Review: Wicked Games by Sean Olin

Book Description:

Hardcover, 343 pages
Published June 10th 2014 by Katherine Tegen Books

Wicked Games is the first book in a sexy thriller series where passion, lies, and revenge collide-perfect for fans of Simone Elkeles and Sara Shepard.

To all the locals in the small beach town of Dream Point, Carter and Lilah seem like the perfect It Couple-but their relationship is about to brutally unravel before everyone's eyes.

Carter has always been a good guy, and while Lilah has a troubled past, she's been a loyal girlfriend for the last four years. When smart, sexy Jules enters the picture at a senior-year bash, Carter succumbs to temptation. And when Lilah catches wind of his betrayal, she decides that Jules needs to pay.

By the end of the summer, the line between right and wrong will be blurred beyond recognition. Blood will be shed. Nothing in Dream Point will ever be the same.

This juicy summer read will keep readers turning pages until the shocking, nail-biting finale.

Reviewer's Copy: ARC

Source: Harper Collins (Thank you!)

My Thoughts:

I admit: Wicked Games was addicting. It was hard to put down and at the times when I did, I felt that the intrigue, the dirty bits and the steam were pulling me back, sucking me back to the story. Though it was enjoyable, it was not the "ideal" read for me.

Dream Point was every bit as dreamy as I thought it would be when it came down to the ambiance, the sweet and hot rush of romance, the fun memories and all the sugary stuff. But it also has a darker side: jealousy, betrayal amidst shadows and waves and dirty secrets. I liked that the story revolved around the unraveling and solidifying of two separate relationships. It was the rise and fall of connection, emotional ties and romance as we know it.

Lilah and Carter's relationship was in shambles. There were down sides for the couple: Lilah was a bit paranoid and out of control while Carter had too little control. It was an emotional roller coaster for me. Seeing Lilah's heart get broken, her tears and eventually plotting and retaliating, was emotionally exhausting. I could feel her pain. On Carter's side, I could see how he tired he was and how the relationship he had with Lilah was damaging him. It was no longer healthy for both parties. He did not plan to get tangled up with Jules but in the presence of luscious, sexy Jules, his weakness got to him. This was the second contemporary book that I read with cheating in it. It was and always will be an uncomfortable topic for me. In Wicked Games, it was even more highlighted as it became the spark to the entire disaster. What I did not like about this was how Carter seemed so insensitive about what he did. Though with the whirlwind romance that he was experiencing with Jules, I couldn't blame him if his focus went to an entirely different way.

Individually and separately, I liked reading about Jules, Carter and Lilah. It reminded me of my youth, raging feelings and how the present felt like the most important thing in the world. Each one of them had their ups and downs. They were perfectly imperfect: the justified representation of a true human being. They made mistakes, they made special moments and they were 100% real.

Overall Wicked Games was an intense, steamy edge-of-your-seat read. This is perfect for people who enjoy reads (and TV shows) with drama, betrayal and evil plotting. It was a fast read for me. I felt like I was watching a show on TV, getting into the heads of the characters but not getting too emotionally attached.

Rating:

3 Cupids = Unrequited book love. Had certain expectations for the book. The book was flawed but I still enjoyed it.