On Every Street

On Every Street, by Karina Halle, ROCKS! We are introduced to Ellie Watt, a 20 year old woman, who has a serious ax to grind from her past. Ellie’s past included parents who were con artists. And it was her parents who put her into a situation as a child that caused her to seek vengeance against a very bad man. We find Ellie having taken care of her Uncle Jim for 8 months, while he convalesced from a heart attack. Ellie is ready to move on – to destroy the man who scarred her for life. First, though, she goes to an old family friend, Gus, to learn how to do a “long con”. Gus trains her for several weeks and then she’s on her way, with a new identity – Eden White. Eden (Ellie) finally arrives in Mississippi, where her nemesis lives. She needs to get close enough to him to scar him the way he scarred her. This leads her to Javier (“Finally, a few days later, I spotted the man with the haunting eyes.”) – OMG – and when he sees her (“Do you believe in fate, Eden?”) – OMG – Let’s just say things “heat up” quickly between the two of them. Eden is torn between her need for vengeance and her feelings for Javier. Just as she begins to let go of her past, Javier does something so frightening, Eden feels she must flee. There is a lot of love, hate, and anguish in this story. It moved me to tears at certain points. Karina Halle writes so poignantly, you can feel each character’s emotions deeply. You find yourself totally vested in the story and you don’t want it to end. It definitely has earned 5 gold stars!!

Ellie Watt is consumed with revenge. She plans an elaborate scheme to trick her way into the inner circle of Travis, the criminal she blames for her life of pain. She focuses her attention on Javier as part of her scheme, but she most certainly does not plan on falling in love. Simple story, right? In the hands of Karina Halle, it becomes a rich story of lust, of love and loss, sin and redemption, and trust and betrayal. Ellie thinks she is control of her emotions but she falls fast and hard for Javier, and who wouldn’t? He is handsome, protective, and worships Ellie. He is also a member of a violent drug cartel. “I want your heart, your soul and your body. I want the you that you’re hiding deep inside. I must have her.” – Javier “I need you, my Angel. And I’ll do anything and everything to keep you.” – Javier “He wasn’t good and he wasn’t bad. He was just Javier. And he was mine.” – Ellie Ms. Halle has created some very memorable characters that will get under your skin and into your heart. I dreaded the ending of the book and can’t wait for Ellie’s story to continue in Shooting Scars (The Artists Trilogy #2) (expected May 13, 2013). On Every Street is a prequel to Sins & Needles, but is itself a stand-alone story. You do not need to read Sins & Needles first. (But read it, it is one of my favorite books!) ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review

Waste of money.

This coulda/shoulda been included in Sins & Needles. So tired of all these 3 part books. Now S&N is to be continued too!!!!! Grrrrrrr........My money is going to other authors, sorry

Ufff! I'm still reeling from the lust and all the other overwhelming emotions in this story. Although this is the prequel to The Artists Trilogy, Sins & Needles was published first, so most of the feedback I've read focuses on how the reader's view of Javier changed as they got to know him in this novella. Since I read this one first, I think my review will bring about a different perspective to the table. Let's see. Ellie's life changed the day she came face to face with Travis, a drug lord 'friend' of her mother's. Ever since that day anger and a need for revenge have been festering within Ellie, until it drives her to seek the revenge she feels she's entitled to. Ellie spends time learning how to play a long con so that she could get close to Travis. What she's not counting on is to fall in love with her mark. Even more unexpected, are all the feelings and changes that this relationship brings about. "I want your heart, your soul and your body. I want the you that you're hiding deep inside. I must have her." Javier, Javier, Javier! Dios mio, that man was something else all together. I loved him, I hated him. Hell, I spent most of my time wondering when the bottom would fall from under me and wishing that it wasn't so. I loved everything about him. Yes, even that side of him. He owned it, it was ALL him. "He wasn't good and he wasn't bad. He was just Javier. And he was mine." Tortured souls with painful pasts and a need for vengeance, Ellie and Javier fit in every which way. I loved them together - their dialog, their lust, their fears and insecurities. I wanted to smack them upside the head, I felt the need to take them away from that world and ultimately I felt like they got what they deserved. It was twisted, it was sad and it was AWESOMELY executed! Karina Halle had me tapping the hell out of my table wanting to read more about this screwed up love affair, waiting for the other shoe to drop, wishing that they get their act together. I melted with Javier's whispers, was exasperated by Ellie's insecurities and got teary eyed when it all came tumbling down. The author did an amazing job of bringing Ellie and Javier's painful pasts into the page, their unquenchable lust and their connection. And what's even more admirable was that she brought it all together in a way that helped me truly connect to the characters, keeping me interested and making emotionally invested in the outcome even though deep down I felt that this relationship was headed to failure. Well played, Karina Halle. Well played, indeed. Of course, I'm looking forward to reading Sins & Needles. I want to know how Ellie gets on with her life and what trouble she ends up in next. I received this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange of my honest opinion.

It's no secret to anyone who knows me that I'm a HUGE fan of Karina Halle's work. I count down the days until there is a new release from her. The thing is, she never disappoints me. Even though On Every Street is a novella, it packs a punch! I am astounded that she was able to convey so much with a short novella. It really was fantastic. We met Javier in Sins and Needles and I will admit that he scared the hell out of me. I feared for Ellie and Camden. On Every Street we get the pleasure of going back to the beginning, six years before Sins and Needles. We get to meet Eden and Javier and learn of their passionate love. It is a consuming love. Even though I knew what was going to happen it still gutted me. My heart hurt. Ms. Halle has a way with words and I was right there with Eden/Ellie in that truck and It. Killed. Me. All I can say is read this novella, read Sins and Needles, and read everything that Ms. Halle has to offer us!

Loved it, so glad I read Sins and Needles first. Loved learning more about Javier and the relationship he shared with Ellie/Eden. Looking forward to the rest of the series.

Great insight into Ellie/Eden and Javier's story! Sins and Needles had some nice background information on this relationship but to actually see the growth and subsequent death of it was very interesting, especially since I had no idea how stupid and gullible Ellie really was, not to mention blind, when it came to Javier. SR

I loved this book. I disagree that you can read this before or after Sins and Needles. I read it before and feel that I have a deeper understanding of these characters which will be needed when I read the next book. I just discovered this author recently when I read Love, in English and, so far, I'm very impressed. I'm just thankful all the books are out or I would not be reading them.

I need a cigarette. I don't even smoke, but I feel like I need a cigarette after finishing this book. My mind feels sated after being thoroughly screwed. I couldn't sleep after I finished this because my mind was overloaded with emotions, feelings, and unadulterated awesomeness. Before I even started reading, I knew that I would end up liking Javier, despite my firm allegiance to Camden McQueen. Karina Halle is a word ninja and has ways of sneaking up on you with throwing stars of confusion. After reading all of her books, I should know this by now. You will not fool me next time, Karina! Six years before Ellie Watt decided she wanted to leave grifting behind and before she reunited with Camden, there was Javier, her first love, her first obsession, her first everything. Under the alias, Eden White, she set out to get revenge on the man who ruined her life, Travis Raines. She chose Javier, Travis's right hand man, as her pawn in her plot for revenge. Naive, inexperienced, and completely captivated by Javier, Eden gets in way over head. She loses focus and, in the process, she loses her heart to this complicated man. "It's funny how quickly I had turned into someone that wanted to spend every minute with a guy. That had never happened to me before. I guess I could blame it on working the long con, but deep down, I knew that wasn't it." "Some days I felt like Eden White. Other days I felt like Ellie Watt. But most days, I only knew one thing: I was a horrible con artist. And, against my better judgement, I was making peace with that." Javier, oh my Javier. I wanted to hate him. I tried, I really did, but he slithered his way into my heart and gradually took it over. A week later, I can't stop thinking about the book and good ole Javier. I can't pinpoint exactly when my hate switch turned off and the like switch turned on, but it happened. *shouts to the heavens* Damn you, Javier! Javier is a broken man. Despite his high rank in the world of drug trafficking, he is surprisingly vulnerable and open with Eden. He lets down his guard and shows her a softer and sensual side. It's this gentle side that melted my and Eden's heart. "You can't just hand over your virginity to me, Eden. I have to take it from you. I have to make you surrender to me, to everything, in every way possible. I want your heart, your soul, and your body. I want the you that you're hiding deep inside. I must have her." "Why am I good to you? Because I can see you are broken. And I want nothing more than to put you back together." I was blown away with how much Halle could pack into a small novella. On Every Street begins with Eden and Javier's first meeting and ends with the demise of their relationship. Their two-year love affair was intense and full of...love? obsession? I don't know which! What I do know is this novella came with a one-way ticket to Crazytown. I had to get a few drinks in me before I could finish this. I went from feeling sad to "awwwhh" to "whoa, man that's hot" in the span of a few pages. Halle has a gift when it comes to writing the steamy scenes. When I think back on the "moisturizer" scene, I am thankful no one can read my mind. Even though I was completely frustrated with Eden's decision-making skills, I can understand how she got wrapped in her emotions and lost sight of her endgame. Every book Karina Halle writes, I feel like I am right there in that moment with the character, whether it be extreme heartbreak or complete happiness. In this novella, I felt the gamut of emotions Eden went through from the beginning until the brutal end. At the end when Eden walks into their home and realizes what Javier is doing, I felt like I had been duped and cheated on. I wanted to throw something and punch Javier in his peas and carrots. Javier, man, what the hell?!? Now, I'm torn between two psychopaths (okay, maybe psychopaths is a bit harsh. Oh well, I'm going to go with it). Picture Javier and Camden in a boxing ring about to fight for Ellie's love. In one corner, we have the safe choice, Camden. Though he isn't perfect, he seems to be the lesser of two evils. He has loved/obsessed over Ellie since high school, and wants her to be herself. In the other corner, there's Javier, Ellie's first love/obsession. He is more dangerous, but the chemistry and passion between these two is off the charts. Who will win Ellie's heart? I suppose we'll find out in the next installments. 

On Every Street is a novella from The Artists Trilogy that takes place six years before Sins & Needles (book #1). It can be read before or after Sins & Needles and may also be read as a standalone. The trilogy includes the following novels (in the order published): #1 Sins & Needles #0.5 On Every Street #2 Shooting Scars #3 Bold Tricks The female lead character is Ellie Watts. The male lead character is Javier Bernal. This novela shows the reader Ellie and Javier's history together and how they became involved. Although Ellie's original plans were to include Javier in a con that would ultimately lead to her revenge against his boss, she finds herself involved in an overwhelming and obsessive romance with Javier and she begins to question if she still needs revenge afterall. "I've never believed in love at first sight. I barely believed in lust at first sight. I didn't believe in anything except righting all the wrongs in my life. But at that moment, this man saw me. The real me underneath the bombshell mask. I felt like he must have seen everything." I would highly recommend this novella to anyone who has an interest in or is reading The Artists Trilogy. I read Sins & Needles first, and in that book Ellie is on the run from people/issues from her past and Javier's character becomes slowly but heavily involved in the story. It was obvious there was a history between the two but until I read this novella, I had no idea how intense that history was. Looking back, her emotional responses to memories and events in Sins & Needles make a lot more sense now. I'm glad I read this novella. My favorite quotes: "...life colors how you see the world..." "You want revenge. You want vindication. And I hope you get those things. But the relief will be fleeting. Because you can never right the external wrongs until you fix what's wrong inside you." “...the human heart is much more capable than we give it credit for. Being able to love again is a choice.”

If there were zero stars that's how I would rate this book.

This is a prequel novella to Sins & Needles. I know some people read this fist, but I prefer to read books in the order they were released. It’s told in the same style as S&N. It opens with Eden/Ellie meeting Javier for the first time. She falls head over heels for him & debates whether or not to give up on her plan for revenge. Even though I’m team Camden, I DO see just how charming Javier can be.  He was sexy as hell, protective & romantic (which I certainly didn’t expect). Ellie was so in love with him that my heart broke even more as she retold her side of what she walked in on. Even though I wouldn’t kick Javier out of bed, there are certain things I CANNOT get over. I am very much looking forward to the final two books in the Artists Trilogy.  - My body was his and it was just a matter of time before he had my heart. When that happened, I knew I’d take in water. I knew I would drown. Any love that starts under a lie was bound to kill you.

Intense, sexy and romantic. Can't wait for part 3. Highly anticipating the ending. Intrigued by all of the characters.

I enjoyed this book and I'm hoping for Javier at the end.

Wow, Ms. Halle never fails to impress. This story is no exception. She is the master of emotional shake ups, which twist your mind until the reader does not know whether to scream, riot or bawl their bloody eyes out. She wasn’t kidding about this being a hard book to write; it feels equally earth shattering to read. This is a prequel to her novel Sins & Needles, giving us the what, where, how, when and why of Ellie Watts and her ex-boyfriend Javier’s relationship prior to that novel. For all the Javier haters, On Every Street may change your perspective on the Latin hunk. With writing that cuts one to the bone, we follow Ellie on her endless quest for revenge for what she claims ‘ruined’ her at a young age. Changing her name to Eden White and hoping to slip into the inner circle of a notorious mobster named Travis, in a quest for absolution, she finds her target. Javier is the slick, confident and deadly henchman of Travis and is everything Ellie needs to get one step closer to getting justice. Except the relationship she starts with Javier, turns into something unexpected. Will vengeance be worth the wait, or will the beast devour her one chance for something real? Sometimes what a person wants isn’t what they need. Thrilling! An absolutely riveting tale spun with bone crushing madness and steamy sexiness. I can’t wait for book 2 of this series Shooting Scars. Ms. Halle is a storyteller worth every minute of your time.  Not recommended for under 18 due to sexual situations and mature content. 

A friend of mine recommended this author & these books to me (Sins & Needles -and- On Every Street) and I am NOT disappointed. Well written with good dialogue. Characters and story are much darker in comparision to the standard books out there, thus making it very intriguing.  The dynamics between Javier and Eden-Ellie are toxic and twisted. The whole time you are yelling at her to GO GO GO, you're secretly wanting more, more, more. It was an emotional rollercoaster; you will love hating him & hate loving him. In the end, you may feel drained of emotion even while your nerves are frayed.   Yes, I eagerly await  Shooting Scars -and- Bold Tricks!

Awesome!!! Can't wait for the next one!!

I loved this story! Can't wait for Shooting Scars!

Love this series,! Can't wait for next book.