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Review

4 scary, sexy, supernatural stars

As a die-hard fan of the Experiment in Terror series, I have been so excited to get my hands on this book! Ada was a wonderful side character as the younger sister of EIT heroine, Perry, a 15 year old with wit, sass and courageousness, and I knew she would shine as the heroine of her own story, and she totally did!

A quick note – this book is not a direct follow on from EIT. It’s set in the same world of course, taking place about two years after the end of the final book in the series, and there’s a lot of reference made to events from the EIT books but technically this book can be read as a standalone. I think readers would appreciate this one more if they had read EIT first, but there’s a lot of explanation given to the supernatural world and everything that’s happening, and it’s certainly an enjoyable read on its own (but if you are planning on reading EIT at some point in the future, just be aware that there are huge spoilers in this book for that series). And though Dex and Perry do appear in this story, the focus has very much shifted away from them and the feel of this book is very different, and I was really impressed with the way that Karina was able to create a unique story that is wholly Ada’s.

“Little Fifteen” has grown up and is now an 18 year old who is enjoying her summer break before she begins studying fashion design at College. But like her sister and her grandmother before her, she knows that she is not normal. She knows about the supernatural world – about ghosts, demons and other terrifying things, and she knows how dangerously real they are. But when her gruesome and violent dreams start to blur with reality and her mother’s torment becomes all too real, she knows she’s in trouble.

After all I’ve been through, I know nothing is impossible. And even though on the surface I have a pretty average life for an eighteen-year-old, beneath the surface I’m anything but average.
Luckily, very few people scratch beneath the surface. If they did, they’d either run screaming or have me committed.
Sometimes I think the latter might be preferable.

And then there’s the man. The man in her dreams who it seems is actually very real. A man named Jay who has just moved in next door and who is tied to Ada in ways she never imagined, and who is about to guide her through experiences that are the stuff of nightmares.

“I don’t even really know who you are.”
“I’m the one who has your back,” he says. “And I’ve been watching you for a very, very long time.”

I can’t really go into detail without giving too much away, but OMG, this is a heart-pounding read! Karina’s writing is vividly descriptive as she drags us into Ada’s personal hell as she comes to realise the reality that is now her life. Demons, creepy-crawlies, ghosts and shadows, it’s all terrifyingly freaky, and the added suspense just adds to the intensity.

“You have a fight ahead of you, one that goes far beyond what you’ve seen in your dreams.”
Well fucking hell. “Please tell me some good news,” I whisper to him, my nails digging into my palm. “Your bedside manner sucks.”
“I’m your good news.”

And then there’s Jay. Just, damn. The man is fiercely protective of his charge, and his good looks and broody intensity add to his appeal. Ada is smitten, and it soon becomes clear that the attraction goes both ways, and the sexual tension simmers along beautifully. But a relationship between them is strictly forbidden… and we all know what that means!

“I may be immortal but I am still a man with blood pumping in my veins.” He moves an inch closer. My skin heats up. Every nerve is burning. “You are off-limits. You are forbidden to me. And all it does is make me want you more.”

Yep, there’s some pretty sensational steamy time! And all of that intensity blends with Ada’s mission to saved her loved one and literally face down the demons that are tormenting her. It’s a wildly exciting ride that is gruesome, horrifying and disturbingly creepy, but it’s also freakishly addicting – just read this book with the lights on!

The normal I’ve always wanted to be will now never be reached. It was always in my grasp…but it’s just smoke in my hand.

I love Ada. She’s only 18 but with all that she’s been through she’s wise beyond her years. She is strong and determined, though understandably struggles with the grief, confusion and fear over everything that she’s going through, but her sass and wicked sense of humour win through time and time again, and she’s just sensational.

“I should have known what I was getting into with you.”
“Oh please,” I tell him. “I am a motherfucking delight.”

And enigmatic Jay is a wonderfully complex character. He’s got an intriguing backstory and has his own struggles to go through, but he was wonderful with Ada – the perfect combination of sweet and tender, and downright dirty, and I absolutely loved him!

“You’re destined for something great, Ada, I know this. And it’s an honor to help see you through it.”

And together they make a fantastic team. Not just because of the sizzling chemistry, and slow burning, banter-filled relationship that is developing between them, but everything that they have to face together. It creates a great dynamic, and though this book ends at a good place, the stage is set for more adventures to come, and I hope we get to see more of Ada and Jay in the future.

“The past doesn’t define us. It’s what we do here and now, today, that does. This world was built on second chances.”

I loved it – 4 stars.

An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Quotes used in this review were taken from the ARC version of the book and may differ from final version.

 

Ada Palomino series

 

Check out our Karina Halle Author Spotlight for more books by this author.