Review: Dust to Dust

Dust to Dust by Karina Halle

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



One of the most bittersweet times in a book obsessed person's life is the ending of a series that you loved. You are excited to get that last book, but at the same time you don't know what to do with the fact that you are never going to see them in a new book again. And because I'm a huge and probably slightly crazy sap, I have been a mess while reading this book.

I probably love this series to a fault. Nothing that I've read by Karina Halle has ever really compared to what I feel for this series. So, obviously, I am far from biased in my feelings here. It's pretty much one of those situations where it could be absolutely terrible and I would still think that Karina, and her Dex and Perry, pretty much walk on water. The strength of my fangirl would probably be a little embarrassing if I had the capability to be embarrassed by my obsessions. Alas, I do not..so whatever. I loved this book. I loved this series. I loved Dex and Perry. I loved the resolutions. I loved the heartbreak. I loved to hate the fact that it's over.

Anyway. On to an actual review, rather than an ode to EIT.

Dust to Dust picks up directly after the end of Ashes to Ashes. Directly after, with Perry waking up after encountering Dex's "brother" for the first time. After waking up and rushing home, she finds out that Dex is no where to be seen. He's gone and Perry knows where he is going to be. Back to the beginning--New York City. Where it all started. Where Pippa first met Dex and where she first brought Perry into the Thin Veil, essentially forcing them to become who they are now.

This book isn't the most traditionally scary. I never really got creeped out, per se, but I definitely stayed on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen. Would Perry be able to save Dex, as he has done for her so many times? Did she finally have the confidence in herself and her abilities when it mattered the most? You'll have to read to find out, but obviously I'm not penning this as hate mail to Karina Halle so I'm sure that gives you a clue about that.

It's kind of awesome as a reader to be able to watch people grow throughout a series and watching the growth of both Dex and Perry and their respective families and friends has been pretty amazing. It's also been a little crazy for me to see how much the author has changed over the course of the series too. Expanding from EIT to writing more series, becoming traditionally published..everything. It kind of blows to see the ending of this chapter, but I'm excited to see what else is to come.

So, yeah, 5 stars from me. The series isn't perfect and it's not for everyone.  However, it has been a perfect, wild ride for me and I loved every moment of it.



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Dirty Angels Pre-Order

Karina Halle has the preorder for Dirty Angels, the spin-off of the Artist's Trilogy, up for $.99!  It goes up to $3.99 after it releases on June 15, so now's the time.  

 http://amzn.com/DirtyAngels

Love, in English

I'm still trying to process this book.  I hate being undecided on my feelings.  I am just so confused, in awe, in love, unsure, etc.

I'm still trying to process this book.  I hate being undecided on my feelings.  I am just so confused, in awe, in love, unsure, etc.

So, I've had a week to ruminate on my feelings for this book and I think I have finally figured everything out and can get it out there more clearly.

I struggled with part one pretty heavily.  I never really formed any actual feelings for Mateo, which in turn never was able to understand the why of him being willing to throw away his marriage.  It finally dawned on me today, though, that every other book I have read about this subject has always been in the POV of the "cheating party" in the relationship. We didn't get that here.  It was the outside party, Vera, POV that we saw.  In the end though, that is what made this book so different and so outstanding though. As it went on, I finally started to be able to see all of the pieces that made Vera and Mateo and was able to reconcile my feelings better.  It was all up from there.

Vera was just an astounding character. Karina has always had such a way to create some of the most relatable female characters.  Almost everyone can find something in them that they can relate to themselves.  She really hit it out of the part with Vera for me though. I felt such a connection with her character. The dreams, feelings, troubles, tattoos, loneliness, need to experience more of life..everything. Some of those now, some of those when I was younger.  It felt like we could be the same person at times.  I feel like I say that with all of Ms. Halle's characters, and I probably do, but that also really goes to show her ability to create such complex, yet understandable people.  Vera, though, well she was just something different. Anyway.

I really think it's incredibly hard to accurately portray the emotions that are brought out in these situations.  However, Ms. Halle did it amazingly. Especially in the second and third parts of the books when we were able to see Vera and Mateo outside of their little bubble they created while at Las Palabras.  I spent the entire last two parts on constant verge of an emotional breakdown that I had to hold in because it was ridiculously late at night and I didn't want to wake the husband up with my hysterical sobbing.  The guilt, the guilt over not feeling guilty enough, the love, the struggles, the hope.   Every aspect was just completely nailed.

I don't think I can recommend this enough.  It was a little slow going for me initially, but by the end it was just outstanding.

Kudos for Ms. Halle for stepping out of her comfort zone to bring us this. I'm extremely grateful for it.

5 out of 5 Stars.

Link to purchase on Amazon-->http://amzn.com/B00JMO9W4K