Review: Sins & Needles by Karina Halle

Sins & Needles

(The Artists Trilogy # 1)

By: Karina Halle

Pub. Date: January 25, 2013

Publisher: Metal Blonde Books

Pages: 331

Source: Bought

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. When Camden discovers Ellie’s plan to con him, he makes her a deal she doesn’t dare refuse, but her freedom comes with a price and it’s one that takes both Ellie and Camden down a dangerous road.

Sins & Needles is one of those stories that I went in with such high hopes and expectations, but unfortunately those expectations were not met. It started off really, really good. But as I learned more about the characters, that is when the story started to fall flat for me.

Ellie Watt is a con artist. She learned everything from her con artist parents. When a con goes wrong, she returns to the only home she has ever really known. While there she meets up with Camden, the "weird" boy from high school who was her only friend and also the boy she embarrassed in front of the whole school.

Camden is the quiet tattoo artist who grew up being bullied by the kids in school and beat by his father, who the entire town respects. Turns out he never really got over what Ellie did to him back when they were teenagers and he definitely doesn't trust her.

I thought the story line was very interesting, and I really enjoyed the cliffhanger, but it really was the characters that turned me off. I found Ellie to be mean, stupid and annoying. Her only redeeming quality came at the end. Camden was a whole other story. Don't get me wrong, I love a bad boy, but Camden was just crazy, like certifiably crazy. I just didn't like him at all, and I can't say those reasons because they are spoilers.

While I did not like the characters, I did like the plot, and I do plan on reading the second book, Shooting Scars, which comes out in May.