Shooting Scars (The Artists Trilogy #2) by Karina Halle

Shooting Scars by Karina Halle

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


☆☆☆


No spoilers and colorful language abound!

OK.



Uhm. This went pretty much exactly like I was expecting. However, what I was not expecting was how much I understood Ellie's choices. Typically I would have scored this a 2 star read, but taking into account Halle's ability stir up empathy, an emotion I don't often feel for characters like this, I had to bump it up another star. Although this journey is one told through the lens of "fucking dramatic", I think we've all had encounters with our exes and been a little fuzzy about our feelings, and perhaps actions. There is a tangible thread throughout all of this that is completely relatable, which is hard to even imagine considering what the fuck is actually happening in this plot. The balance Halle struck with these characters is noteworthy.

So why the above gif? Because. Reasons. When I finished this book, this particular gif immediately came to mind. I just think that's how I felt the entire time. Javier. Ellie. Drug cartel. Rapes. Murders. Gus and his obviousness. Gross Travis. Dirty cops. Car chases. The sex. Dual POV. Camden. Just all of it.

::insert heavy sigh::

Buuuuuuut the flip side was I was emotionally plugged in the entire time. It just made me uncomfortable, which to me is a marker for "pretty decent book". You write about fucking nonsense and I still feel something, you are doing OK. This seems to be my reaction to all of Halle's books. I always emotionally react, I don't feel "meh", I have strong feelings albeit mostly negative.

When you read as many books as I do, you tend to see the "plot twists" within the first 20 pages, which entirely prevents getting emotionally involved. Books that override the numbness? Maybe worth reading.

With that said, I don't think I'll be reading the third one. I just don't care enough to finish the story. Oh well. It's not bad, but I have a list of awesome ARC's via NetGalley waiting to be read. Maybe one day I'll get to see how Ellie's journey wraps up, maybe...