Sins & Needles by Karina Halle

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.

***The Artists Trilogy is a dark and sexy contemporary ride about three flawed individuals caught in a world where it's so easy to justify the bad things we do. This is a pure adult read (Not YA or NA).

This is the 1st book in the trilogy. It is followed by the novella On Every Street (released in March 2013) and the sequel Shooting Scars (released in May 2013). The third and final book in the series will also be released in 2013.*** 

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Review

Wow!! What a wild ride; that kept me at the edge until it was done. Even though there wasn’t a major cliffhanger, the last line just left me wanting more, what will happen next, I am dying to know. There is action, lies, backstabbing, steamy tension, that leave you breathless for more.

Those who know me, know I really hate weak MC they drive me nuts. I love strong ones, badass, with attitude is a bonus and this just about sums Ellie. She had a difficult life, parents that are outlaws and an accident that cost her leg and gave her scars. She hates showing them, she hated the stares most of all she wanted revenge and she got it but with more problems to add.  

Ellie Watt is con artist and one of the best. She's spent her entire life being on the run from the people she's framed and she's spent her entire life being someone else.

"I'm not a bad. The world is bad, and I'm just trying to survive in it."

Now, she has decided it is time for her to go back to her roots, spent some time with her uncle, commit one final scam (that she reminds herself) and maybe start a new life away from the problems that come along with being on the run the entire time.

"I don't think I'd ever gone on a vacation my whole life. I was always working, always on. It was a full-time job pretending to be someone else."

Is it easy for a con artist to forget their ways and continue their lives leaving the bad habits and being normal for once, this is obviously a challenge for her.

"This will be the last time. I've said that before. I've said it a lot. I've said it while talking to myself in the mirror like some Tarantino cliché."

She meets with her high school friend Camden McQueen. The boy that was skinny, outcast in his school with the way he was dressed grew up in to HOT guy with tattoos!

"He was like a living, breathing painting on an all-male canvas."

Knowing that boy has changed from what she left in high school now he is a successful tattoo artist naturally he becomes her next victim after seeing his tattoo salon and how much money he has in his cashier, she plans to get close to him and scam him in taking his money little does she know how well Camden knows her, instead of him being the victim its Ellie.

There is so much to the story and I don’t want to spoil it but it’s amazing, I loved it. So go read more and find out what the hype is about S & N! 

My Verdict? 5 brilliant action, steamy and complicated love Stars

My favorite quotes:

“That's the trouble with pain, Ellie. If you're lucky, you can wear it for all the world to see. Most people have their pain deep inside, in places no one ever goes. Not until it's too late."

**********

“We all make our own paths in life. Everyone we meet, everything we do, it changes us. It makes us who we are. And, if we're lucky, we're given the chance to make things right.”

**********

"I have to live with my mistakes but I don't have to regret them. I regret my actions but I can't regret the consequences. We all make our own path in life. Everyone we meet, everything we do, it changes us. It makes us who we are. And, if we're lucky, we're given the chance to make things right again."

**********

“Beautiful, sad, wounded, and lost… A freak, a work of art, a liar, and a lover.”

His gaze was starting to eat away at my insides. Razor-blade butterflies whirled in my heart.

“I hate you, Ellie Watt,” he whispered, lips coming closer to mine, “Because I still love you after all these years.”

**********

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The Fine Line by Tracee Ford

~Synopsis~

Set in Southwestern Ohio, Dr. Matthew Gregory and Robin Hillard meet, fall passionately in love, marry, and settle into their newly restored historical dream home originally constructed in the 1800’s. However, their dreams of a happy life together are challenged by misfortune surrounding the purchase of the home. Soon, they realize that they have stepped into another world, filled with spirits, paranormal phenomenon, and unexplainable realities. The stark realizations as well as other traumas challenge their personal beliefs, the stability of their marriage and, most of all, their sanity. Matt’s logical, scientific certainties are defied when his daughter, Olivia, realizes she is a psychic medium and is able to communicate with the dead. Robin recognizes that her dreams are actually visions of the past directly associate with the previous owners of the home.

The Gregory family soon learns that there is a fine line between the world they live in and the world they can’t see. They seek direction through organized religion as well as through unconventional methods in an effort to understand the strange world of the paranormal. Ultimately, the family grows stronger and the relationship between Robin and Matt becomes unbreakable. They finally realize that they can face anything as long as they are together and have faith. 

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~Review~

WOW. The Fine Line blew me away. From the synopsis I knew there is a paranormal twist and I couldn’t wait to dive into it. It is what drew me to read it in the first place. Where to start… I loved how Tracee Ford started the story nicely with Matt and Robin meeting it was cute and sweet.

She starts with how broken they were from their past relationships, something everyone has a past but they define them, create the person they are now, it’s a beautiful, painful journey, something everyone has to go through so much in getting what they want in the end.

The story flowed really nicely, from their first meeting to getting to know each other.  The best is to see them fall in love. I loved their relationship dynamic how it is based on trust. The best thing for all couples to have in a relationship. When there is no trust things fall apart. They worked so hard in life for things to eventually fall into place.

Matt is divorced with a little adorable child, surprisingly sweet than her bitter, controlling and evil mother. His ex-wife scarred him with her unfaithfulness. After being with her in their suffocating so called of a marriage life he got out but is always their for his daughter, went out of his way to keep her happy and loved.

Robin has so many scars of her own, life dealt cruel hands but she is a fighter, a survivor and created a successful life of her own, her family and friends being her rocks.  The beauty of their relationship is they confided in each other found solace in their words, fought hard to be together fought demons of their past.

Enter the spice of the paranormal twist, after they got married they had taken a old house and were renovating for it to fit their needs, when strange things start happening, she tries to ignore them and as they kept living their, stranger events occur.  It when they have another battle to fight, with spirits and literally a demon. Will their relationship survive this paranormal phenomenon when Matt can’t seem to believe it? There is more to the story that meets the eye to find out more read it!!!

I really enjoyed reading The Fine Line, such a beautiful story. It had everything that I would want love, angst, scars, spirits, paranormal twist. What more could I want? There were a few grammar errors but I could overlook them and enjoy it.

My verdict? 4.5 brilliant stars

~A review copy provided by the author~ 

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JUST ONE SONG

~Synopsis~

Nicole Parsons had the perfect life, made complete with the suburban home and the proverbial white picket fence. When tragedy struck and she lost the most important people in her life, she turned away from everything she loved before; shutting out every reminder of the perfect life she lost.

It has been one year, three months, one week and six days since the accident; and Nicole is ready to stop counting the days she’s survived, and begin living again.

On a dare from her best friend, Nicole encounters Zack Walters - the popular alternative rock star and man who signifies so much of her past – and suddenly everything in Nicole’s safe and quiet life changes.

When she’s forced to face the pain she’s carried for so long, will she truly be able to heal from her past and begin to live again?

Or will her new adventure ruin her completely?

~Excerpt~

I glare at her and it’s as if we’re having an argument without saying any words. None are needed. She’s totally daring me to do this. She doesn’t even have to speak the words because I can see them being silently spoken in the glare of her eyes. It’s been almost two years since I’ve seen that look – the last time being when she dared me to go skinny-dipping at my parent’s lake house; in the middle of the day, on a lake filled with jet-skis and water skiers. This is the very first dare she’s issued me since the accident, and something about knowing that, coupled with my recent desire to start actually living again, lights a small spark within me.

Damn it. I haven’t backed out on a dare or a bet since I was thirteen years old and it pains every fiber of my physical being to consider backing out tonight. I keep my eyes on my perky best friend as she flounces her long blonde hair, grinning like she’s just won a million bucks. And she has, because as much as it worries me that I’ll fail miserably, I can’t say no.

“What do I need to do?”

She scans the crowd while she starts talking, and my anxiety climbs with every second. I can’t believe I’m doing this. All I wanted to do tonight was visit my favorite place in the world and enjoy a few drinks while listening to live music for the first time in fifteen months. It’s amazing how quickly I can get suckered into insanity.

She smiles and I raise my eyebrows, curiosity blossoming within me. “You get someone to buy you and drink, and I’ll buy you a pair of Manolos.”

“You’re kidding.”

“Nope. And I’ll make it even easier on you.” She points the tip of her beer towards the end of the bar where two guys are standing. One is tall and blonde and he’s gesturing with wild arm motions to his friend. I can’t see much from the other guy because he has a baseball cap pulled down low over his eyes. From the little I can see they’re both about our age if not a little bit older. Attractive doesn’t even begin to describe the blonde. I turn back to Mia and groan.

“They’re in the corner of the bar. That’s the classic leave me the hell alone spot and you know it.”

“Yeah, but there are two of them; and only one has to buy the beer. I’m sure you can sweet talk your way into getting one of them to pay up. Now roll up your skirt a little bit to show off your amazing legs and go get your shoes.”

I look down on my black skirt that already ends a few inches above the knee. A part of me wants to run, the other part – the part I’m starting to remember – really wants a new pair of six hundred dollar shoes.

~Teaser~

He takes a few steps towards me and I freeze. I cling tightly to my beer bottle when his hand reaches out and softly touches one of the curls in my hair. His eyes soften and I’m mesmerized by the light green that has darkened slightly. One side of his lips quirk up just a little bit, leaving this sexy smirk that I have a feeling is the same one that causes girls all over the country to drop their panties for at his concerts. Or so Mia claims. But I totally get the feeling because I suddenly have butterflies flying like mad in my stomach as he gazes down on me. Screw that, it’s not butterflies, it feels more like monkeys jumping on a trampoline. And it scares the hell out of me, but not in a bad, I need to run away now, way. More like it feels so good, I want to lean closer and snuggle up to him sort of way.

“See you in ten minutes?” he asks so softly and roughly that I almost don’t hear him over the noise in the bar. I’m stuck stupid and can’t say anything, so I just nod.

At least I hope that’s what I do because I can’t really tell if I’m moving at all.

He lets go of my hair and chuckles softly – more to himself than me- and flashes a wave and large smile to Mia. “See you soon.” 

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Sounds fabulous, I am definitely being impatient while waiting on its release!!!