Review: On Every Street by Karina Halle

On Every Street
Karina Halle

Series: The Artists Trilogy 0.5
Genre: Adult Romance
Publication date: March 12th 2013
by Metal Blonde Books

When young con artist Ellie Watt decides to call herself Eden White and go after the drug lord who ruined her as a child, she never expects to fall for one of his henchmen. But Javier Bernal is no ordinary man. Subtly dangerous and overwhelmingly seductive, Eden finds herself passionately in love with Javier, the very person she's set-up to betray. With her body and heart in a heated battle against her deep need for revenge, no one will walk away from this con a winner.

This 50K word (100+ pages) novella takes place six years before Sins & Needles. It can be read before or after Sins & Needles and may also be read as a standalone.

-A copy was provided by Karina Halle for review-

 
Note that this novella can easily be read as a stand-alone, and you do not need to have read Sins & Needles first (more on this below).

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 him at all no matter what I read in this book, but Karina worked her magic and proved me oh so very wrong! He's a very… fascinating character. He's got infinite charm that would sweep anyone off their feet, and even after all is set and done, Javier is a really sweet guy--which makes the ending all the worst. I don't blame Ellie one minute for the choices she made in this book, even when they weren't always the smartest ones.

Although it's essentially a novella, it's on the long side with just as much character and story development as any full-sized prequel. We get to know Ellie before she becomes the Ellie we know; when she was young and gullible, when her only goal was to get revenge from the man who ruined her life. As much as her character is one of the best developed I've read already, she becomes even more substantial when we get to understand yet another side of her. For those who haven't read Sins & Needles, this is the Ellie you'll be introduced to, and then you'll get to see her in a new light when you do read S&N. It will also make you read S&N with a different angle. Having gone through her relationship with Javier, having felt the amount of love she has for this man prior to reading it will make for a different reading experience that's for sure. I wonder which one I'd actually prefer!

On Every Street is very romantic, more about the love story than anything else, it's also quite hot and steamy which I expected from having read Sins & Needles, though it surpasses that one easily. While this novella is not necessary to enjoy the series, I find it to be a considerably valuable installment as we get to know a very real and very important character in Ellie's life--someone who plays a big part in carving her into the person she becomes. Additionally, having an idea where the sequel is going, this novella opens up many doors in our hearts and minds for us to be able to go into that sequel full of already set emotion towards the events and characters involved. Instead of being one sided, all for Camden, her and Javier's romance becomes just as inviting. It definitely makes for an extensive and well rounded story.

It makes you fall in love, only to crush you to pieces, (which is all your fault, really, if you read S&N. *hangs head in shame*) On Every Street is for every romantic at heart who doesn't mind a little dangerous twist to their love stories!

5 Hot Espressos

Find my review of Sins & Needles here!

Cover Reveal: Shooting Scars by Karina Halle

Shooting Scars

Karina Halle

Series: The Artists Trilogy, #2

Publication date: May 2013

by Metal Blonde Books

A second chance at first love.

There are a few things worth risking everything for - even your life. For Camden McQueen, this is one of them.

Shooting Scars is the second book in The Artists Trilogy and is told from the dual POV of Camden and Ellie.

The Artists Trilogy:

I don't know if you knew but Sins and Needles literally rocked my world! I loved it and I'm so excited for this cover reveal I think it's full of awesome and epic hotness. Plus, the quote on it, totally the best part don't you think? *whistles innocently*

What do you think, lovelies?

Review: Sins & Needles by Karina Halle

Sins & Needles

Karina Halle

Series: The Artists Trilogy, #1

Genre: Adult Contemp/Romantic Thriller
Publication date: January 29th 2013
by Metal Blonde Books

Ellie Watt is used to starting over. The daughter of a grifting team, Ellie spent her childhood being used as a pawn in her parents’ latest scam. Now she’s much older, wiser and ready to give her con artist life a rest. But returning to the dry desert town of Palm Valley, California means one more temptation than she bargained for – Camden McQueen.

Once known as the high school weirdo, Camden is bigger and badder than the boy he used to be and a talented tattoo artist with his own thriving business. Ellie’s counting on Camden still being in love with her but what she’s not counting on is how easily unrequited love can turn into obsession over time.

When Camden discovers Ellie’s plan to con him, he makes her a deal she doesn’t dare refuse, but her freedom comes with a price and it’s one that takes both Ellie and Camden down a dangerously erotic road.

*A copy was provided by Karina Halle for review purposes*

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 is not a young adult (or New Adult) book. It's a fully adult contemporary novel. We get introduced to two of the most phenomenal (and broken) characters I have ever come upon. The character development in this book is unsurpassable. Our protagonist, Ellie, carved her way into the deepest crevices of my heart. I became in tuned to her thoughts and emotions as if they were my own. Her scars, both physical and emotional, become a palpable part of this novel. To layer her even more, we regularly get taken into her past where we see what she has been through; how she was damaged and emotionally beaten into the person she is today. These chapters are written in the third person, showing us exactly what Ellie thinks of her younger self--with a detachment. This gives her character incredible depth; a driving force to her current situation, her current state of mind.

Before I start on Camden, let me give you Karina's inspired by visualization:

If you are even able to get your eyes off of that picture to read the rest of this review, I can tell you that you heart will be in shreds when this book is over. I don't think I've ever been infatuated with a character as much as I am with Camden. He can eat crackers in my bed anytime! Oh let's face it, I want to eat them off of him, and you will want to, too! *fans self* Ok. Besides being a walking sex-on-a-stick, Camden is a masterfully created tortured soul, broken by his past and so so passionate about everything he takes on. I'm telling you, bringing characters to life like this does not happen very often. These people are REAL. They are 100% completely genuine.

Together, they work! They just do! Plain and simple. It's not always pretty--only imagine what you get when you put two tormented individuals together. Their relationship is rocky, and it's as frustrating as it is smoking hot sometimes, but it will tear your heart out. The ending: it broke me. I was a complete mess. Then I went into instant withdrawal. And the book I'm reading now, which I put on pause to read this one, tastes kind of pasty now! Oh wait… should I be eating it? Damnit! I forgot how to read! *sobs*

Dark, gritty, and sexy as hell, Sins & Needles is pure perfection for fans of contemporary novels with a dangerous edge. It will leave you begging for more, in that blubbering, unattractive way of yours.

5 Smokin' Hot Espressos

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Review: Darkhouse by Karina Halle

Darkhouse
Karina Halle
Series: Experiment in Terror, #1
Publication date: March 10th 2012
by Metal Blonde Books

 

With all the vampire, werewolf and faerie books out there, it's easy to become numb to all things supernatural. The antidote? Darkhouse introduces two real and unforgettable characters, Perry Palomino & Dex Foray, amateur ghost hunters who are “attractive, relatable and oddly heroic,” “flawed but loveable,” “slightly crazy” and just the most endearing pair to ever tackle the paranormal...just don't call them normal. Darkhouse is a thrilling and sexy new take on concepts like Supernatural and The X-Files, bringing a breath of fresh air to a genre that has been inundated with the dead.

*A copy was provided by Karina Halle for review purposes*

Coming highly recommended by so many friends, I couldn't resist from checking out this creeptastic looking series any longer. All you need to convince me, really, is to tell me it has ghosts--and these are not the sweet ghosts you can fall in love with either (which I will never be fond of), these are evil: truly and relentlessly evil.

Having been reading a lot of Young Adult novels, it was a nice change to get a protagonist that's a bit older. At 22 years old, Perry is dealing with an unfulfilling job, a non existent sex life, and her bubbly teenage sister. Then she gets a pretty unexpected surprise when she goes to explore an old light house and something… more than normal, occurs. Talk about an exciting start! Not to mention this hot guy she happens to stumble upon--Dex. These characters are a lot of fun to go through this story with. They both have mysterious pasts that lends even more creepy to this story. Dex, especially, with his more than secretive personality. I was always on edge when he was around, yet somehow, I didn't feel threatened, just highly suspicious. He has this bizarre aura that screams something is not right with this fella. Nonetheless, the two of them have a lot of chemistry, making this book very compelling in a lot of ways.

While the characters are endearing, it takes a little bit to get the story moving along. The pacing at the beginning wanders. Like I mentioned, it starts with a bang when something hugely creepy happens, but afterwards it slows down tremendously until the half way point. I wasn't bored per say, mostly wondering where the plot was headed. Once we do reach the half way point, however, it's a pretty fantastic and spine chilling ride until the end. There's more than enough menacing encounters and strange discoveries to make up for the slower half. If it was not the first in a series, though, I would have been disappointed by the lack of answers from both the characters' lives and the plot. We don't get very deep into the mysteries surrounding everything, but knowing there are a lot more books to follow, it simply makes me indefinitely curious for answers. Everything is so cryptic and perplexing, it's certainly feeding our thirsts for mysteries and the unexplained.

From terrifying old ladies (I mean, she stares! Creepily! And that's just creepy!), to adrenaline filled paranormal occurrences, this is a book any ghost fanatic should absolutely check out. The description of "Supernatural meets X-Files" says it all! 

4 Hot Espressos