Review: Kickass sequel
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 08 25, 2013
WOW! Shooting Scars was the equivalent of Quentin Tarantino directing an episode of Revenge.  There were so much action and intense moments. I enjoyed the action, the characters, and the drama."Love is messy."Shooting Scars picks up right where Sins & Needles left off. Ellie basically sacrificed herself to Javier in order to keep Camden and his family protected. Javier has a plan to get revenge and plans on using Ellie as a ploy. She decides to go along with because to her it seems the only way to keep Camden protected. Ellie is a tough girl but she wants to redeem herself for all that bad things that she's done. To her it not only seems that she's done bad things but that she herself is a bad person. Yes, she has done messed up things but deep down she's a good person that has just made the wrong choices."Sometimes I'd do anything to be good" - EllieShe also has old left over resentment/feelings over her Javier's relationship. Ellie is emotionally broken and this leads her to make some bad decisions in this story. I was a bit upset but with the state her mind was in, I could understand how she did certain things."Camden is your past. I am your future." - Javier"You're my past. Camden is my future."  - EllieCamden, my poor sweet Camden. He was badass in this book. Yet, no matter how much bigger and stronger he is now, he is still sweet, vulnerable guy, that world seems to shit on, and it's just not fair. Soon after reuniting with Sophia and Ben, things go from bad to worse. He becomes a wanted man and he has to set off to find the one man that can help him and Ellie, Gus. With Gus's help they set off to go get their girl. There was lot of action in their search for Ellie. To me Gus was awesome because he truly wanted to help Ellie and Camden. Camden had to do some questionable things, while also trying not to succumb to the anger he holds inside. He fought through so much in this story."This is a different world now.  You're not Camden McQueen. You're Connor Malloy. In this world, you will have to do things you have never thought you'd do, things you'll wish you never did."Let me say I'm Team Confused aka Jamden. I love both men. I hated Javier in Sins & Needles but fell in love with him in On Every Street. There is something so enticing about him. Javier isn't the same guy he was 6 years earlier. He is even more ruthless, cold, manipulative, and intense. I despised the things that he did in the name of revenge and the things he wanted Ellie to do. He kept a lot of secrets too but despite his many, many flaws he does seem to still care for Ellie is his own perverse way.There was so much that went on in this book and I loved every insane minute of it. The last 20% of the book had me on edge and I was completely spent after I finished reading it. Karina has such a fabulous way of writing where she takes these unique stories and instantly draws you in. I loved this book.