Criminal by Terra Elan McVoy

e-ARC, 282 pages
Release Date: May 7, 2013
Published by: Simon Pulse
Standalone
Source: NetGalley (A preview copy was provided to me in exchange for a just and honest review.)
For fans of: Realistic Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Contemporary, YA

     A searing and gripping read that explores the depths of desperation true love can inspire, from the author of Being Friends with Boys.Nikki’s life is far from perfect, but at least she has Dee. Her friends tell her that Dee is no good, but Nikki can’t imagine herself without him. He’s hot, he’s dangerous, he has her initials tattooed over his heart, and she loves him more than anything. There’s nothing Nikki wouldn’t do for Dee. Absolutely nothing.
     So when Dee pulls Nikki into a crime—a crime that ends in murder—Nikki tells herself that it’s all for true love. Nothing can break them apart. Not the police. Not the arrest that lands Nikki in jail. Not even the investigators who want her to testify against him.
     But what if Dee had motives that Nikki knew nothing about? Nikki’s love for Dee is supposed to be unconditional…but even true love has a limit. And Nikki just might have reached hers.

*MY THOUGHTS*
     I know I've read a good book when the words start a war within my head long before I've even finished it. And this book did just that. The war was between how conflicted I felt about the characters. 
     Nikki is so in love with Dee she lets him leave for months without any questions. She can't help it, her life without him is nothing and his dangerous lifestyle is all that she wants. That is until one of his plans turns into a crime. A murderous one at that. 
     The hardest thing about writing this review is the way I felt about the characters. I wanted so bad to like Nikki, but for the most part I thought she was stupid. But at the same time, it was just her being blinded by love. These things really happen. In the end I found myself just happy that she grew up and got herself together in the end. Then there was Bird. I loved her being so real, raw, and honest, but I also disliked her for a minute for leaving her like that when she needed someone the most. But then again, I understand completely why she did leave. 
     This was also my first encounter with McVoy and her writing. Her writing style actually surprised me. The words felt jolty and scattered, but the story is about a girl who's scared and full of emotions so the scattered words just felt right. That was my favorite part of the book. I felt every raw emotion pouring off the page. This book is so angst ridden, I was sucked in from the very beginning just to see where the story would end up. 
     This was a perfect coming of age story where the main character grows up and learns just how powerful love is. 


     

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