Author: Lola Smirnova
Release Date: June 30, 2015
Series: Twisted
Genre: New Adult | Suspense
Edition: Ebook (mobi)
Pages: 316
Publisher: Createspace
Source: Publicist
Buy it here: Amazon

Rating: ★★★★★

Blurb:

Having been to hell and back, the eager sisters from Ukraine – Natalia, Lena and Julia – decide to retire from selling sex and walk the straight and narrow path back home. But when an old friend calls them with an opportunity to make buckets of ‘easy’ money in South Africa, they find it impossible to refuse. Their return to the night life of the entertainment business brings with it all the old familiar temptations – alcohol, drugs, prostitution… Can the girls resist their vices and stay together? Or will this industry destroy their sanity and their family?

Inspired by real life events, Craved is a fascinating story of addiction, survival and the art of making a living in the sex trade.

Review

Before starting with this book, I had low expectations in terms of entertainment given the fact that it is about the sex trade industry. I was expecting to read about 3 girls and all the injustice done to them, but this book was spectacularly surprising.

The characterization is brilliant and the personalities of the lead characters, as well as the supporting ones, are really well crafted. The story is thoroughly absorbing and completely capturing. I felt a connection with all the characters in this book and realized the brutal truth about this repelling industry.

I was pulled into this book right from the start to the very end. The battles the girls face, each and every day, and their hard life is explained beautifully, but surprisingly enough without burdening the reader with sorry feelings by showing the girls headstrong and ready to accept any challenge that is thrown their way.

The author’s writing is incredible and the flow is so good that I was done with this book within a day of starting it. I was really impressed with this book and knew, as soon as I was through the first few pages, that I’m reading something that is very, very special.

The descriptions are vivid and the imagery is great. I felt that I was in there with Julia all the time when she was going through her everyday life.

The book ended with an amazing cliffhanger of an ending and left me craving for more. I was like – Seriously!?

And, in spite of the entertaining value of the book, the seriousness of the issue was never lost on me.

Other Stuff

Opening Line: ‘Harder!’ he screams in desperation. ‘Harder!’

Highlights: Characterization.

Lowlights: None.

Final Thoughts: A really capturing read.

You can also read this review at Goodreads and Amazon.