Wow. I am not sure what I was initially expecting from this book to be honest but man was I given a ride. This book is dark and filled with the dark pasts of the characters within it. It's a solid reminder that anyone can have some skeletons in our closets but it's all in how you act because of them. Domino was stronger than she gave herself credit for. She went through a lot in her life and she came out as best as she could, minus Wilson. I thought it was great to see her grow more confident in herself and in her strength while still learning that it's ok to rely on others. Cain was perfection. A guy who had some terrible experiences caught in the game of blaming yourself. I really liked getting to know him and his personality.

I honestly didn't think I would finish this book in a couple sittings. I was intrigued at first and really wanting to learn more, but by the time I was halfway through I knew that was it. I was on the edge of my seat towards the end, so much was happening. There was betrayal, horrible acts, darkness, and death. It was something to watch characters overcome such evil.

This was definitely a thriller that I can handle. Dark and disturbing in some ways, but other ways left it up to your imagination. Definitely be on the lookout for this release.

Full review to be features on Midwestern Book Nerd on Monday, May 1, 2017. https://midwesternbooknerd.wordpress.com/

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

Violet Grenade by Victoria Scott
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Publication Date: May 16, 2017
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from NetGalley

Summary (from Goodreads):

DOMINO: A runaway with blood on her hands.

CAIN: A silent boy about to explode.

MADAM KARINA: A woman who demands obedience.

WILSON: The one who will destroy them all.

When Madam Karina discovers Domino in an alleyway, she offers her a position inside her home for entertainers in secluded West Texas. Left with few alternatives and an agenda of her own, Domino accepts. It isn’t long before she is fighting her way up the ranks to gain the madam’s approval. But after suffering weeks of bullying and unearthing the madam’s secrets, Domino decides to leave. It’ll be harder than she thinks, though, because the madam doesn’t like to lose inventory. But then, Madam Karina doesn’t know about the person living inside Domino’s mind. 

Madam Karina doesn’t know about Wilson.

What I Liked:

I haven't read a ton of YA psychological thrillers, mostly because they freak me out. Michelle Hodkin's Mara Dyer books left me reeling. Vicarious by Paula Stokes is another great psychological thriller, and I think you can consider A World Without You by Beth Revis one too. Violet Grenade was an intriguing, nail-biting, shocking novel that I couldn't put down.

Domino is a runaway who has been living in an abandoned house with a boy named Dizzy, who has been a friend and companion to her. After years of living with her mother/her mother's insanity, Domino got away. But when Dizzy is arrested for shoplifting, Domino is alone. Until a  woman makes her deal: come live with her in her home for burgeoning entertainers, and Domino can work for money to do what she would like. But when Domino gets to this home in West Texas, she realizes that this home isn't really home, and she can't really leave. She earns close to no money, she has no power, and she has nowhere to go. All she can do is try to work her way up the ranks of the flowers, from a bottom feeder to the coveted Violet spot, the best of entertainers. Domino isn't afraid of this strange place, because she has something no one else has - Wilson.

You can probably already tell where this is going: Madam Karina's home for burgeoning entertainers has all kinds of entertainment going on... and Domino has split-personality disorder. I'll talk about both of those.

Starting with Domino! Her split-personality is never named in terms of a medical condition - probably because this book is written in first-person, and it's not like Domino has been diagnosed by medical professionals. She developed the second personality (Wilson) when she wasn't strong enough to handle what her mother was making her do. Her mother made her do The Thing for years, and Wilson grew stronger for years. And since you're probably wondering what The Thing is - no, the mother wasn't pimping out Domino. Domino is a virgin.

Domino hides behind a think wall and tries not to let anyone in, or the past out. She has Wilson, and she had Dizzy, and things were fine until Dizzy gets arrested. Making the decision to take up Madam Karina on the offer and leave Detroit for West Texas is both stupid and smart, irrational and incredibly brave. Surviving for as long as she did in Madam Karina's house took strength, strength that wasn't just Wilson's, but was Domino's alone. Which is confusing in a way, because Domino and Wilson are the same person. But not really. Split-personality, remember?

So, Madam Karina's house. Madam Karina finds Domino and asks her to come to this home of burgeoning artists, because Madam Karina sees Domino's graffiti art on a structure. Domino is an excellent graffiti artist. At the home, Domino starts at the bottom, simply interacting and talking with visitors. The next level has her doing the same, but a little more interaction. The next level has her interacting with customers like one would in a nightclub - dancing with them. The next level has Domino allowing them to touch her - brushes on the arm, waist, hair. The next level? Domino isn't prepared for that level. You can probably guess - it's my exact first thought when this home of burgeoning entertainers appeared in the story. The next/top level is entertaining guests in terms of sex. Which broke my heart because this sort of thing happens all the time, with young girls. 

Domino didn't intend to want to climb ranks, but she quickly figures out that she can make more money in the higher ranks, and she can possibly have more freedom and be safer in a high rank. She and her friend Poppet start climbing the ranks rapidly, which is unusual. Other girls notice, and hate them for it. Domino and Poppet have to live through a lot of petty and sometimes dangerous tricks and behaviors from the other girls.

I liked Domino, and I liked Wilson. Wilson has his own temper and flair and attitude (which is weird, I know), and he is extremely protective of Domino. Domino doesn't like to let Wilson take over, and she lets it happen rarely. It's frightening, what happens when Wilson is around.

Cain is easily just as important a character as Domino. He is huge, built like a boxer and a football player, and he doesn't say much. A wealth of pain and suffering appears in his eyes, in his demeanor, in his gait, and his story is a tough one for Domino to nail down. He is a hard young man with a harsh past, but he's a good person who takes too much crap from the girls at the home. Cain is probably my favorite character, because of how good of a person he is, despite everything that has happened to him, and everything he had to do. Sort of like Domino.

Yes, there is a budding romance between Cain and Domino. They grow to care for each other, which is lovely to watch, considering how guarded both of them are. They are great together, with both of them being brutally honest and blunt with each other. They understand each other, and they have a great connection. They share some pretty intense moments!

This book had me on edge! Domino made me nervous, as did Wilson, but so did Madam Karina, her lackeys (Mr. Hodge and Eric), and the other girls at the home. Domino didn't trust anyone, not even Poppet and Cain (until after a while). Everyone in the home freaked me out a little, especially with all of the emotional manipulation happening. I shuddered a lot, while reading this book. I'm glad the author didn't have Domino cross a certain line, like she was going to. 

One thing that really had me hooked was the slow pace of the informational reveals. We don't get all of the information at once. We don't find out immediately about what Domino's mother had Domino do, or where Domino's father went, or what awful thing Cain did in his past, or what is really going in Madam Karina's house, or what the top-level girls really do. Everything is revealed gradually, but not so slowly that you're bored or lose interest.

Overall, this book both freaked me out a little and had me entranced. There was no way I was going to stop reading, until the very end. This book has a very fair and neat ending, one that I'm glad happened the way it did. 

What I Did Not Like:

Perhaps I wanted to see a little more acknowledgement in terms of Domino's disorder. Obviously, since this book was written in Domino's first-person POV, Domino isn't going to walk around knowing she has split-personality disorder (because she doesn't know that that's what it is). She knows that Wilson exists because she couldn't handle the bad things that she was seeing and had to do, years ago. I still would have liked for her condition to be acknowledged in medical terms, and for the resolution of her disorder to be a little less yay-I'm-cured-now.

Would I Recommend It:

If you like psychological thrillers, I highly recommend this book. I haven't read enough to say that I'm a super fan, but I enjoy one every now and then. This book was pretty incredible and has me arm covered in goosebumps, so I'd say it's a good psychological thriller to try. Scott is a very experienced YA author who has tried many different genres, and I think she did a great job with this genre.

Rating:

4 stars. Dare I say that this is Scott's best novel? I've read her Dante Walker trilogy, and her Fire & Flood duology, and Salt & Stone. I think this is her best book! Less silly and humorous like her previous books (I loved the silliness and humor though), and more intense and mysterious (with a slight dose of humor every now and then, especially from Wilson). Plus, who could resist that gorgeous cover?

This book is hard for me to review. First its hard to decide what genre to put it in. Thriller? Contemporary? Mental Illness? It felt like it was less mystery thriller and more suspenseful. And while mental illness plays a huge part of this book, I think the point was on the bullying, manipulation, and revenge. It takes place in a contemporary setting but is definitely not a sweet little romance. It's like it needs its own category. 

I'll start with a few things I do know. One, the plot was hecka interesting. Like I read 96% of this book in one day. Which is pretty hard for me to do. I couldn't stop reading it. I read through my entire Monday night at work. Whoops. The only reason I didn't read the entire book in one day was that I started it on a night I had some anxiety and needed to set it aside until the next day. But from chapter one I was pulled into this story. Partially because I liked the way Domino and Wilson treated each other and their conversations. But also because I wanted to see what happens. You pretty much know what is going to happen, in a general sense. But I could feel Domino's emotions pouring off of her even as she tried to keep the wall she had built around herself sturdy and unbreakable. 

Scott's writing style was easy to follow. All of Wilson's thoughts were italicized so I was never confused about who was speaking. I really liked that both Wilson and Domino were strong characters, just in different ways. They each had their voice and way about doing things. All of the characters were authentic and decently fleshed out. I would've liked to have seen more backstory for a few of the characters but that would have changed the tone of the book I'm sure. 
Though it's never explicitly stated, Domino and her love interest have Dissociative  Identity Disorder. (Professionals no longer call it multiple personalities.) DID happens when a person experiences real trauma and they start to dissociate from the trauma by disconnecting yourself from your feelings, thoughts, memories and actions. As a child Domino's mind created Wilson to deal with the pain she was experiencing. For Cain, he learned how to turn his emotions off and not feel. It was interesting to read about for sure and gives the reader something to think about. While I do not have DID, it did seem like Scott did at least some if not a lot of research on the matter in order to perfect her characters. I was glad that Domino and Cain weren't  stereotypical villains but are just a people who are doing what they have to do to take care of themselves. 

I also enjoyed that Domino and Cain weren't jumping into each other's arms because they wanted to fix the other one or because they thought love could heal their issues. Domino and Cain became friends through friendly conversations and saw something each other that they recognized in themselves. Like meeting a kindred spirit. Their relationship also wasn't that important to the story. Their friendship helped keep each other safe but this is not a love story. And I appreciated that.

Overall I would give this a 5/5 stars. If you like suspenseful stories that keep you wanting more then I highly recommend this book for you.

Violet Grenade is not what I was expecting at all. I received a free copy via NetGalley and Entangled Publishing. There literally seems to not have been a time when this book lets the reader relax. Domino is seventeen and has been living on the streets since she was sixteen. She is sharing a squat house with her buddy Dizzy for the last year. They look out for each other and do most things together until one night they get separated and Dizzy ends up in lockup. Domino does not have the money or even anything worth enough to pawn so that she can bail Dizzy out. When she leaves the lockup to try and find a way to bail Dizzy out she runs into Madam Karina who offers her what I think is too good to be true. But, when a person is desperate and despite having lived on the streets for a year, naïve, they will grasp on the first option offered to them. I must admit I was surprised she would get in the car with a stranger.
Domino finds herself outside of a small town in Texas where it seems that everyone knows or works for Madam Karina in some way. She starts having the stars knocked out of her eyes about the opportunity she is offered after her first paycheck. Though she makes two good friends the bulk of the other girls working for Madam Karina seem to be against her and do everything they can to ensure she doesn’t succeed because Madam Karina offers the “top girl” the one thing that Domino wants her own house as Madam Karina’s successor. Despite the negative vibe, she is starting to have about the home where most of the girls appear to worship Madam Karina, Domino, along with the elusive Wilson, starts to catch on quickly and getting out of that house is not going to be anywhere near as easy as it was getting in there. 
Violet Grenade keeps the reader interested. We must know what will happen if she gets cornered. Even Dizzy appears to know it is not a good thing but, the reader is drawn into learning about Wilson throughout the book. Even when we get to the end you might still be left thinking, who in the heck is Wilson? By the end of the book you realize that despite what Wilson appears to be you literally find yourself hoping Wilson whoops everyone’s butt. I tend to steer away from books where it looks like adults might be victimizing children or teens. It is bad enough when it is an adult, but, children are more vulnerable than most adults. Some street kids are less vulnerable due to experience especially when they have someone like Dizzy and other neighborhood people looking out for them, which appeared to be the case with Domino. There were times I thought that Domino still had a bit of green on her, then later I though nah, she is wise, just slower to respond. We learn as the book goes on why this dichotomy exists and it just makes the book that more thrilling. The big question is “who in the heck is Wilson?”. I’m wishing kids that are bullied had someone a bit like Wilson that would help them stand up for themselves, not to the extreme that Wilson did, but, enough to stop the victimization that is so rampant in schools, heck in any situation where there is a group of people there seems to be someone that victimizes others, even in smaller ways. This book is a tip of the hat to standing up for yourself or maybe even for others when they need a boost! This review can also be seen at LadyTechie’s Book Musings https://ladytechiesbookmusings.blogspot.com/.

I received an E-ARC not from the publisher but from the author HERSELF, so I feel a little special in that respect. The book was very captivating and it had that type of thriller feel that gone girl had but there was still a young YA appeal to it. I enjoyed the parties in the book and I loved the storyline. I overall really liked the book and I cannot wait to hear more from Victoria Scott.

I don't usually read thrillers, but this one caught me from the first page and I couldn't put it down. It is crazy, dark, unpredictable, and exciting. The pacing was perfect and I liked the characters. The ending was awesome! 4.5 stars!

I've seen almost exclusively positive reviews for Violet Grenade so I feel like I'm the odd one out for not loving it. I'd read one of Victoria's other books, Titans, and I loved it so I was really pumped to explore her other books. 
I can't really put my finger on why this book wasn't for me but it just hit me the wrong way. Right away, there was something about the main character and writing that felt off to me. I can't really explain it but it felt almost... fragmented. Like a rough draft or something. The main character, Domino, was just weird. I couldn't connect to her at all and she felt unnatural. It was never really acknowledged that Domino seemingly had a mental illness (I thought she had schizophrenia) and her illness was more of a plot device.
The plot was predictable and unengaging to me and I just couldn't get into it. 

Overall, this book wasn't for me. I've seen tons of great reviews for Violet Grenade so maybe I'm just being overly critical. However, if you're triggered or sensitive to schizophrenia or mental illness not being completely addressed in a book, I would recommend not reading Violet Grenade.

Violet Grenade is a strange combination of profoundly dark and almost innocently romantic, and the two are (not surprisingly) awkwardly bedfellows at times. Taken separately, the former is grueling but fascinating, when the latter starts out intriguing but quickly turn into the typical YA romantic arc. Together, though, they're definitely interesting and, by the time the book ends, have paid off in a satisfying way. That's not to say there isn't an unevenness of tone that, at times, is distracting, only that the rough patches are worth pushing through for the graceful, heartbreaking last chapter.

Domino, the book's main character, is ferocious, broken, and smart as hell. Her first person perspective is immediately gripping, and it's impossible not to feel sympathy for her. Her relationships are what drive the book forward and, to Scott's great credit, most of the supporting characters are three-dimensional with clear personalities of their own. That said, the best-developed relationship by far is Domino's with Wilson. What starts out nothing but creepy gradually becomes a delicate negotiation between broken equals, and it's their singular, unpredictable give-and-take that keeps the story moving forward.

Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled for the ARC.

The above review will be posted at my GoodReads (link below) a month before publication.

This book is truly wonderful! I loved the cast in this book and how each one is so descriptively written. You can almost see the characters lain out before you and feels like you could reach through and touch them because she brings them to life on every page. Victoria is wonderful at setting a scene and building up a truly immerse world. Bulling, manipulation, and revenge? You got it! This book brings forward so much depth. Domino is probably my favorite character as she is so fiercely loyal to her best friend and she is a strong dreamer. She sees a better life for herself. This is a masterpiece of a YA psychological thriller.Thank you Entangled Teen and NetGalley for sending me this in exchange for my honest review!

DOMINO: A runaway with blood on her hands.

CAIN: A silent boy about to explode.

MADAM KARINA: A woman who demands obedience.

WILSON: The one who will destroy them all.

When Madam Karina discovers Domino in an alleyway, she offers her a position inside her home for entertainers in secluded West Texas. Left with few alternatives and an agenda of her own, Domino accepts. It isn’t long before she is fighting her way up the ranks to gain the madam’s approval. But after suffering weeks of bullying and unearthing the madam’s secrets, Domino decides to leave. It’ll be harder than she thinks, though, because the madam doesn’t like to lose inventory. But then, Madam Karina doesn’t know about the person living inside Domino’s mind. 

Madam Karina doesn’t know about Wilson.   Plot written by Goodreads 

I received  this book in exchange for my honest review by Netgalley .


I was surprised by how smooth this book read it made for very good reading .I liked the idea of the story I thought it was unique and hasn't been done before by any other author I have read or any book I have heard about .While I liked the story I was just left wanting more for the characters back stories and what drove them the only real back story that was in depth enough for me was Cain . I also really liked Wilson even though I feel like it might be creepy for me to because he was a bit creepy .Wilson made up for things that Domino lacked like a fun side and sense of humor however sadistic that sense of humor was . 

The madam was a particular quiet type of evil that gave me the chills and gave my goosebumps but I liked her because I thought that the person she was and the way she behaved made sense .I couldn't feel connected to the situation at the madams house because most of the girls seemed genuinely happy to be there so it was hard to feel sympathy for characters that are content even if it was seemingly out of fear .Overall I did like this book because it sucked me in from the beginning and I couldn't put it down .Thanks again Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book .

5 stars+

Violet Grenade was dark and totally badass and I did not expect it. It was freaking creepy and surprising at the same time. It kept me on my toes, on the edge of my seat. It was gritty, dark, shocking, gripping and romantic. Domino (I love her name!) was such a captivating character. She is strong, determined, and smart. She knew when to not speak up but could quip a witty/threat remark at the same time. She is a layered complexity and when you get to know her, understand her circumstances and struggles, she's so fearless. Brave. 

And damn. The entire story took off in a shot right from the beginning and there was always something happening and so many emotions I was feeling. This book was a roller-coaster and I did not want to get off the ride and take care of my queasy stomach and wipe my tears.

Madam Karina and her home for entertaining was creepy af and at the same time refreshing. It was hell, this home. Full of lost vicious girls (worse than Mean Girls). And we meet Poppet, a super-sweet girl, at the home. Then there is Cain (holy batman!!) WOW. He has a rough past. He was manipulated and it was sad to see him under Madam Karina's thumb and verbally abused by the girls in the house. And when Domino enters his life, it all SPARKS. He's like her silent protector at the house, always there when she needs him and vice versa. 

Simply: Cain = Gentle Giant.

It was really hard not to HATE Madam Karina for how easy she manipulated all these girls. I just...I felt so sad for her. She's mentally scarred as the rest of the girls and it's like she took it a much more deeper level that stemmed from the root of her insecurities. And I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED Wilson. Oh my god! Despite his blood-thirst for revenge his main goal was to always protect Domino at all costs. 

Violet Grenade is intense, keeps you on the edge of your seat, and never lets you breathe. I can't stop thinking about this book, the amazing characters, the complexity, the world and the plot! It's just perfect.

I think the main reason I didn't like Violet Grenade is because it was so dark but very predictable and not unique. I read some reviews before requesting this book and it sounded very unique. But once I started reading, it felt like any YA psychological thriller. 

Violet Grenade is about a girl named Domino who is homeless after she runs away from her crappy parents. When her best friend gets thrown in jail, she takes a job in a home for artistic youths. She meets Cain, an angry guy who also works for Domino's new boss (Madam Karina) and becomes her best ally. But the voice in Domino's mind is warning her that everything isn't as it seems and that voice is Wilson, who can make Domino really violent. 

I think I went into this book hoping for something about a kickass girl who would go through this book while battling with schizophrenia. Violet Grenade wasn't exactly that. I think I wanted Domino to face her mental illness and she never really did. There is a point where she kind of accepts it but it isn't very satisfying. I also really didn't appreciate the darkness in this book. There was a romantic relationship in this book but it did nothing to add any lightness in this book. I feel like maybe I could have liked this more if it was shorter. Taking out maybe 70 pages of Domino ignoring the signs around her would have maybe made this book better. 

If you go into this book expecting a DARK contemporary thriller, maybe you will enjoy this book more than I did.

The review will be live on Friday! At madforbooksluv.wordpress.com , Goodreads, and amazon!

Violet Grenade is probably one of the best books that are coming out this year. It's a contemporary psychological thriller with an original idea behind it, compelling characters (most important of them all is Domino who is a kickass heroine, she was easy to connect to), an awesome story, and great writing on top of all. I had a hard time putting it down, I was too intrigued and needed to see what happened next.

Review will be published to https://novelinkblog.com/violet-grenade-by-victoria-scott/ on April 24th

Violet Grenade is a book that appealed to me not only because of how awesome the summary sounds, but also because of the author.  It makes the 5th (if you count the novella, Four Houses) that I have read by this author and I have loved every single one.

Violet Grenade follows the story of Domino Ray, who is a runaway living life and surviving the best way she knows how.  When Domino's best friend is arrested and she is offered at job from Madam Karina, Domino jumps at the chance to earn the money to bail her friend out of jail.  But it doesn't take Domino long to learn that everything is not as it seems in Madam Karina's home.  Then again, everything is not as it seems with Domino either.  She's hiding a dark secret and the things that go on at this house could cause her to loose what little control she has.

The best thing about this book was Wilson.  Oh my gosh, how I loved him! I'm not quite sure if I was supposed to like Wilson considering all the bad things he's done, but I just couldn't help myself.  I loved him.  I'm not sure if it makes me morbid that the parts with Wilson were my favorites but oh well *shrugs*

Other characters that stood out to me were Cain, Poppett and Angie.  Each for different reasons but each of them were equally important.  I'm not sure what would've happened to Domino had it not been for these three.  The friendship and loyalty between Poppet and Domino, the care that Angie and Cain showed towards Domino was inspiring.

I do want to say that this book is very dark, especially when it comes to Wilson, so if books that deal with dark topics are not for you then I would skip this one.  But if you don't mind going to the darker side then you should definitely pick this one up.

VIOLET GRENADE is aptly named as this story felt much like a bomb. It starts out small, feels almost familiar even if you've never held it before, but cannot be contained by it's packaging once the fuse is lit. And what happens after, in the wake of the explosion, is almost.. too much to process. That's this book in a nutshell.

While this story is weird, filled with unusual characters and a completely unique premise, it's not beyond scope. It'll feel almost like something you've read before and yet totally turned on it's head. Scott's writing is heartbreaking and beautiful and out of this world amazing. The themes are dark and yet hopeful. The mystery compels you even as the journey to get there is fraught with conflict and uncertainties. And when everything comes to a head.. you cannot look away.

For all the unreality of the setting, I'm sure in some ways it's very real. And that's how this book felt. It's a contemporary that seems almost fantasy, or maybe just fantastical, and yet so grounded and raw. I loved the characters, Cain most of all, but Domino was just.. something else. Being in her head was an experience and you won't be the only one in there with her! But that's all I'll say about that.

This book is messed up and bizarre and tragic and whimsical and horrifying and yet even when you doubt you understand what's going on, even if you question pushing on, you will. Because when you hit that 50% mark you won't be able to put this down. VIOLET GRENADE will sink it's teeth into you and will not let you go. And you'll love the pain of the bite.

4 "wilson is here" stars

“Violet Grenade” is the unique story of Domino, a young runaway who lives in abandoned houses in Detroit with her friend (and crush) Dizzy. Domino spends a lot of time hiding herself from the world, covering in wigs and thick makeup- and also trying to stay away from Wilson. Domino has dissociative identity disorder, due to traumatic experiences when she was younger, and Wilson is the personality that allows her to separate herself from those memories. Domino and Dizzy are out decorating a wall with spraypaint art when the police catch up to them and arrest Dizzy- Domino escapes. Not sure what to do without him and worrying that Dizzy’s claustrophobia will trouble him, Domino goes to the jail to try to pay his bail with all the money she has.

She quickly learns that it is not enough. Soon, she receives an offer from an enchanting woman, Madam Karina, to work at her home for artistic types and make money. Not seeing another option, Domino takes the job to make money to pay for Dizzy’s bail and get him out of jail. The job takes her to West Texas, where Madam Karina rules not only the house but also the small town surrounding. Madam Karina runs her house with levels, starting at carnations and rising to violets, the highest level below the “Top Girl.” At each level, you get to keep more of your profits. At each level, the interaction with customers changes. Domino soon has a new goal- to reach the top and be able to afford a home for herself- and the people for whom she is beginning to care.

The description of the home and the girls was really fascinating. Karina was also an interesting character, as she is desperate, manipulative, and commanding- she runs the house with some sense of love but mostly of possession of the girls but also demands their “love” (mainly loyalty/admiration) in return. She is also running a business and making profits off both clients and the girls. During this time, Domino is forced to confront her past, as the situations she is put in resemble some of her buried past and call for Wilson’s aid. She is threatened not only by Karina, but also the other girls and sometimes clients. She finds allies in Poppet, another carnation who is possibly one of the sweetest girls ever, and in Cain, the brooding young man with a secret past who works at the house.

This book is intense and never lets you breathe- I found myself unable to stop and am still thinking about it. The main characters are extremely well developed and complex- and the last 20% of the book was an incredible finale that would not let you go! It is, at the same time, somewhat surreal (the whole house situation in particular) and very real (particularly some of the characters). As a heads up, there are situations of sexual violence in the book- as well as physical violence and torture. This is not a light read, by any means; it’s emotional and incredibly intense.

Overall, I think it’s extremely well written and will be enjoyed by fans of Scott’s Fire and Flood series- it has a similar thriller feel though this one is more of a (really intense) psychological thriller. Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher through netgalley. All opinions are my own.

The first thing that drew me to the book was the summary. I enjoyed the interaction between Wilson and Domino, loved the scenery setting, but I didn't really enjoy the bullying. I thought it was over the top. This book seems like it would suit older teens more than younger teens. I also enjoyed Poppet and Cain.

The first thing that drew me to the book was the summary. I enjoyed the interaction between Wilson and Domino, loved the scenery setting, but I didn't really enjoy the bullying. I thought it was over the top. This book seems like it would suit older teens more than younger teens. I also enjoyed Poppet and Cain.