How to be Team Both: Shooting Scars Book Review

Release Date: August 20, 2013

I give it 

First Line:  "You wanted me to catch you, didn't you?" Javier's voice cut into my thoughts like a drill.

This was a high octane ride on a motorcycle while doing heroin...

Not that I've ever driven a motorcycle or. . .did heroin, but dude....

This book rocked!!!

There were times when I was just like. . .

WOW!!

The book is told in two P.O.V.'s through Ellie and Camden's views. 

I've read book one as well as the pre-quel:

BOOK .5

Book Two

Meanwhile, I've become hard-core card-carrying Team Members!

I'm Team Javier

AND

Team Camden

So after reading this book, what team am I on????

I mean the whole novel, I literally loved both men!

I'm confused. First I hate Javier, then I'm mad at Camden, then I'm pissed at Javier, then I'm.....just so so so confused. . . 

Even now. . .I still don't know.

There will be a BOOK THREE people! Yes!

Okay so as to not give away anything. . .by 25% of the book I said, "Fuck it! I'm Team Both!!!" 

Can you even be Team Both?

Hell yes!!

TEAM BOTH!!!!

And what is wrong with Team Both, anyway?

I had no idea what Ellie was even going to do. . .

I will say that I was hoping for a little. . .

MAN LOVE!!!!

I mean would it be so wrong for Camden to put down his gun, Javier put down his guns (and tell all of his men to stand down), and they just get to some Hot, Passionate hot man love happening??

Okay.

You'll have to read the novel to see what Ellie decides because if I further analyze Ellie's situation with Javier and Camden, there will be some major spoilers happening.

Regardless, this book rocked!

It was unpredictable,
fast-paced,
heart pumping action,
hot sex scenes (although I wish there were more),
and just a great sequel to Sins and Needles!

I'm telling you. When you read this book, email me and tell me what Team you're on!

February Book of the Month Battle: Sins & Needles

Let the battle lines form!!

Available Everywhere! 

THE MAIN CHARACTER IN SINS & NEEDLES CAN DEFINITELY BE DEFINED AS FLAWED AND AN ANTI-HEROINE. 

WHAT DID YOU THINK ABOUT HER AND DID THE AUTHOR DO A GOOD JOB OF EXECUTING AN ANTI-HERO?

Alicia: Why are you shouting?

Kenya: I thought it would be sexier to do the questions in all caps. :-)

Alicia: It's not sexy. It hurts my ears. 

Kenya: would you just answer the damn question.
*eye rolls

Alicia: Honestly, I had mixed feelings about Ellie, which maybe means the author did a good job.

Ellie had issues, sure, and a tough life, also true. But she was a jerk and a whiner. I like heroines who are mentally tougher, and she really wasn't.

Kenya: I definitely Loved and Hated Ellie so many times. Especially around her thoughts of robbing a certain person. It made me mad, but on the other side I understood why she did it.

Alicia: Basically, she wronged other people because she felt justified--like she deserved STUFF because her life sucks. And okay, I get that--but then she should be targeting people who have hurt her. 
I don't understand why she did it. I take that back--I do understand. She did it because she's a selfish ass.

Kenya: Her parents didn't teach her the proper ways to behave. She was socialized to do the things she did.

Alicia: She knew it was wrong. This isn't about what her parents taught her. I disagree. 

I think she knew it was a big deal--which is why she struggled with it--and made the wrong choice. I would have liked her better if she hadn't struggled. Then I'd know she really thought it was okay.

Kenya: Nope. You are 100% wrong!  She had to struggle. She does have a conscious, but she learned how to turn that conscious off from her parents.

Alicia: Ellie knew right from wrong. She just felt like her needs took precedence over other people. She's a selfish bi-yatch.

Kenya:  :-o   (you suck!)

Alicia: She's a selfish bi-yatch <-- my theory

Kenya: very mature.

Alicia: I know this

Kenya: Let's move on since clearly you're a moron.  *clears throat

Alicia: I have more to say! The only reason I rooted for their romance was because Cam was a sympathetic character, and plus, I wanted more of the sex.  There. Now I'm done.

Kenya: (no one cares)



WHAT WERE THE TWO TOP THINGS YOU HATED IN THE NOVEL?


Alicia: The superficial mysteries--which were really just information withholding.

Toward the beginning of the book, the narrative kept hinting about multiple things that happened in the past that had shaped Ellie's life, but the whole truth came out in bits and pieces. This was a cheap trick!

Kenya: *bangs her head against the desk.

Alicia: Ellie is the POV character. I was annoyed that the narrative withheld stuff that Ellie clearly already knew. If it's her point of view, I should know what she knows!

Kenya:  Okay well, I do admit that I disliked the flashbacks, but more because the content were hard to deal with. The characters represented how cruel high school can be and how confused teens are with who they are and their place in the world.  I had rough high school times for me. It was like looking at my past.

Alicia: And plus, the narrative kept referring to Ellie as "the girl" in the flashbacks. Annoying.

Kenya: okay that annoyed me too.

Alicia: <-- the girl agrees

Kenya: Granted, that could have been symbolism for how the character saw herself maybe you couldn't see the Deep Shit!
*gets deep and REAL.

Alicia: <-- the girl thinks it got old pretty fast

Kenya: *face palm

The love interest CAM-- ANY GOOD, BAD, OR OTHER THINGS TO SAY?

Alicia: Cam was fine. He grew on me.

Kenya: I loved Cam. He was sexy but flawed (ears). Compassionate, but a little ruthless at times.

Alicia:  He was a sucker. Ellie was a selfish bi-yatch! 

Kenya: he understood her, unlike you.

Alicia: I liked the tattoos. :)

Kenya: BUT--I hated the scene with his father later. I don't want to say too much for those who didn't read it. But the one scene where he's upset after his father leaves.

Alicia: Yeah, that was a painful scene, and I really felt for him. I wanted him to stand up for himself, but I realize that's not an easy thing.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE ENDING? PREDICTABLE, UNEXPECTED, AWESOME, PANTY-DROPPING?

Kenya: For me it was awesome and unexpected. I hate when everything is tied up.

Alicia: Gosh, I really don't know how I feel about it. :-/
It didn't shock me with unexpectedness, but I wouldn't call it predictable either. 

The bad guy was okay. Kind of cliché. I guess I was disappointed because I wanted Cam to get everything he wanted, and that didn't happen (although I guess it still might in the sequel).

WOULD YOU CONTINUE TO THE NEXT BOOK?

Alicia: Yes, I'll continue. I'm not in a huge hurry, but I'll read it. Honestly, this discussion has made me realize that I have a lot of issues with the book.

Kenya: Lol. I am definitely going to the next one. 

In fact there is a prequel on her time with the bad guy. I'm actually hyped to read that.

How would you rate this book?

Alicia: 

Kenya:  :-(    I may no longer be your friend.

Alicia: Fine!

Kenya: 

Alicia: You just liked it because of the sex.

Kenya: Oh god i did, so yummy!!!!!!!!

Cover Reveal: Shooting Scars by Karina Halle

One of my favorite books of 2013 is our book of the month for February!!

Amazon        Barnes and Noble       Smashwords

My review is HERE

Alicia and I will battle over this book on Feb 28, 2013.

THE SEQUEL to Sins and Needles is here today!!!

THE COVER REVEAL for Shooting Scars!

I won't waste anymore words.

A second chance at first love.

There are a few things worth risking everything for - even your life. For Camden McQueen, this is one of them.

Shooting Scars is the second book in The Artists Trilogy and is told from the dual POV of Camden and Ellie.

About the author:

Website

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The daughter of a Norwegian Viking and a Finnish Moomin, Karina Halle grew up in Vancouver, Canada with trolls and eternal darkness on the brain.

This soon turned into a love of all things that go bump in the night and a rather sadistic appreciation for freaking people out. Like many of the flawed characters she writes, Karina never knew where to find herself and has dabbled in acting, make-up artistry, film production, screenwriting, photography, travel writing and music journalism. She eventually found herself in the pages of the very novels she wrote (if only she had looked there to begin with).

Karina holds a screenwriting degree from Vancouver Film School and a Bachelor of Journalism from TRU. Her travel writing, music reviews/interviews and photography have appeared in publications such as Consequence of Sound, Mxdwn and GoNomad Travel Guides. She currently lives on an island on the coast of British Columbia where she's preparing for the zombie apocalypse.