Tag: Thriller (Page 11 of 16)

Synopsis:

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.

Review:

*Spoilers for Sins and Needles* *If you’re on Team Javier, then you’ll probably want to skip this review*

I loved Sins & Needles (My 5 Star Review can be found – here)!  I tumbled happily into Ellie and Camden’s world, and fell madly in love with their twisted story.  But I was a little nervous to start the second book, Shooting Stars.  Because I was terrified of what could happen since Javier had captured Ellie.  Would she kiss him, touch him, do more?  Would her old feelings slowly reappear?  Would she betray Camden?  The Camden I am obsessed with and love!  So I realized that I needed to have a better understanding of Ellie and her past.  I wanted to know why she fell in love with Javier.  I wanted to see exactly what their love was like.  And I was hoping that I would slowly fall in love with their past.  That way I wouldn’t be resentful or hold a grudge if Ellie did something stupid.  I know, I know, I’m making a HUGE guess on what could happen in book #2!  But it could happen, and I like to be emotionally prepared lol.  BUT, I should have stuck with my gut reaction while I contemplated reading this book, because it screamed at me to avoid this story at all costs!  I had a feeling that I would loathe watching Ellie with Javier be together and I was so right.  I hated Ellie and Javier together.  Hell I hated every single thing about Javier!

I could probably write a few pages on all of the reasons why I hate Javier, but I won’t.  I’ll just list my top three reasons instead. 🙂

Strike #1 – Instead of Javier coming off as sexy and suave, he just kept reminding me of a snake.  It felt as though he could wiggle himself out of any situation.  Time and time again he would slither out from underneath yet another sin that he would commit. I could rant about him asking for redemption (which I don’t think he deserves). but instead I’ll share a quote that made me shudder and laugh because SEE he is a snake! (Ellie went by Eden in the past)

“Eden,” he whispered, squeezing my hand.
I looked up at him. He looked so serious, his dark brows knitted together.
“You’ve gotten under my skin,” he said.
I wasn’t expecting that.
“I don’t think I’ll ever be able to shed you.”

Strike #2 – I hated the way he talked about sex.  His words felt dirty and not in the good way.  When Camden would talk about sex or talk while they were having sex…..ohhh sigh……it felt as though the words were pouring out of his heart.  You could feel the passion.  It was sexy and beautiful.  But with Javier, it never felt as though he was talking from his heart or his soul.  Maybe it’s because he doesn’t have either? (sorry, I have to throw a dig in here and there lol)  Here’s his idea of sexy, which definitely isn’t the same as mine.

“I want to come on every inch of your body,” he whispered, and somehow it didn’t sound dirty at all. It sounded clean, pure, like rainwater. “I want to rub it in you, like this, until it’s a part of your skin. I want to stain you, Eden. I want myself embedded in your skin, in your heart, in your soul.”

Strike #3 – I become annoyed when Javier would talk about owning Ellie or having her surrender to him.  No.  Just no.  Again, not sexy in my eyes.

“I won’t hurt you,” he said, reading my thoughts. “But you can’t just hand over your virginity to me, Eden. I have to take it from you. I have to make you surrender to me , to everything, in every way possible. I want your heart, your soul, and your body. I want the you that you’re hiding deep inside. I must have her.”

So yeah, I despise Javier.  I tried my hardest to find anything redeemable or attractive in him, but I found nothing.  Nothing at all.  So now I am counting the seconds until Camden comes roaring back into the series and knocks Javier out for good!  Or kills him.  Tomatoes tomato, cause you know that either way will be fine by me as long as it happens.  Keeping my fingers crossed!  Come on Camden!!!

Reading Order & Links: Amazon (click on covers), iBooks (click on titles) & Book Depository (click on book #)
Sins & Needles #1 Reviews: Jen Chelsea	Shooting Scars #2 Reviews: Jen Chelsea	Bold Tricks #3 Reviews: Jen Chelsea

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Synopsis:

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 dangerous road.

Review:

Sins & Needles slowly dragged me in, and once it had me in it’s clutches, it had a death grip on my heart!  I am still left stuttering, trying to wrap my head around what I just read.  I am completely astonished and blown away by what unfolded in front of me.  It’s unlike anything that I have ever read before.  By the last page I had no clue whether I wanted to smile, laugh, cry, or scream.  My emotions were that twisted, just like the story was.  If you are looking for an insanely addicting yet utterly messed up book, then this is for you!

When I was a child, I was never in a town long enough to get enrolled in the softball team, which was a shame— because as the cue cracked against the side of his bald head, I realized it could have been a second career. – Ellie

Ellie Watt is a grifter, just like her parents taught her to be.  But after getting caught in a con, she is in need of a break.  In pursuit of a fresh start, she heads to the only place that has ever felt like home.  Her Uncle’s ranch.  But for Ellie, she can’t stop what is ingrained in her.  And she has her next mark in sight.  Camden McQueen.  Her one and only true friend from High School.  But Camden has plans of his own, and makes a deal with Ellie that is about to change both of their lives forever.

“You’re a con artist. A liar. A thief. An unredeemable soul. You can’t be reformed. You can’t be saved. You’ll die trying to make the world pay for what it did to you. And you’ll die alone.” – Camden to Ellie

Ellie was insanely difficult to connect with.  She was tough, her heart was buried deep within her, and for the most part it seemed as though she had no conscious or moral compass.  At times I contemplated whether I really liked her.  But throughout the story she earned my sympathy and eventually even my respect.  Who knows if she’ll keep it, because her track record is beyond horrible.  But everything, and I do mean everything that she did intrigued me.  She was dark, twisted and I loved listening to her screwed up mind as she forged along her disturbing path!

My eyes squinted from the light. From the way he was positioned by the window, he almost looked angelic. But angels don’t have tattoos and they certainly don’t have guns in their hands. – Ellie

You will want to meet Camden!  He was such an enigma to me.  He is a talented tattoo artist that is sexy as sin, yet he always seemed to have something simmering below the surface.  He would give these looks or say these phrases that made me pause.  I would question what I just read, because I had to have read that wrong.  But after going back, nope I wasn’t wrong and it made him appear dark and twisted.  Kind of like Ellie.  And there was no way that could be right.  Right?

Holy shit, did Camden just spank me? – Ellie

When Camden and Ellie were together, they were intense, raw and gritty.  I loved that we got to learn their whole sordid history.  At the beginning of the chapters, we would have a flashback to Ellie’s earlier years.  We got to see Camden in High School as a goth who wore a trench coat, black fingernail polish and lipstick.  They banded together and were the outcasts of the school.  Of course no one wanted to be friends with the girl with the constant limp besides Camden.  The history between them created a picture that was whole and made this story amazingly powerful.  By the time I was almost halfway through the book, it refused to be put down.  Sins and Needles became action packed, sizzling sexy, dark, and I can’t recommend this book highly enough!

Reading Order & Links: Amazon (click on covers), iBooks (click on titles) & Book Depository (click on book #)
Sins & Needles #1 Reviews: Jen Chelsea	Shooting Scars #2 Reviews: Jen Chelsea	Bold Tricks #3 Reviews: Jen Chelsea