[b:Sins & Needles|16029994|Sins & Needles (The Artists Trilogy, #1)|Karina Halle|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347859611l/16029994._SX50_.jpg|21799599]

Edge of Your Seat Brilliant.

I always start a review of a book with 5 stars, and then knock off stars for justified moans or irritations. With this book I would give it more stars if that was a thing because I had no complaints. I picked this up because Scribed suggested I try this author and I have to tell you I am so glad.
The story is told from Ellie's Point of view, she is the daughter of a grifting team, basically they are a family of con artists and she is their protege. The story flicks nicely between then and now. Then, tells the story of 'the girl', this is how Ellie thinks of herself in childhood, it seems she has some PTSD regarding events that happened and needs to distance herself from her past. Ellie is still conning people, but it's obvious she's weary of it and finds everyday punishment in her guilt. Ellie is shrewd, manipulative, intuitive and intelligent and through the stories of her past you being to understand her unbearable selfishness, it's survival pure and simple. Ellie became heavily involved with a major player in a Mexican drug cartel and developed a love for this kindred spirit, however she found out that he betrayed her so she left him, taking a lot of his money and his car. Javier is now after Ellie; he is not a man to cross and he will stop at nothing to get her back........

Ellie is returning to her hometown older and wiser; she can go back to her original identity as it's the only one of her fake aliases that is clean. On arrival she runs into a boy that she was best friends with in school, he was the weirdo, the one who dressed and wore make-up and black clothes like a goth. Cameron was always good to Ellie but she turned on him to ingratiate herself with the popular kids back in school and still feels terrible for what she did. Cameron has grown up, he is now a big, bad talented tattoo artist with a thriving business. Ellie's nature can't resist making him her next target although she is fighting an irresistible attraction and a genuine caring for him. Cameron has lived, he also has responsibilities and also has a reason to run.............

This is an absolute roller-coaster ride of a story, it will be part of a series and whilst leaving you on an absolute cliff edge it does conclude a chunk of Ellie's life whilst introducing you to these fascinating characters......it cost less than a cup of coffee for this fast paced entertainment. Brilliant!!!! ( )

While I consider this book quite good and the storyline very interesting, I couldn't really connect with the main characters -especially with Camden- and, I wasn't exactly captivated by their romance...that's why I didn't rate it any higher!
It's a pity since, as I've already pointed out, the storyline is very good and it left me wanting more.

Sure enough, I've already started the second book in the series -"Shooting Scars"- encouraged mostly by the important role Javier has in it but hoping also to improve my 'relationship' with Ellie and, why not, even with Camden ;) ( )

Hmmmm....this book took me a while to read. At first the back and forth from 'then' and 'now' confused me, add to that POV changing from Ellie to Camden and back within a paragraph....I had to reread several pages several times. The story was interesting enough that I kept at it.
Was it worth it, not sure. Cliff hanger was a little predictable. I wanted to like Ellie, really I did but most of the time I just want to yell "Get over it already. Suck it up buttercup and move on or take each other out." For her being a con artist she's really quite naive. Camden, he's a 26 yr old man who's still getting beaten by his father....I know there are emotional scars there that make a person freeze and crawl up into their heads trying to escape but you don't throw that out there and at least address it with something more significant than a flash back memory from high school of it happening then. His ex-wife has a gangster family who has him by the short hairs. And he doesn't get to see his son. WOW.
I have the second book of the trilogy waiting for me but thinking this is going to be one of those times when I'm willing to wait some time before I continue on. Yes, I wonder how Ellie is going to redeem herself...will Camden be able to pick up the pieces...and just how sick is Javier? Is it a burning desire to find it our right away, no. And that might be the best measure of how this book for me. It's out there, I'm slightly curious but I need to go feed my dogs and water the plants.
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3.5 I'm not bad Stars

I ended up changing my original 4 stars to 3.5. and here in the reasons why:

Ellie is a con artist. When I think of a con artist, I want the heroine to be like Catherine Zeta-Jones in Entrapment. I want her to be so kick-ass and awesome I am absolutely in awe of her. I want them to know how to fight, drop from the sky with impressive gear, and I want the outcome to be more then a free meal, a couple hundred bucks from strangers wallets or a sentimental car. Ellie did not do that for me. She dates guys, and then takes their money - Where is the honor in that???




"Spite was the fuel to right all your wrongs. And like any fuel, it could consume you." Ellie allowed a hatred for someone fuel all of her actions and we were taken along on the ride. It was not a boring ride by any means it was just different. The beginning sucked me in, and then stayed stagnant throughout the book.

Camden was another piece I was confused on. They were best friends...friendemeies? .... In middle school...enemies in high school? All of a sudden they meet up and he has a plan to use her and her him. In the end They ended up falling madly in love - MADLY in love?? Oh and lets not forget Camden was willing to run and hide away for good. Why did that bug me you ask? He has a CHILD. Why not try robbing the child you barley know and then disappear?. How much money was in that safe? Enough for Javier to pay it back? Whaat?



I did like Ellie's quirky attitude and random thoughts "If it was a bomb, I was going to be upset". . I did not connect with her, but then again maybe that was the authors point all along. She is stuck pretending to be someone else all the time, maybe she doesn't even know who she is.

Ellie pretty much went through the ringer throughout this book. She went through things that were pretty fucked up. Good-ole Uncle Jim - Seriously?? I am thinking book .5 may shine some light on all things Ellie Watt, but she needs to step up her game!
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Wow, ok, wow! So so good. A better review will come later... ( )