Book Title: Black Hearts
Author: Karina Halle
Series: Sins Duet #1
Release Date: February 19th, 2017
Genres: Dark Romance

For Vicente Bernal, truth is all he’s known. The son of an infamous drug lord, Vicente was born to help run the family business, which means he’s been raised on a throne of sordid pasts and dirty laundry, violence and pride. But when Vicente stumbles across someone he’s not supposed to know about – a woman from his father’s checkered past – he sets out to California to find her behind his father’s back.

What Vicente doesn’t expect to find in San Francisco is Violet McQueen, the woman’s twenty-year old daughter. Beautiful and edgy with a vulnerability he can’t resist, Violet tempts Vicente from afar and though he promised himself he’d stay away from her, curiosity and lust are powerful forces. Besides, Vicente has always gotten everything he wants – why shouldn’t he have Violet too?

Soon his wants turn into an obsession, one that sweeps Violet into his games as they fall madly, deeply in love with each other, the type of first love that can drive a person mad.

But it’s a love with tragic consequences.

Both the truth – and the lies – not only threaten to tear them apart, but threaten their very lives.

Someone has to pay for the sins of the fathers.

And they’ll be paying the price with their souls.

Black Hearts is a BRAND NEW STANDALONE DUET - the second book and conclusion, Dirty Souls, releases March 17th.

ARC Review: Heat Wave by Karina Halle

Book Title: Heat Wave
Author: Karina Halle
Series: Standalone
Release Date: November 16th, 2016
Genres: Contemporary Romance

They say when life closes one door, another one opens.

This door happens to lead to paradise.

And a man I can never, ever have.

~~~

Still grieving the loss of her sister who died two years ago, the last thing Veronica "Ronnie" Locke needed was to lose her job at one of Chicago’s finest restaurants and have to move back in with her parents. So when a window of opportunity opens for her – running a kitchen at a small Hawaiian hotel – she’d be crazy not to take it.

The only problem is, the man running the hotel drives her crazy:

Logan Shephard.

It doesn’t matter that he’s got dark brown eyes, a tall, muscular build that’s sculpted from daily surfing sessions, and a deep Australian accent that makes your toes curl.

What does matter is that he’s a grump.

Kind of an asshole, too.

And gets under Ronnie’s skin like no one else.

But the more time Ronnie spends on the island of Kauai, falling in love with the lush land and its carefree lifestyle, the closer she gets to Logan. And the closer she gets to Logan, the more she realizes she may have pegged him all wrong. Maybe it’s the hot, steamy jungles or the invigorating ocean air, but soon their relationship becomes utterly intoxicating.

There’s just one major catch.

The two of them together would incite a scandal neither Ronnie, nor her family, would ever recover from.

Forbidden, Illicit, off-limits – sometimes the heat is worth surrendering to, even if you get burned.

Note: this is a standalone novel, unrelated to any previous books. It does NOT contain cheating of any kind.

ARC Review: The Debt by Karina Halle

Book Title: The Debt
Author: Karina Halle
Series: Standalone
Release Date: August 29th, 2016
Genres: Contemporary Romance

Her life changed in an instant.

And he's the only one who could have prevented it.

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Pact and The Lie comes a new standalone contemporary romance about those McGregor men.

Jessica Charles shouldn't have even been in London when the unthinkable happened. She should have been back at home in Edinburgh, perhaps hanging with her boyfriend, having drinks with her sister or doing yoga with her group of friends. She should have been going on in her normal, dependable life as always.

But on that fateful day in August, when a mentally-ill ex-soldier opened fire in public, Jessica's world changed forever.

Now single and crippled from the gunshot wounds, Jessica finds herself scared and alone, losing faith in herself and humanity with each agonizing moment that passes. That is until a stranger enters her life. A stranger who makes her live again. Keir McGregor has always been the strong, silent type. Throw in tall, dark, and handsome and you've got pretty much the perfect Scotsman.

Except Keir is anything but perfect. He's got a past he's running away from and a guilty conscience he can't seem to shed. But the more time he spends with Jessica, the more he falls in love with her.

And the more his secret threatens to tear them apart. He may have been a stranger to her.

But she’s never been a stranger to him.

Book Review: The Lie by Karina Halle

Book Title: The Lie
Author: Karina Halle
Series: Standalone
Release Date: February 15th, 2016
Genres: Contemporary Romance

Their love led to a lie.
Their truth led to the end.

Brigs McGregor is crawling out from the ashes. After losing his wife and son in a car accident and his job from his subsequent downward spiral, he's finally moving forward, getting a prestigious teaching position at the University of London and a new life in the city. Slowly, but surely, he's pushing past the guilt and putting his tragic past behind him.

Until he sees her.

Natasha Trudeau once loved a man so much she thought she'd die without him. But their love was wrong, doomed from the start, and when their world crashed around them, Natasha was nearly buried in the rubble. It took years of moving on to forget him, and now that she's in London, she's ready to start again.

Until she sees him.

Because some loves are too dangerous to ever indulge.
And some loves are far too powerful to ignore.
Their love just might be the life and the death of them.

Book Review: The Offer by Karina Halle

Book Title: The Offer
Author: Karina Halle
Series: The Pact #2
Release Date: June 14th, 2015
Genres: Contemporary Romance

She thinks he's an arrogant playboy. He thinks she's an uptight prude. But he's about to make her an offer she can't refuse.

Nicola Price used to have it all – a great career, the perfect boyfriend, an excessive shoe collection and an apartment in one of San Francisco’s best neighborhoods. But when she gets knocked up and her asshat boyfriend leaves her high and dry, Nicola’s perfectly crafted world comes tumbling down. And stays that way.

Now, Nicola is the proud single mom to a five-year old daughter and living a giant lie. She can barely afford their ghetto apartment and all the men she dates run when they hear she comes with a child. She’s struggling and scared – and nowhere near where she thought she’d be at age thirty-one.

Her saving grace comes in the form of a tall, handsome and wealthy Scotsman Bram McGregor, the older brother of her friend Linden. Bram understands a thing or two about pride, so when tragic circumstances place Nicola at rock bottom, he offers them a place to live in the apartment complex he owns. It’s pretty much the perfect deal, so as long as she doesn’t mind living beside Bram, a man that, despite his generosity, seems to antagonize her at every turn.

But nothing in life is free and as Nicola gets her feet back on the ground, she discovers that the enigmatic playboy may end up costing her more than she thought.

She might just lose her heart.

Those McGregor brothers are nothing but trouble...

BUY LINKS

AMAZON US // KOBO // B&N

{READ MORE FOR JASMINE'S REVIEW!}    

Book Review: Dirty Deeds (Dirty Angels #2) by Karina Halle

 “He’s fearless and ruthless. Soulless.”

As a flight attendant, Alana Bernal has had her share of suitors. She's also had more than her fair share of tragedy within her messed-up family. But what she hasn't had is love. Real, rip-your-heart-out, tear-your-clothes-off, all-consuming love.

At least that was the case until she met an American tourist, Derek Conway, a ripped ex-soldier with steely eyes and a commanding presence.

What started as a chance encounter between the two in Puerto Vallarta, a weekend full of hot sex and mindless passion, has led to something more.

Something deadly.

Because Derek isn't the type of man to fall in love. He's not a man who sticks around.

And he's definitely not in Mexico on vacation.

Derek is a mercenary, a killer-for-hire, a man who does the ugly jobs for the highest bidder.

Unfortunately for Alana and Derek, the highest bidder has the power to destroy whatever worlds they have created for themselves.

The highest bidder can destroy everything.

This is a romantic suspense book, #2 in the Dirty Angels trilogy but can be read as a standalone novel*

BUY LINKS

AMAZON

{READ MORE FOR ALLISON'S REVIEW!}

Release Blitz! Dirty Deeds by Karina Halle

 “He’s fearless and ruthless. Soulless.”

As a flight attendant, Alana Bernal has had her share of suitors. She's also had more than her fair share of tragedy within her messed-up family. But what she hasn't had is love. Real, rip-your-heart-out, tear-your-clothes-off, all-consuming love.

At least that was the case until she met an American tourist, Derek Conway, a ripped ex-soldier with steely eyes and a commanding presence.

What started as a chance encounter between the two in Puerto Vallarta, a weekend full of hot sex and mindless passion, has led to something more.

Something deadly.

Because Derek isn't the type of man to fall in love. He's not a man who sticks around.

And he's definitely not in Mexico on vacation.

Derek is a mercenary, a killer-for-hire, a man who does the ugly jobs for the highest bidder.

Unfortunately for Alana and Derek, the highest bidder has the power to destroy whatever worlds they have created for themselves.

The highest bidder can destroy everything.

This is a romantic suspense book, #2 in the Dirty Angels trilogy but can be read as a standalone novel*

BUY LINKS

AMAZON

*********************************

DIRTY ANGELS (#1)

From the USA Today Bestselling author of Love, in English and The Artists Trilogy, comes a dark romance about a good girl and a very, very bad man. It’s a deliciously twisted take on forbidden love, set among the drug cartels of hot, steamy Mexico and is not for the faint of heart. It contains explicit sex, violence, abuse, drug use, bad language and sexy Mexicans. You have been warned…

For Luisa Chavez, a twenty-three year old former beauty queen, a better life has always been just out of her reach. Sure, she’s had men at her feet since she was a young teenager but she’s never had the one thing she’s craved – security. Having grown up in near poverty, her waitressing job in Cabo San Lucas can barely let her take care of herself, let alone her ailing parents. Every day is another unwanted advance, every day is a struggle to survive.

When Salvador Reyes, the depraved leader of a major Mexican cartel, takes an interest in her, Luisa is presented with an opportunity she can’t afford to pass up. She’ll become Salvador’s wife and exchange her freedom and body for a life of riches – riches she can bestow upon her deserving parents. But Luisa quickly finds out that even the finest wines and jewels can’t undo the ugliness in her marriage, nor the never-ending violence that threatens her every move.

Soon, Luisa is looking for an escape, a way out of the carefully controlled life she’s leading. She finally gets her wish in the worst way possible.

As it is, being the wife of Salvador makes her an ideal target for rival cartels and there’s one particular man who needs Luisa as part of his cartel’s expansion. One particular man whose quest for power has destroyed lives, slit throats and gotten him out of an American prison. One particular man who will stop at nothing until he gets what he wants.

That man is Javier Bernal. And he wants Luisa. He wants to take her, keep her, ruin her.

Unless she ruins him first.

Some men were born to create empires, some women were meant to be queen.

**Dirty Angels is the first standalone novel in the Dirty Angels Trilogy, in which all books feature or involve different characters. The character of Javier Bernal is from The Artists Trilogy, and while reading TAT is recommended if you want additional insight into this twisted character, it is not required.**

BUY LINKS

Amazon // Barnes & Noble // iBooks

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

With her USA Today Bestselling The Artists Trilogy published by Grand Central Publishing, numerous foreign publication deals, and self-publishing success with her Experiment in Terror series, Vancouver-born Karina Halle is a true example of the term "Hybrid Author." Though her books showcase her love of all things dark, sexy and edgy, she's a closet romantic at heart and strives to give her characters a HEA...whenever possible.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 with her fiancé and rescue pup.

LINKS: FACEBOOK TWITTER GOODREADS AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

New Pre-order! Dirty Deeds (Dirty Angels #2) by Karina Halle

PRE-ORDER NOW AT $2.99! 

CLICK HERE: AMAZON US

***SPECIAL PREORDER PRICE OF $2.99. PRICE WILL GO UP AFTER RELEASE DAY***

 From The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today best-selling author of The Pact and Sins & Needles, comes the next standalone novel in the darkly romantic suspense Dirty Angels Trilogy - DIRTY DEEDS. 

 As a flight attendant, Alana Bernal has had her share of suitors. She’s also had more than her fair share of tragedy within her messed-up family. But what she hasn’t had is love. Real, rip-your-heart-out, tear-your-clothes-off, all-consuming love. 

 At least that was the case until she met an American tourist, Derek Conway, a ripped ex-soldier with steely eyes and a commanding presence. 

 What started as a chance encounter between the two in Puerto Vallarta, a weekend full of hot sex and mindless passion, has led to something more. 

 Something deadly.

 Because Derek isn’t the type of man to fall in love. He’s not a man who sticks around. 

 And he’s definitely not in Mexico on vacation. 

 Derek is a mercenary, a killer-for-hire, a man who does the ugly jobs for the highest bidder. 

Unfortunately for Alana and Derek, the highest bidder has the power to destroy whatever worlds they have created for themselves. The highest bidder can destroy everything. 

 NOTE: this book follows Dirty Angels but can be read as a standalone. It has scenes of violence, harsh language and sexual situations. Not intended for those under 18.

Book Review - The Pact by Karina Halle

4 BABY BLUE STARS! ★★★★

It all started with a pinky swear…

Linden McGregor is tall, rugged, and gunslinger handsome; a helicopter pilot with a Scottish brogue and charm to spare. He’s also one of Stephanie Robson’s best friends and has fit into that box for as long as she’s known him.

Beautiful, funny and an ambitious businesswoman (with one hell of an ass), Stephanie Robson is one of Linden McGregor’s best friends and has fit into that box for as long as he’s known her.

But some relationships can’t be boxed, can’t be classified, can’t be tamed.

Back in their mid-twenties and tired of the competitive hit-or-miss dating scene of San Francisco, Steph and Linden made a pact to marry each other if neither one of them are in a serious relationship by the time they hit thirty.

It sounds like fun and games but as the years to thirty tick past and lovers come and go out of their lives, the pact becomes larger than life.

Sex is inevitable. Friendships are tested. Hearts are on the line. 

The pact is about to change everything.

{CLICK TO READ MY 4-STARS REVIEW!}

NEW RELEASE! The Pact by Karina Halle

*The Pact is a standalone, contemporary adult romance*

PURCHASE ON AMAZON: LIVE NOW!

It all started with a pinky swear…

Linden McGregor is tall, rugged, and gunslinger handsome; a helicopter pilot with a Scottish brogue and charm to spare. He’s also one of Stephanie Robson’s best friends and has fit into that box for as long as she’s known him.

Beautiful, funny and an ambitious businesswoman (with one hell of an ass), Stephanie Robson is one of Linden McGregor’s best friends and has fit into that box for as long as he’s known her.

But some relationships can’t be boxed, can’t be classified, can’t be tamed.

Back in their mid-twenties and tired of the competitive hit-or-miss dating scene of San Francisco, Steph and Linden made a pact to marry each other if neither one of them are in a serious relationship by the time they hit thirty.

It sounds like fun and games but as the years to thirty tick past and lovers come and go out of their lives, the pact becomes larger than life.

Sex is inevitable. Friendships are tested. Hearts are on the line. 

The pact is about to change everything.

EXCERPT:

Her eyes are so blue and wide, like the morning sky, her mouth so perfectly full. I contemplate running my thumb over her lips before I kiss the salt off of them.

I should just do it. I should just fucking do it.

I swallow hard, my throat feeling closed up but I know it’s not from my cold. It’s from want and it’s from fear.

“What are you staring at?” she asks me, her voice shaking slightly.

Just fucking kiss her.

  

With her USA Today Bestselling The Artists Trilogy published by Grand Central Publishing, numerous foreign publication deals, and self-publishing success with her Experiment in Terror series, Vancouver-born Karina Halle is a true example of the term "Hybrid Author." Though her books showcase her love of all things dark, sexy and edgy, she's a closet romantic at heart and strives to give her characters a HEA...whenever possible.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 with her fiancé and rescue pup.

LINKS: FACEBOOK TWITTER GOODREADS AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Book Review - On Demon Wings (Experiment in Terror, #5) by Karina Halle

5 CRAZY DEMONIC STARS! ★★★★★

 

“Perry,” he said quietly, his fingers trailing down the side of my face, “you’ll never have to save my life. You gave me life. I never lived a single day until the day I first met you.” 

Yes I'm powering through this series because this book is COMPLETELY UNPUTDOWNABLE! I read it in one complete sitting till the wee hours of the morning because it's JUST. THAT. GOOD.

I don't even care if I nearly peed on my bed reading this. Or the fact that I was too spooked to even leave my bedroom to go to the toilet after this one. Honestly, who the heck reads demonic possession book past midnight?! Well that would be me but still.

 

**********
A quick review in GIFs because my words will not be able to do justice to this amazeballs book.

After the ending of Book 4, Perry is back at her home at Portland. She's been trying to move on but all she feels is constant emptiness and barely making through each day.



But strange things starts happening to Perry. She often loses periods of time, she doesn't remember doing certain things or how she ends up in other places.

 

All of these seems to point at demonic possession but no one believes her. Her parents, her doctor and Maximus (I'd like to punch him in the nuts) think she's losing it.



And it really starts to get outta hand & she slowly starts to lose control of her mind and body.





Perry's sister, Ada was the only one who believed her and saved her in time by bringing Dex back (FINALLY! AMEN!) .

 

**********
And this is mostly my reaction the entire time:





All I can say that it was emotionally exhausting and absolutely terrifying.

Karina Halle absolutely outdone herself and I am completely floored by her writing. She is not only just capable of striking terror but also allowing us to connect to Perry on a whole new level. I even shed some tears because it was so heartbreaking to watch Perry struggled through everything alone :'(

I know a lot of people were upset with the lack of Dex in this one, but it really made the wait worthwhile when he finally made his appearance. My shipper heart soared with overwhelming happiness and trust me, every minute of them back together was PERFECTION ♥♥♥♥♥

"You have every right to hate me for this lifetime and many others. You have every right to never see me again. To spit on my grave. But tonight, now I'm not going to give up on you. I'm going to fix you, or die trying".

Dex Foray, you have ruined all men for me right now. I can't wait to get inside your little head with your POV-based novella ;D

Book Review - Lying Season (Experiment in Terror, #4) by Karina Halle

5 BRUTAL ENDING STARS! ★★★★★

 

“I want you to stay with me,” he said. “And that’s the problem. Every time you leave me, I need you a little bit more.” 

My mind is still reeling from all the sadness and devastation of that brutal ending. WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT MS KARINA? My heart can only take so much!



********

Our favorite duo is back and this time, Perry travels down to Seattle for their next EiT episode. And what better way to escalate the sexual tension than by having Perry stay in Dex's apartment along with Jennifer and Fat Rabbit.

So who's Jennifer & Fat Rabbit, you may ask?

Well, Jenn is Dex's current girlfriend & all I can say is:



And there's Fat Rabbit who is actually not a rabbit:

 ^^^^ I think it convincingly looks like a fat rabbit ♥♥ :D

Throw in a dead ex-girlfriend of Dex who keeps haunting them and plenty of running around a mental institution for their episode filming, we have got some serious messed up situation going on. 

********

Karina Halle never disappoints with each instalment in this series. The horror factor definitely kicks up another notch and more pieces of a bigger picture that has been hinted throughout the entire series so far are slowly coming to light. Every tiny bit of revelation keeps me on the edge and makes this read a complete page-turner.

More importantly, this book is definitely deemed as the 'game-changer' book for Perry & Dex's relationship. After surviving the island in Book 3, they start to acknowledge their feelings for each other but won't admit it out loud. The angst and sexual tension in this one was definitely off the charts!

Just like in her previous books, the balance between the horror and humor is brilliantly handled. There are good breaks between each horror scene so they don't completely overwhelmed me. The witty and slightly flirtatious banters between Perry & Dex continue to fulfil my shipper heart needs ♥♥

But then, there's THAT ending.





I'm just gonna sit in the corner now and read Book 5. PRAYING TO MS KARINA TO LET ME REGAIN MY SANITY.

But I got this awful feeling Book 5 is gonna screw me over more D:

Book Review - Dead Sky Morning (Experiment in Terror, #3) by Karina Halle

5 INSANITY STARS! ★★★★★

   

 

“This is the Island of Death. This is purgatory. This place has a dark soul of its own. And it will drown you in its depths.” 

 If I have to summarise my review for this book into one sentence, it would be this: 

 It just keeps getting better and better.  

Firstly I was like this: 
 

And then mostly I was like this:

   

Also those Perry & Dex moments we had in this book:

   
 

“I don’t know what’s real. How can I tell what’s real anymore? What’s real, Dex? Tell me what’s real.” He put his hand on my face and looked at me with the most magnetic, impassioned spark in his dark eyes. “I’m real. This is real.”

Wandering lepers and killer raccoons be damned! MY LIFE IS COMPLETE RIGHT NOW. LET ME LOVE YOU KARINA HALLE ♥♥♥

Book Review - Red Fox (Experiment in Terror, #2) by Karina Halle

4 SKINWALKER STARS ★★★★

   

"The truth is in the fire."

In the second installment in the EiT series, our favorite ghost-hunters are back for another round of heart-stopping, thrilling adventure. This time Perry & Dex made their way down to New Mexico!

  

The duo travels to the small city in a desert called Red Fox where strange occurrences have befallen on a Navajo couple, Will & Sarah. We're talking crazy animals with spooky eyes appearing & disappearing in their house & even raining stones!! (I know it sounds totally bizarre but heck it's paranormal). And it seems to get worse when Perry & Dex arrives. 

What dark forces are looming ahead for our favorite duo?  

Love the plot in this one as it starts out slow and as it progresses, it picks up with a nice punch that left me turning my pages so fast & my heart pounding! I could easily see myself tuning in to an episode of Supernatural at this rate. Interesting side characters are introduced like Max from Dex's past & Bird was a nice read too. 

Enjoyed the connection between Perry & Dex in this one as the sexual tension is seriously starting to build up & what better way to show that by having them faking as a married couple. Gotta love that touch you put in there, Ms Halle! ;) And I totally swooned when Dex goes all protective mode on Perry & saving her, my shipper heart is excited! :D 

Honestly, I'm surprised that I'm enjoying the slow build-up romance between these two and I think it'll seriously make the entire journey much more worthwhile when we get some real action :) 

“Dex,” I whispered. “Mmmm?” he grunted. “I hope you never stop feeling alive.” I could have sworn his heart skipped a few beats. He tensed. Then relaxed. “As long as you’re around,” he said softly, “I’ll be alive.”