Impossible [The Original Trilogy] - Juli...



I am reviewing "Impossible the Dual Point Of View Edition" With two bonus stories included.

Claudia Ellers is kidnapped at gunpoint and brought into WESTIES territory to patch up Sean Reynolds after he has been shot. After doing all she can for him Sean's best friend Bradley decides Claudia needs to go and is ready to off her permanently when Sean steps in to stop him.

Now let me just say, that for two guys raised in the Irish mob, these two really SUCKED at planning on the fly. Their whole plan for Claudia was basically keeping her in that one room for the rest of her life (apparently.) I'm serious, that was basically how the first 25% of this book went. Claudia saying "you can't keep me here forever!" and Sean saying "I can't let you go" Add in googly eyes at each other, kisses, snuggles, and Claudia snooping and finding Seans "red drawer of pain" and you have a summary of the first quarter of this book.



Thankfully she is finally let out of the room and taken outside, where she promptly escapes. The pace picks up a bit and Claudia is approached by the cops to rat out Sean and Bradley. She is reluctant at first but psycho Bradley seals the deal when he shows up at her house to threaten her. Twists and turns ensue. Betrayals are revealed. Sean Fifty Shades Claudia's ass at every opportunity. Yadda...Yadda...Yadda.

So as you can probably tell this one was a bit of a mixed bag for me. The pacing was ALL over the place. In some parts, the story moved along at a nice pace and I was hooked and enjoying where this was going. At other times it was SOOO slow I think Miss Daisy was driving herself. The first 25% was excruciating, and I almost gave up. The middle 50% was up and down, and the last 25% was really good.

Overall the main story gets a 3-star rating from yours truly. There are also two bonus stories at the end. The first is basically Sean and Claudia and a lot of the peeps we met in the main story. They are all at a BDSM club and some sexytimes occur and we get a permanent ending to the Bradley situation. The second is a nice little Christmas story with Claudia and Sean and their new baby. Claudia has been dealing with some stuff and Sean Fifty Shades her ass until she tells him what is bothering her. I really enjoyed these two extra little stories, so they brought my overall rating up a .5.

The Eighth book in the USA Today Bestselling Impossible Series- Can be read as a standalone.

After a lifetime of being sheltered, I decided to study abroad in St. Petersburg to push myself out of my comfort zone. Dimitri definitely fits the bill. He’s gorgeous, mysterious, and everything I never knew I wanted.

I’m willing to give him my innocence, but he wants more. He wants all of me, even if that means pushing me to my breaking point. And he won’t stop until he owns my body and soul.



Review

Czar begins as a romance with a strong alpha male and a college student who is studying abroad.  In June 2009, Christine, Alicia's friend finds a study abroad program online. They decide to study St. Petersburg, Russia. While in Russia, one evening they decided to go to a a club, and Alicia catches Dimitri's eye. Dimitri immediately begins seducing Alicia. Alicia is a virgin and does her best to deny Dimitri of sex. This doesn't stop Dimitri from pursue Alicia.
  
"Why did you want to see me again?"
"You're not like other women I've met."
"Because I'm American?"
"Because I want you more than I've ever wanted any woman, and you're the first to refuse me."
I'm a conquest. 

Dimitri is arrogant, bossy, intimidating and wealthy. He continues to seduce Alicia. On one date Dimitri gives Alicia a first edition of "Pride and Prejudice" written in Russian. Alicia is felt that Dimitri cared about her asked to go back to his place.  When they arrived at Dimitri's hotel room Dimitri's father is waiting for them.  It's not a pleasant encounter. After the encounter Alicia gives herself to Dimitri.  

Over the next week Alicia enjoys being with Dmitri and she has a new fear.

"What's wrong, myshka?"
"I'm- I'm leaving in a few days,"  I forced out tremulously. "I'm afraid I'll never see you again." I drew in a shaky breath, no longer able to contain my painfully intense feelings for him.. "I... I love you, Dimitri."
   
Alicia's decree began the beginning of the end of her life.  "You're mine now, Alicia. There's no going back."

At the beginning of chapter 7, the story takes a 360 from a love story to a dark and dangerous story. Alicia has been abducted and her abductor is the person she has fallen in love with, Dimitri. 

"You gave yourself to me."
"This is how it's going to be between us. You belong to me, and I ca do whatever I want with you." 
"You will like it. You were meant for this."
"For what?" 
"To be mine."

Alicia discovers that Dimitri is part of the Russian Mafia and will one day be the leader. He also sells women as slaves. Their relationship develops into a BDSM, Master/Slave relationship.  Dimitri takes care of Alicia, both physically and sexually.  Alicia's love for Dimitri soon dies as he punishes her when she doesn't obey his commands. After breaking Alicia slow he begins giving her some freedoms, although an illusion. Dimitri buys her horses and builds her a stable.  There is another twist in this story secures Dimitri's future at the leader of the Russian Mafia.

In the end, Dmitri takes over the Russian Mafia, Bratva, and secures Alicia by his side. 

This is a Five Star Dark, Dangerous and well constructed story!!  I love the Impossible Series. Julia Sykes knows how to twist your expectations.  Dimitri is a very dark character.  Julia does a great job hiding Dimitri's true intentions at the beginning of the story.  There was only glimpse of his true nature. Alica from the beginning shows herself as a true submissive/masochist, she enjoys pain with her pleasure. It was exactly what Dimitri was looking for. The stable scene secured who is really in charge, there will always be limitations on Alicia's freedoms. Alicia loves her Master because he's benevolent and caring.  In the end Dimitri sums it up best "A careful balance of brutality and fineness would make them obedient to my will. Alicia had taught me that.It was a lesson I would never forget."
Follow me on Twitter: ReadKeepMeSane

My father gave me to him as a bargaining chip, as though I was nothing more than flesh to be traded. I hate him for that, and I hate the man who took me: Javier Santiago, a member of the violent Latin Kings.

Even though I don’t want to belong to him, he is fiercely possessive of me. And when his ownership is threatened, his enemies aren’t the only ones to suffer. He says my freedom is the price for my safety. I think he just wants to keep me all for himself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Review

Javier Santiago is a FBI agent undercover as a member of the Latin Kings.  Charlotte Carter is a college student who is attempting to live a normal life.  She wants to escape her horrible past as the daughter of a criminal.  Unfortunately for Charlotte her past catches up to her and her father drags her back into his criminal underworld.  Charlotte's father gives her to the Latin Kings as a bargaining chip to keep her brother, Derek, inline.  

"If he doesn't want his sister to suffer, he'll do whatever you want," Jonas spoke before Derek could respond. "That's why she's part of the deal. You get her and a new territory. I'll give you my family in exchange for being welcomed into yours."

The deal is accepted and it's Javier who takes ownership of Charlotte.  Charlotte is not aware that Javier is a FBI agent.  She struggles with being captive in Javier's apartment. Javier does offer Charlotte an opportunity to freedom that would also guarantee her safety. Charlotte accepts Javier's offer.  

Charlotte struggles with her new situation.  All she wanted was to be normal. She maintained a certain weight, she kept up her appearance and was obsessed with joining a sorority. Charlotte develops feelings for Javier and begins re-evaluating her perspective on life. 

"I'm not supposed to be with someone like him.  I'm supposed to join the best sorority at Hudson and end up with some clean-cut frat boy with a Business major." As I said it out loud, I realized how shallow and ugly that reasoning was."
  
Charlotte had been promised that in a few months she no longer have to stay with Javier.  As time went on Charlotte fell in love with Javier and did not want to end their relationship.  She became dependent on Javier. It all crumbles when a fellow FBI agents, Vaughn, comes to visit Javier and Charlotte. He brings news about Charlotte's father and a raid.  The agent also wants to bring Charlotte back to her brother.  Charlotte doesn't want to leave and declares her love for Javier. After the agent leaves Javier is left to admit to the truth. 

"I've corrupted you with my perversions. I stole you away from your life and molded you into what I wanted."

Javier begins backing out of the relationship and Charlotte doesn't want to let him go. In order to get Javier out of his assignment Charlotte contacts Vaughn and with the help of Clara Peterson, a police officer and Dominatrix, a plan is Formed. Unfortunately the plan goes bad.  Charlotte and Clara are in danger and it's up-to Javier to come to the rescue.

Although this can be read as a stand alone, I don't recommend it.  There would be to many wholes in the story.  The story spends a lot of time with Charlotte in Javier's apartment. At first I was annoyed with Charlotte's being self-centered. As the story develops you begin to understand why she was working so hard to be accepted.  She needed a sense family because she came from a abusive home.  Javier also needed a family, after losing his in a messy divorce. Javier gave Charlotte a family. This is not my favorite in the series. I had difficulty accepting Charlotte. She seemed to willing to bend to whomever to find a family, a home.  

A BDSM thriller. Two FBI agents, one insane stalker/rapist/kidnapper makes a excellent story. Although this can be a stand alone book I highly recommend reading the previous books in this serious in order. They all contain hot alpha males.

This is a seriously dark novel. I wasn't expecting it to be so dark. At first I didn't know if I wanted to keep reading. I stuck it through because the author's other books were excellent. I'm happy I finished it. You need a strong stomach and an open mind.

Kathleen is abducted. She's confined to the basement, strapped to a bed and made to become codependent on her capture. However her dark secret changes everything.

Looking for more Dark reads? Check out my blog, http://readingkeepmesane.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_20.html