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.
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.
Title: Sins & Needles (The Artists Trilogy ~ Book 1)
Author: Karina Halle | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Website
Publication Date: January 25 2013
Publisher: Metal Blonde Books
ISBN: 1479359084
Length: 438 Pages
Add it to your TBR Pile: Goodreads
Buy It: Amazon US | Amazon UK
Source: Purchased (Kindle Edition)
Cover Love: Could not be more perfect, that IS Ellie Watt.
Point of View: 1st person, following Ellie with some flashbacks in 3rd person
My Rating: 5 Stars
What an amazing ride Sins & Needles just took me on. I could easily see this story played out on the big screen or even in a gritty TV drama on a cable network. The story unfolds at a perfect pace, that not only keeps you interested but also on the edge of your seat. I lost count at the number of times I audibly gasped or clamped my hand over my mouth while letting out a few curse words.
“You're a con artist. A liar. A thief. An unredeemable soul. You can't be reformed. You can't be saved. You'll die trying to make the world pay for what it did to you. And you'll die alone.”
Ellie, Ellie, Ellie... What am I going to do with you? To say I went through a mixture of emotions with Ellie is an understatement. At one point I was actually yelling at my Kindle and threatening her. The fact she is a fictional character is neither here nor there, this is what Sins & Needles has driven me to. I was accosting my beloved Kindle. In the end though I can easily say I love her, faults and all. She is one messed up cookie, and makes some terrible decisions but I still love her.
“I hate you, Ellie Watt," he whispered, lips coming closer to mine, "because I still love you after all these years.”
Then there is Camden. *sigh* I love Camden, and I am sure 99% of the other female readers will agree with me. He is hot. Like from head to toe, friggin hot.
“He was like a living, breathing painting on an all-male canvas.”
He is honestly one of the most complicated and loveable male characters I have ever read. Troubled past? Check. Troubled future? Check. Talented tattoo artist? Check. Covered in tattoos? Check. Talented in bed? Check. Need I go on? His character surprised me the most because I did not expect him to step up in the way that he does. So yeah, he surprised me in a very good way. Ellie is a full on messed up individual but in his own ways so is Camden. Ever hard the saying 'two wrongs don't make a right'? Well in this case they do. Somehow they work, and somehow together they are perfect.
oooOOOooohhh and did I mention the talented in bed part? These two are on fire when they are together. Five minutes? I have no doubt she agreed it was the best five minutes of her life after this scene...
“I cleared my throat and spoke into his kiss. “Sorry, it’s been a while.”
“You should expect to hear the same thing from me in about five minutes,” he murmured.
“Five minutes, huh?”
“I’ll make it the best five minutes of your life.”
I bit his lip, hard, then released him and looked into those intense blues. “Clock’s ticking.”
“You should expect to hear the same thing from me in about five minutes,” he murmured.
“Five minutes, huh?”
“I’ll make it the best five minutes of your life.”
I bit his lip, hard, then released him and looked into those intense blues. “Clock’s ticking.”
It is so difficult to get across how beautifully this story plays out. The author never lets you know too many of the facts at one time. There are 'flashbacks' for Ellie which are written in the 3rd person. I really enjoyed the use of these throughout the book. It was a way for us to get to know her character's past but also not really deviate from the 1st person telling of the main story. It also avoided a long drawn out chapter where her story would eventually have to be told. It was seamlessly weaved into the current story, and it fit perfectly.
“He sucked in his breath as his saw me, his eyes traveling from my toes to my hips, as if he hadn't seen it all before.
"Jesus," he whispered, gaze lingering everywhere. "I keep forgetting that you're art already...”
And the ending? Holy crap I need Shooting Scars right now. This is not a joke or a prank, I am deadly serious. I need that book like I need air. There is no exact release date at the time of this review but it does say Summer 2013 so at least it is not going to be that torturous. Oh, and did I mention Shooting Scars is going to be dual point of view following both Ellie and Camden? CRAP. Who am I trying to kid here? Summer or not this wait is going to be pure torture. I wonder if I can beg, borrow or steal for an early copy? I may have learned a few tricks from Ellie I could try...
“I love you,” he whispered. “From now until the end, under any name you choose.”
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