Review: Reviving Izabel (In the Company of Killers #2) by J.A. Redmerski

Reviving Izabel (In the Company of Killers #2) by J.A. Redmerski
Published December 6th 2013

Determined to live a dark life in the company of the assassin who freed her from bondage, Sarai sets out on her own to settle a score with an evil sadist. Unskilled and untrained in the art of killing, the events that unfold leave her hanging precariously on the edge of death when nothing goes as planned.

Sarai’s reckless choices send her on a path she knows she can never turn back from and so she presents Victor with an ultimatum: help her become more like him and give her a fighting chance, or she’ll do it alone no matter the consequences. Knowing that Sarai cannot become what she wants to be overnight, Victor begins to train her and inevitably their complicated relationship heats up.

As Arthur Hamburg’s right-hand man, Willem Stephens, closes in on his crusade to destroy Sarai, she is left with the crushing realization that she may have bitten off more than she can chew. But Sarai, taking on the new and improved role of Izabel Seyfried, still has a set of deadly skills of her own that will prove to be all she needs to secure her place beside Victor.

But there is one test that Izabel must face that has the potential to destroy everything she is working so hard to achieve. One final test that will not only make her question her decision to want this dangerous life, but will make her question everything she has come to trust about Victor Faust.

My Thoughts

Wow! Where do I start???

Well, first off… THAT WAS TWISTED AND SEXY WICKED!!

Reviving Izabel takes place about 8 months after Killing Sarai when Victor leaves Sarai in Arizona in the hopes of starting a new and normal life. However, a normal anything just doesn’t quite fit into Sarai’s agenda especially when she has a score to settle with Hamburg back in Los Angeles. So she packs her weapons bags and puts her reckless plan into motion.

What made this novel especially captivating was that we didn’t have to wait too long for Sarai to make some deadly mistakes before Victor shows up and saves her from Hamburg’s lynch men. From the moment he enters the scene the chemistry, action and adventure are turned up to full momentum! I loved the different side of Victor that we got to see in this installment. However, there’s an event that occurs at the final hours of the book that really threw me off. I don’t quite know if I’ve forgiven all the parties involved, but that didn’t take away from how I already fell hard for Victor.

As Victor trains Sarai to be a killer and he makes promises to help her execute her revenge, we come face to face with some of Victor’s buddies. I loved meeting Fredrik! He was twisted and morbid and despite not being able to read his torture scenes and never EVER being able to look at a dentist chair the same way again, I was captivated by this dark and mysterious character. I could definitely read a whole book on Fredrick! Great addition to the cast!

I still wasn’t quite sold on Niklas, especially considering his part at the end of the novel. Despite the valid yet questionable reasons for what he did, I still wanted to knock him out! The way the ending unfolded was a real punch in the gut. No recovering from that one!

Overall, the pacing of the novel is fast and furious with kicks and bullets flying in from all angles. Riveting story that makes J.A. Redmerski’s other stories feel like Disney novels! Loved it!

4 Suns

Review: Killing Sarai by J.A. Redmerski

Killing Sarai (In the Company of Killers #1) by J.A. Redmerski
Published June 19th 2013

About the book
Sarai was only fourteen when her mother uprooted her to live in Mexico with a notorious drug lord. Over time she forgot what it was like to live a normal life, but she never let go of her hope to escape the compound where she has been held for the past nine years.

Victor is a cold-blooded assassin who, like Sarai, has known only death and violence since he was a young boy. When Victor arrives at the compound to collect details and payment for a hit, Sarai sees him as her only opportunity for escape. But things don’t go as planned and instead of finding transport back to Tucson, she finds herself free from one dangerous man and caught in the clutches of another.

While on the run, Victor strays from his primal nature as he succumbs to his conscience and resolves to help Sarai. As they grow closer, he finds himself willing to risk everything to keep her alive; even his relationship with his devoted brother and liaison, Niklas, who now like everyone else wants Sarai dead.

As Victor and Sarai slowly build a trust, the differences between them seem to lessen, and an unlikely attraction intensifies. But Victor’s brutal skills and experience may not be enough in the end to save her, as the power she unknowingly holds over him may ultimately be what gets her killed.
This is their story…

My Thoughts

FANTASTIC! Really enjoyed this one!!

I didn’t know much about the story when I eagerly jumped into Killing Sarai, but I knew that J.A. Redmerski has a true knack for writing a compelling novel filled with strong and extremely captivating characters as evidence in her novel The Edge of Never. As I journeyed through her newest book, I was surprised to see it was a completely different voice and setting from what I expected, which only proves that Redmerski has was it takes to take her readers on an unexpected journey filled with action and drama.

In this story, we meet Sarai who was kidnapped at the age of fourteen and held captive by a drug lord in Mexico. When the story commences, we witness her first attempt in nine years to escape from Javier’s compound when an American hit man named Victor is hired by her captor for a contract killing. Thinking she can escape, she makes a bold and reckless move by hiding in Victor’s car in the hopes he will help her return to the U.S.

Victor has been trained as a hit man since the age of eight, and relinquished his freedom in the name of “The Order” where he is commissioned to carry out various killings for a lucrative payout. After visiting his latest client, he drives away with one of his employer’s prized possessions. When he discovers Sarai in his back seat, they both realize that any turn they take will land them down Death-wish Drive, and what ensues is a constant challenge of survival.

I was held captive (no pun intended) by this story. Sarai and Victor make one hell of a complicated pair. There was minimal romance in this novel, but that didn’t take away from the emotional punch these two were able to deliver. Hearing their story unfold through alternating perspectives was both emotional and powerful.

The narrative was impeccable! The entire time it felt like a movie that unfolded with constant drama and action. This speaks volumes to Redmerski’s ability at carefully crafting scenes so vividly that you can’t help but picture the images as the action flows through your mind. Well done!

Overall, I truly enjoyed Redmerski’s attempt to deliver a thrilling novel that was filled with suspense and constant action. It might be light on romance but it’s nowhere near limited in heart and emotional power. Great novel that lends a different voice to this amazing author’s ability to tell a great story. I can’t wait for the next installment!

4 Suns

Waves of Sunday #36 & Giveaway

Welcome to our weekly edition of Waves of Sunday where each Sunday we spotlight a book that has been making waves in the book scene or has simply caught our attention causing a riptide on our TBR. Don't forget if you let us know which book has caught your attention this week, you have a chance to win our new feature giveaway! Just leave us a comment or quote in the comment section. All new suggestions in the comments below will be considered for June's Winner, so please leave us your most anticipated ADULT read. Please refer to our "about" and "rating and review" page to see what genres are appropriate for choices. No Young Adult picks or previously reviewed picks. Thank you. 

Today we are spotlighting:

Killing Sarai by J.A. Redmerski

Published on June 19, 2013

About the book

From the author of the New York Times, USA Today & Wall Street Journal bestselling novel, THE EDGE OF NEVER, comes a story of passion and survival…

Sarai was only fourteen when her mother uprooted her to live in Mexico with a notorious drug lord. Over time she forgot what it was like to live a normal life, but she never let go of her hope to escape the compound where she has been held for the past nine years.

Victor is a cold-blooded assassin who, like Sarai, has known only death and violence since he was a young boy. When Victor arrives at the compound to collect details and payment for a hit, Sarai sees him as her only opportunity for escape. But things don’t go as planned and instead of finding transport back to Tucson, she finds herself free from one dangerous man and caught in the clutches of another.

While on the run, Victor strays from his primal nature as he succumbs to his conscience and resolves to help Sarai. As they grow closer, he finds himself willing to risk everything to keep her alive; even his relationship with his devoted brother and liaison, Niklas, who now like everyone else wants Sarai dead.

As Victor and Sarai slowly build a trust, the differences between them seem to lessen, and an unlikely attraction intensifies. But Victor’s brutal skills and experience may not be enough in the end to save her, as the power she unknowingly holds over him may ultimately be what gets her killed.

This is their story…

Crystal's Thoughts:

I have seen a lot of great reviews for this and when Arlene brought it to my attention I knew I had to read it.  I loved The Dark Duet and this has the same kind of feel to it.  I don't know what it is lately about this type of dark book, but I am completely sold when I see one!  I can't wait to see what happens with Victor and Sarai!  Plus I kind of have a thing for assassins...yes I know that is strange but what can I say LOL!

  
Rachel's Thoughts:
I thought the same thing as you, Crystal! It really reminds me of The Dark Duet series, which btw, I loved how things turned out in Epilogue!! I can't wait to get my hands on this but at the same time I'm very nervous because The Dark Duet series took me down a very twisted and dark path, one that I'm not sure I could do again. We shall see because we're supposed to read this together this week!  At least I won't be getting the blame this time if it's a total mind screw! *stares pointedly at Arlene* Lol!