which…

Review: Wallbanger by Alice Clayton

Review: Wallbanger by Alice Clayton

Posted by on 07/01/2013 • 18 Comments

Within the first 5 minutes of this audiobook I was sure I’d made a very bad decision. The narrator was so extremely into conveying what she was hearing next door that I closed my window fearing the neighbors would hear what I’m sure sounded like crazy sexcapades. But then the meowing started, and I almost peed my pants! Yep – you have my heart if you can make me laugh!

Wallbanger is, well, about a wall banger <– some genius deductions at work! Caroline who has just moved to this new apartment is quickly finding out that her neighbor is a little… this guy can make a girl meow, that’s all I’m saying! This book is more a comedy than steamy romance, though. I mean we hear some craziness going…

Review: If I Were You by Lisa Renee Jones

Review: If I Were You by Lisa Renee Jones

Posted by on 06/04/2013 • 13 Comments

As my first Adult Romance novel on audiobook I was a little unsure of what to expect. In the end I’m glad I tried it; it was a pretty good book and the narrator was fantastic. Being an audiobook had me especially concerned, I mean, there were ways this could have been a complete disaster with a lot of giggling on my part and embarrassment for the narrator’s sake, but there was none of that. She didn’t reenact the sexy scenes with awkward moaning or anything of the sort. It was no different than reading the words off the pages, really. She was great at bringing the character’s voice to life, though.

This was a romance through and through, and thus a little out of my comfort zone as adult…

Review: On Every Street by Karina Halle

Posted by on 03/13/2013 • 18 Comments

Having already met Ellie in Sins & Needles, I was excited to get the before: What happened to make her run away, and how she fell in love with Javier to begin with. I must say, I feel very torn after this. In Sins & Needles, Ellie meets Camden with whom she develops a very chemistry filled, eccentric relationship that takes the reader by storm. Then she makes Javier out to be someone she fears, someone she must stay away from at all costs. He’s the villain no one wants to see swoop in. In On Every Street, however, we see what made her fall in love with Javier. Knowing their unfortunate downfall doesn’t make their romance, nor Javier himself, any less enticing, either. I didn’t think I would like…

Review: Sins & Needles by Karina Halle

Posted by on 01/21/2013 • 40 Comments

Sometimes when you finish a book, you loved it so completely, so thoroughly, that you don’t even want to give it a 5-star rating. Because then you start thinking of all the other 5-stars you’ve given, and it just doesn’t compare. You don’t want it to be compared. This was one of them. Having read a copy the minute it was made available, there were no reviews or feedback yet, giving me absolutely zero expectations, and I. Was. Blown. Away! (!!) I have both been dying to, and dreading, reviewing this book, because I want to just pour my heart out, but at the same time I’m afraid nothing I say can do it justice. So… it may not completely make sense, you have been warned.

First and foremost, this…