Rabid Reading

**Find this and other reviews at The Demon Librarian**Karina Halle At Her Finest!If you sit down with Karina Halle fans and ask them what they love best about Karina's writing, what you will hear first is a lot of fangirl gushing, and then, once we've gotten that out of our systems, we will tell you things like, "She dares to be different", or "Her characters are so unique and unforgettable!" The list could go on for days, and each one of us would have something different to say. But if there's one thing all Karina's fans will agree on, it is this:KARINA IS EVIL. Instead of playing it safe and giving readers what they expect, Karina yanks us out of our cozy comfort zones and throws us into a dark or scary world of her making, wherein she proceeds to mess with our heads, play with our emotions, and introduce us to all sorts of "shady" characters. And when it's all over - when she sends us stumbling back into the light of our boring, everyday lives - all we can think is, "WTF did I just read?" followed closely by, "MORE, PLEASE!"Case in point: Sins & Needles.It's been a long time since a character tested me as much as Ellie Watt did. I spent the entire first third of the book alternately shaking my head in disbelief and grinding my teeth in frustration, because I had such a hard time stomaching her actions and motives. I came close to writing her off multiple times, but every time I thought for sure I was done with her, I'd catch glimpses of redeemable qualities. Little things that made me go "hmmm". As the story progressed, those glimpses became full-on flashes, and before I knew it, I no longer cared about Ellie's criminal past, the lies she'd told, or all the people she'd screwed over. I just wanted her to be happy. To find peace. Crazy, right? I went from not being sure I liked her to being a card-carrying member of the Ellie Watt Fan Club. How the heck did that happen?Then there was Camden. Yummy, tattooed, messed up Camden. I adored him the moment he stepped onto the page. He seemed so sweet and charming and funny - and he was all those things. Except, of course, when he wasn't. Because like all of us, Camden has a dark side. He would have these moments when a shadow seemed to fall across him, swallowing all the light I'd come to associate with his character. It was equal parts jarring and fascinating. Dark and light; good and bad. Camden and Ellie are both.As for Javier....*shudder*. He is one of the most charming and disturbing book villains I've come across in a long time. I didn't need to be told he was bad news; I felt it. In fact, I am pretty sure from now on, anytime I hear the name Javier, my first instinct will be to drop everything and RUN.For me, the greatest thing about Karina's writing is her ability to create truly memorable characters that spring from the page. The kind of characters who define the word "flawed" and will challenge you, sometimes disappoint you, even make you angry at times. But in Karina's expert hands, those flaws become beautiful. Because flaws are real, and I don't know about you, but I'll take real characters over pretty, perfect ones any day of the week and twice on Sunday.Sins & Needles is Karina Halle at her diabolical, brilliant best. It's a crazy-intense, sexy, emotional ride from start to finish. The entire last half of the book, I was hanging on the edge of my seat, hoping and praying and feeling so many things, I couldn't begin to process them all. I was so caught up, the world could have ended and I wouldn't have noticed. Seriously. And that ending....OMG, that ending. I can't even talk about it.I still think Karina is evil......an evil genius, that is, and damn, I love that about her!5 Stars! ★★★★★ ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.**********************************HOLY FREAKIN' CRAP. This was me at the end of the book: I can't....I don't know how to.....GAHHHHH!!!Damn you, Karina! Why do you do this to me? WHY?I need time to process this. Time, and hugs. And therapy. And more hugs. **You can find my full review on the blog next week. After I've recovered.**Blog Tour Stop at The Demon Librarian