About the Book
-
Author:
- Karina Halle
- Genres:
- Adult
- Paranormal
- Voices:
- Cis Girl
- White (Non-Specified)
Cover Story: Creeptastic
BFF Charm: Platinum Edition
Talky Talk: Straight Up
Bonus Factors: Bigfoot, The Canadian Rockies
Relationship Status: Take My Breath Away…
Spoiler Alert: Spoilers ahead, if you haven’t begun the series! Read my reviews for books one, two, three, four, and five, along with her companion novels.
Cover Story: Creeptastic
Halle does a wonderful job of making sure that her book covers not only represent the stories they contain, but don’t embarrass you while you’re carrying them around, either.
The Deal
After the events in the last book, Perry knows one thing: she’s got to get out of her parents house. But who can she turn to? And more importantly, who can she trust. While we all know the answer to that (Dex!) from reading his journal, Perry needs convincing. Thing is, she doesn’t really have many options, and with Dex comes a job — an opportunity to film another episode of their web show, Experiment in Terror. This assignment? Simple: Bigfoot. Which — or would that be who — of course, we all know doesn’t exist. So Perry isn’t worried about the danger the show might put her in, but being around Dex again? That’s a danger to something a lot more precious.
BFF Charm: Platinum Edition
There were times in this book when Perry could have used to be Moonstruck, (that thing where you smack somebody upside the head and yell “Snap out of it!”) but that’s only because I know what’s really going on with Dex. But one of the things I’ll always love about Perry is her introspection, and ability to sit herself down and have a little chat. With herself. So just when I was afraid her fear and anger and hurt was going to ruin everything, she put on her big girl panties and manned up.
Swoonworthy Scale: 10
Halle has earned top honors in the swoon category for many books now, and I wondered, before I read this installment, how she’d be able to keep up the tension — what with us knowing what we know. And the answer as to how she did that comes down to two words: sexy swagger. Because while she’s given us a different Dex — a sincere Dex, a Dex who knows he effed things the hell up, and who’s willing to work for Perry’s trust — she’s still kept him true to him to his cocky, oh-so-naughty nature. And for that she deserves our thanks.
Talky Talk: Straight Up
While this series is delightfully scary, each Big Bad — and a few Little Bads, too — driving the plot with suspense and horror, it’s really character driven. Halle outdid herself with this one, balancing the plot tension with the relationship tension, while never being lazy and reverting to what worked in past books. Here her characters have changed — for the better or worse — and the same-old same-old just wouldn’t work for them now. Before, it was always will-they-or-won’t-they? But guess what. They did. And there were dire repercussions. Amazingly, the author manages to keep things fresh and uncertain without giving her characters amnesia, or saying they were dead at the time, or even just having them pretend nothing happened.
Bonus Factor: Bigfoot
Bigfoot is probably my favorite Urban Legend, and Halle made lots of jokes at his (or her) expense. Which, you know, is gutsy, if it turns out that Bigfoot is real, because Bigfoot strikes me as the kind of beast without a sense of humor. This being a break from her usual ghost and demon-themed tale, I was pleased to find that I could trust Halle to bring her own new and interesting spin on things.
Bonus Factor: The Canadian Rockies
I’ve never seen the Rockies in person, but I have lived a good deal of my life in New England, so the descriptions of the snowy cabin in the woods got me super nostalgic.
Relationship Status: Take My Breath Away
Reading every motion in this foolish lovers’ game, on this endless ocean, finally lovers know no shame, turning and returning to some secret place inside, to read. Oh, reading in slow motion, as you turn around and say, oh book…
FTC Full Disclosure: I received my review copy from the author. I received neither money nor cocktails for writing this review (dammit!). Into The Hollow is available now.
