Who would have guess that this type of story could be loved by me in such a way?? I don’t think there is any flaw in the way J.A.Redmerski wrote thisWho would have guess that this type of story could be loved by me in such a way?? I don’t think there is any flaw in the way J.A.Redmerski wrote this series, even if it’s controversial and shows a dark side of humanity that not many of us agree upon, but it’s still fabulous and addictive. “Reviving Izabel” is the sequel of “Killing Sarai” and it centers Sarai transformation from prizonier of a drug lord to empowered assassin. Yup, that pretty much sums up the plot:)
Even though Victor left Sarai to enable her to have a normal life after all this suffering, she can’t ignore the trigger that went on in her mind, the belonging of a way of life she is suppose to have. So, taking off where “Killing Sarai” ended, she has some unfinished business to take care of, even if she will do it alone. She wants to kill Arthur Hamburg, the grotesc traficant that drugged this wife and in this way, making her uses and lifeless. After his wife became Sarai and Victor’s target at the end of book 1, she can’t get him out of her mind, because she believes he has to be killed for what he did. Very determined to follow this life, she makes a plant to kill Hamburg, only to get herself into more trouble. Of course Victor is there to keep an eye on her, but nevertheless, she will start a chain of events that will craft the plot. Determined to become like Victor, she wants to be trained, to work with him, to be his partner in killing. So there you have it, a little spoiler to give you a glimpse of this amazing book.
Sarai and Victor evolve together, but in different aspects. Sarai tries to leave behind her past in Mexico, where she was Javier’s sex sclave for 9 years, and Victor tries to be more human, admitting his feelings and owning them. While Sarai kills for retribution, Victor kills for money, but soon, their goal will become a common one, making them the ideal team.
As you know, these 2 are perfect for each other, but have a hard time in admitting it. Sarai will stai hanged to Victor, to prove him that she can become part of his world, but Victor is constantly fighting and resisting her, because he doesn’t know any other way. Sarai’s training period was very hard to read, but also enjoyable, because you could feel her potential, and after each scene admit that she belongs in the company of killers. Victor won me over completely after a certain scene in the book, where we could see the human part of him, and his thoughts about Sarai. There are no “I love you”-s exchanges, because there are not that sort of people, but their dialogues and scenes value more than some words, being more intense and powerful. Their connection is obvious and even if by the end of the book, I felt a little conflictive about a certain move Victor did, I tried to be open minded and understand that he already gave us an immense change in character. And don’t forget that they are not ordinary people, so certain rules don’t apply to them, because they think differently, colder maybe, without the element of morality always in mind.
The book is amazing, dinamic and very raw. It is very different that “Killing Sarai” because this one is more cruel, darker, with a lot of upsetting scenes that may shock you. But you constantly have to never forget the background and the unicity of the characters, that blend perfectly in the plot and adapt to this cruel conditions. There are some paragraphs hard to read, but they made up the beauty of the book.
A very good and original series, that soon will become a TV adaptation. Check out Redmerski’s Twitter account for the latest news and photos on set, to see the actors that will bring Victor and Sarai to life:)
I have this book on my TBR list like forever and I never got to it, until I found out it was turning into a TV series. That peeked my interest andI have this book on my TBR list like forever and I never got to it, until I found out it was turning into a TV series. That peeked my interest and wanted to see if the book was really worth the attention it received. “Killing Sarai” is not my style, but I loved it and soon became addicted to the story and the characters. They are so imperfect, so damaged, that you fall in love with them and their flaws.
Sarai lived all her teenage life between gangsters and drug dealers. She was brought there by her mom and after she died, became the favorite of Javier, a notorious drug dealer that apparently fell in love with her. He also ran a very complex underground women traffic operation, and Sarai witnessed it all. During the years, she felt accustomed to this way of living, until her attention was caught by Victor, a mysterious man, that seemed to be American, just like her. Convinced that due to this he will help, she used him to escape, only to get caught in another web of danger, killing and life threatening events.
Killing Sarai is destined to be a TV series, because it is actioned packed, and gives you a true addiction to the plot.
Sarai is not your average heroine, because she is damaged, even if she wants to stay strong and pretend otherwise. Hostage without her will, used for her body, she coped with her situation and managed to believe that she will be ok. Even if Javier was treating her differently than the others, taking her to parties and giving her luxuries vs the other girls, Sarai is practically a sex slave. She has seen death, girls being beaten, raped, drugged and so on. When Victor appears, her instincts were to trust him and use him to escape. She did it, but the real journey began then, because everything changed for Sarai. When I looked at the title, I thought that „Killing Sarai” was about a murderer that wanted to kill the heroine, but now I know it runs deeper than that. When Sarai leaves with Victor, she stops being SARAI and becomes someone else, someone who has to cope with a new way of life, a new meaning, that apparently fist her well. She will enter Victors world and discover how much she belongs in it.
I liked Victor as well, even if for a hero he is very cold and calculated, becoming an assassin from the early age of 9. He kills without asking questions and he was meant to kill Sarai as well, but he didn’t. Throughout the book we discover that this character has a lot of layers and ladies, you will swoon! I personally loved their connection, their moments, even if there were not a lot of steamy ones, but the build up is palpable and you feel the anticipation growing stronger. They really became a power couple and I look forward to reading the sequel, because I know things will progress even faster than in the first book.
I totally recommend this book because it is really special, in a raw sort of way. It shows you the ugly part of life, where crimes and danger go hand in hand, and only the strong can survive. It tells a story about 2 people that meet under extreme circumstances and when something changes in them, they become an unstoppable force of nature.
As Taylor Swift says at the end of "Look What You Made Me Do": "Stop making that surprised face, it's so annoying", I can't seem to get over the fact As Taylor Swift says at the end of "Look What You Made Me Do": "Stop making that surprised face, it's so annoying", I can't seem to get over the fact that "Hideaway" was released and that my favorite characters are back!! I have a silly smile upon my face every time I go to bed and open the damn book, like I'm 10..I loved "Corrupt" because it managed to get me out of my comfort zone and until them I didn't realise how interesting Dark Romance might actually be.
When you say "Hideaway" you say automatically KAI!!!!! Kai Mori, one of the 4 Horsemen, Michael's friend that intrigued us with his charming but mysterious personality, the most normal of them all:))) Ahhh, and not the mention one of the main characters from the sauna scene... hi hi hi. Although "Corrupt" felt more darker and more twisted than this one, "Hideaway" puts up a good fight as well.
With Damon missing, the guys are Rika are aware of the danger that lies ahead, mainly because Damon has serious issues and will want revenge. After what happened in the first book, no one is safe and with the approach of Devil's Night, they are certain bad things will happen. When you put in the mix, Banks, a simple girl that managed to get Kai's attention, things will get very complicated. Loyalties are strong, hidden agendas put lives in danger and time is running out. Kai Mori is a very guarded and mysterious characters, not letting anyone know his true nature, not ever his friends, with who he shares so much. After being in prison in "Corrupt", Kai felt that his family honor was spotted and his remorse is terrible. Running a business of his own, he is very discrete, non fazed and impossible to read. I got to know him from the first book and I liked that he was more compassionate, more willing to forget and start over.
The lack of love and understanding made him do some terrible things, but he is back on track. Back on track only for a while, because he was this undying connection with Banks, a mysterious girl that wears boy clothes and seems to have a connection to Damon and his family. He will not know for a while what this might be, and in the meantime, he will fell hard for her, having to fight his feelings and the sense of duty he has of stopping Damon.
The relationship between this 2 was extremely complicated and with up and downs. As a reader you are very confused and don't know if next they will tear each others clothes off or kill each other. They were constantly on the run, fighting, arguing, hurting each other but also having some confusing and tender moments. The plot shifts from Past to Present, where we could see how Kai's obsession for Banks began, what are her ties to Damon and why is she loyal to him. I liked this changes, making me more aware of the whole picture and background of the characters. I was not a particular fan of Banks.. I liked her, but her obsession and twits in action made me not trust her completely. She kicked ass sometimes, but there were times when I wanted to shake her badly and make her realise some damn obvious things.
Without spoilers, as we got the sauna scene in "Corrupt", we also have a WTF scene here, even more original as the first one, that will truly make you read it over and over again. I enjoyed the balance between passion and danger, but the level of adrenaline was not as in "Corrupt". It was present, but not something to make you uncomfortable or blush.. It was a complex book, with complex character, but it had that little thing missing from developing to jaw dropping awesomeness.
My feelings are all over the place, so excuse the non-consistency, because it will be present a lot in this review. My first book from Jodi EllenMy feelings are all over the place, so excuse the non-consistency, because it will be present a lot in this review. My first book from Jodi Ellen Malpas came as a total shock. I was not familiar with her style and characters, and I dived into this book blind, without even reading the blurb first!! I had it on my Kindle for a while and I thought now is the perfect time “to make friends” with it:)
Ava is a very successful interior designer. At a very young age she managed to strike everybody with her talent and dedication, making her very important in the business. She is hired to decorate the new rooms that appeared during the expansion project at The Manor. At the fist meeting with the owner of the place, Jesse Ward, Ava finds herself caught in a web of lust and desire, unable to get free. Jesse is determined to have her, while Ava is determined to fight this feeling with everything she has.
There are 2 striking elements in the book that managed to get me out of my comfort zone : the construction of the characters and the sex scenes.. But let’s take them separately. The characters were mind blowing and even if they were portrayed to be different, they couldn’t be more alike. Jesse is confident, aware of himself and of his physical qualities, but also controlling, dominant and very intense. He has a thing for “no swearing label”, doesn’t reveal his age ( the age game is adorable) and doesn’t enjoy women drinking in his presence. Since he met Ava, his determination sky rocketed and he was relentless in his pursue. He used all this best assets to seduce her, beginning with gentleness and attraction and ending with mind blowing sex. Yes, sex is used a lot in this book, in different ways. It is use when Jesse and Ava fight, when Jesse wants to make Ava comply to something, when Jesse wants Ava, mostly in all parts from a normal day:))
Ava was THE PERFECT MATCH for Jesse in all the ways possible. Her stubbornness, her fire, her youth, are all aspects that blended with our hero so well and lighted up this imense fire that is their relationship. When he was “Yes”, she was “No” and in this way, like a tennis game, the reader assists at endless debates and fights, that always ended up in..yes, you figure it out.. SEX!! Ava is very aware of the effect Jesse has on her, but she can’t pull away, being so tied to him, emotionally and physically. Jesse found his purpose, but he just has to make Ava realise that as well. her towards him, that by the end of the day, you want to enter the book and reason with them on the spot. The fact that they are so complex, makes this book complex and intense, with many things to understand and cope. Personally, Jesse’s behaviour and way of adapting to his feelings for Ava were the most difficult to adjust with, but I tried to understand him and I think I finally did.
Coming again to the sex scenes, this are probably the most intense and raw scenes I have ever read. My feelings towards them are kind of complex, because many were not my type, but the book has this addictive pull that makes you want to know more, even if you are uncomfortable with certain aspects of it. You just keep on reading, because you NEED to see what happens with the characters, how will they evolve and what secrets you may discover. Brace yourselves, because there are secrets involved and you need an open mind.
As I said before, a special and different experience, more mature and more complex, with an addictive plot and pleasurable frustrating characters that will keep you on the edge. Really looking forward to book 2:)
I am a beginner when it comes to Dark Romance, but once I've read the blurb I knew that I have to read it immediately and try to adjust to this newI am a beginner when it comes to Dark Romance, but once I've read the blurb I knew that I have to read it immediately and try to adjust to this new type of romance, that is not my usual thing. My first book from Pam Godwin came like a breath of fresh air, because despite the "dark" element from the genre, it had a lot of en-lighting aspects that made it genuine and real.
The whole plot circles around a student-professor love affair, in my opinion different from other book in this category, and believe me, I've read a lot regarding this. Ivory is a seventeen year old student who has suffered a lot in her life. After the death of her father everything came down on her and the only way she could be herself again was playing the piano. Her dream was to be accepted at one of the most famous art college and work tremendously to improve her technique and be flawless. She has to get that scholarship and nothing will stand in her way.
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Once Emeric Marceaux is substituting her supervising teacher, she is very afraid that all her work will be in vain, not having enough time to adjust to what this change implies. But he will soon show her she was wrong. Emeric will be the one to guide her in the choices she makes, becoming not only her teacher, but her protector. He realizes that Ivory is not like all the rich children in this school, that she works hard to achieve her goals and that in the process, made a lot of mistakes and sacrifices. Not having money to pay for her instruments and books, Ivory is making all sort of "favors" to the rich and spoiled kids from her school, that take advantage of her body and in the process her soul.
When Emeric finds about about Ivory's life, his protective side kicks in and makes it his mission to take care of her in every way possible. Adding the fact that he feels so attracted to her it's not helping because of their status, but that didn't seem to be bothered by it. Soon, they will cease to the temptation and begin a very complex and interesting affair, that will lead to finding the perfect closure for both of them.
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I didn't see the characters as Professor and Student and place a tag, binding them with FORBIDDEN LOVE. The idea is to understand what made them click, and in this book it was so easy to figure it out. The story was so well written, their relationship based on factors that you could relate to or maybe lived. In every book I search for a connection between the characters, and why not between me and them. I had them both and I enjoy it very much.
I appreciated the way real life was illustrated in this book. Nothing was sugarcoated, everything described the hard life of a girl that had to practically sell herself for money, in order to fulfill her dreams. It was complex, hard to digest, but this things happen in life and for a lot less. Ivory had a goal and was so determined to achieve it no matter what. She was alone and without guidance, and the best thing that could happen to her was Emeric. Despite his dominant ways, he opened up Ivory to the idea that she deserved more, showed her all the possibilities that life had for her, including the ability to chose what to do, without being restrained. I really enjoyed this idea of free will and healing with love. There were some pretty rough scenes, but their intensity and the message behind them was really impressive.
4 stars to this read and for making me open up more to this kind of genre:)
Dark romance is not my favorite genre and I was not totally into it at the beginning, but after reading Corrupt, I've changed my mind. I enjoyed allDark romance is not my favorite genre and I was not totally into it at the beginning, but after reading Corrupt, I've changed my mind. I enjoyed all of Penelope's books and this one had to be checked on my list. I was very cautious at the beginning because my romantic style is opposite to many ideas in this book, but managed to have an open mind and to understand its messages.
Rika and Michael are one of the most powerful couple I've stumbled upon in a book, but I loved them, loved their unique personalities, especially Rika's (you go girl!!). She was so strong and feisty, couldn't be intimidated easily and really managed to handle all the though situations without any regret. Michael on the other hand was very confusing for me, I had a love and hate relationship with him, but mainly because of me. He is not the typical Prince Charming and I had to get accustomed to it in order to understand exactly the definition of "dark romance".
Eventually I got it, but it took me a while. I discovered a tormented Michael, that had to chose between being loyal to his friends or succumbing to the love he felt for Rika. As expected, he will fail at some point in the book to meet everyone's expectations and will begin to act as he feels, without having to cover his emotions based on divided loyalties.
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Their relationship is very complex and intense, with a lot of mixed feeling, a strong background and you just have to read between the lines sometimes in order to fully understand it. Even if at the beginning of this story all the feeling rose from hate and anger, particularly this intensity will cause them to change and transform into something else.
The balance between love and hate was so uncertain, so fragile that most of the times I was wondering if the couple was going to get the happy ending or not. It kind of makes you question if there are better of alone or not, simply because they are so different. But this is the beauty of dark romance, putting 2 people completely different and showing they can be together despite that all world is against them, beginning with themselves.
Circumstances are not in their favor as well, but from my point of view, Rika and Michael's worst enemy were their own hard personalities that just couldn't let them see clearly how good they are together. Penelope was so involved and passionate into making this characters work, and you can see the dedication and hard work she put in it.
The"not knowing" was an important element for me that kept me hooked and intrigued. The shocking elements were a bonus for me, a rookie in this field, but surprisingly, I've love them. I tried to understand all the complex scenes, no matter how shocking they were, and I think I did a pretty good job. From my point of view there was no scene too far from reality, that making the book authentic and down to earth. A things about dark romance is that the reality is surprisingly socking, the cliches are gone and you experiment the story in its raw state.
A quote that I will never forget is "Own who you are and don't apologize" . That cut deep into my consciences and stood there a lot. The message is powerful and so full of meaning that it gave me the chills. You can simply go through life with this and don't regret a thing about it.
Only 4 stars because I am a hopeless romantic and in Rika and Michael's relationship I would of liked to experience more of the general feeling of being save and feeling protected by the one I love. There were a lot of scenes in which I wasn't OK with how he treated her but I know the genre is much tougher that the romantic ones I'm use to. In opposition to this, I enjoyed their love scenes, pure intensity and emotion that really connects you with the characters. Read this book with an open mind and try to assimilate the message it tries to send you.
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