Review: I really wanted to like this more
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 10 15, 2013
I know I'm gonna get beat over the head for this one, but, it is what it is. I'm here to give an honest review, so there ya have it. I'm gonna give my honest review.The Artist's Trilogy has been one of my favorite series since I was introduced to it back in April (yes, I was behind the times, whatever). It had everything that I love in a book. Flawed characters, suspense, murder, just...really messed up situations...Karina Halle made me want to read these books as fast as I could. And I did. I read Sins And Needles, On Every Street and Shooting Scars as fast as I could. I could not wait for Bold Tricks to come out....so, maybe I had some pretty high expectations, but....this was definitely the weakest book in the series for me.The book begins with our messed up little trio in a jeep. Together. Ellie is sandwiched between Javier and Camden. This is a recipe for disaster. Obviously. We're taken on the journey that the three of them go on. They're out to save Ellie's mom and Gus...and Javier's sister. In typical Karina fashion, it's a messed up situation. Javi is the same, ruthless man he's always been and we definitely get a peek into that. He's not the Javi who's trying to win Ellie over in Shooting Scars. He's the jerk who is going to get what he wants no matter what. The Javi I love.Yes, there are moments of suspense and action and just general messed upness, but, it never really went anywhere for me. I wanted to be on the edge of my seat, reading with bated breath, coming to the conclusion of one of my favorite series...and it just never happened. There was just too much barfalicious romance crap. This is Ellie Watt and Camden McQueen FFS. There is nothing nice and cozy and Susie Homemaker about them. At all. It was just too much for me. Lines like,"He was a wet god, and I was about to get pounded."just made me roll my eyes. Yes, I'm all for the "love" scenes. Yes, I'm all for the "happy" ending....but not for this story!!!Everything just seemed so anti-climactic and meh. There were some really big moments that just sort of were thrown in there. I wanted fireworks and "OMG DID THAT JUST HAPPEN" moments, and I never got that.Now, don't get me wrong, the book isn't a total washout for me. There were moments that I loved. Quotes that I loved. Karina always has some of the best one liners..."Thanks," he said as he jumped in beside Gus. His face was covered in a layer of soot, the gash on his face reopened, and he smiled, widely, for the first time. "That was a rush."There were moments of passion that were hot, hot, hot...but then there was stuff that was just so uncharacteristic that I wanted to scream or roll my eyes (and I did).I would still recommend this series to a friend, but, it definitely wasn't the ending that *I* wanted. I know it will please others to no end, but it just didn't end "right" for me.