I got about 86% in but I didn't finish it because I noticed that it was shaping up to be a cliffhanger ending.

I knew that the sequel of this book wasn't and won't be made, and that this book had been pulled from Amazon (I am assuming it's because of this reason), but I didn't realize that this book was ending on a cliffhanger. I bought it from Amazon back in October of 2015 and had it on my computer before they removed it from their shelves. I just reloaded it to my Kindle the other day when I finally decided that I might as well read it, even knowing it was an unfinished arc.

I somehow thought that the sequel was about someone else. So I quit before quite ending it. I will mark it as read because I did read it, and will probably finish it. It was a pretty good book. I am totally bummed there won't be a finish. Mayyyybe Ms. Phal will go back and finish it.

This review however should stand for those who already have the book but have held off reading it because of the reasons above. It was a decent book, and I would suggest reading it with the understanding that it will end in a cliffhanger, but the parts leading up to it were good. You will get over the lack of second book pretty quick and move on to something else. So read it if you want, but know that there isn't a resolution.

Regarding the story, it is not a romance. It has erotic scenes, but the main male character (not a hero) doesn't fool himself or the heroine that he has romantic feelings towards her. He looks at her as a possesion he want to break. He is intrigued by her and does enjoy sexual acts, but they are in no way romantic. He is a sadist and treats he as such.

It's a sad book because the heroine is basically put through the ringer due to her "martyr" tendencies when she takes on the responsibility for the debts of her idiot brother. She agrees to a deal with a sociopathic sadist cum mafia hitman to "pay off" her brother's $25,000 mafia backed debt by allowing said sadist to do whatever he wants to her for "25 sessions". What he wants to do to her is cause her agony and watch her be destroyed, built up, and destroyed again.

We learn that Knox (the hitman) really is just intrigued by her and maybe fancies her a bit, but doesn't fool himself or her into thinking it's anything more than that. He gets his kicks on making her think he cares a little bit, giving her some kind of hope, but then proving her wrong. He does treat her a a sexual slave of sorts, but it's more of a power thing. Lacy puts up with it and tries to keep her chin up on the matter.

I ended the book about 89% way through when I noticed that they hadn't even had the second session yet, so I skipped to the end to see if there is any kind of resolution but then say "to be continued" on the last page. Not a good thing to see when you know the book isn't followed up.

Should have done that in the beginning. ( )

2.5 stars ( )

I am not even sure what to say. This is one f-ed up story, that's for sure! I loved every second of it! I am still kind of trying to wrap my head around this one...

I will start with Lacey. She is one of those characters that you think you should maybe dislike on some level but should like on another level. She definitely is a strong and weak character in this story. It takes talent to create such a complex character. Between her being the glue always holding the family together no matter how they treat her and the power Knox seems to hold over, she is both strong and weak at the same time.

Then we have Knox. He is a no nonsense killer. He feeds off of the thrill and calm of butchering people. What's not to love, right? But I find myself liking him. No matter what horrible thing he does, I still like him. He was trained to be the man he is. He knows nothing else. He allows nothing else. Somehow Lacey is under his skin in an instant.

I got lost in this story for a few days. I took my time with it. I am glad I did. This is one of those stories that you need to make sure you soak everything in. I was appalled, thrilled, sickened, angry, sad... I think I went through a whole rainbow of emotions while reading this book!

If you like dark and twisted, this is the book for you. If you don't like dark and twisted, I would not suggest reading this. It is NOT a fluffy story. It's raw and dirty. And if you are one of those who whine and complain over cliffhangers, I wouldn't bother picking up this book either if I were you. The cliffhanger. Oh. My. Word. Can I get the next book, please! I loved the cliffhanger! It was the perfect turning point to end this book! Now give me book two, please! ( )

Lacey is a high school senior honor student. She comes from the trashiest of backgrounds. Her mother is a crack head/junkie/prostitute. Her brother is a low life user. How someone with so much fire came from such hopelessness is a mystery. In order to live, Lacey is also a prostitute. She has a small clientele of steady johns. Her goal is to save money for medical school, but her family is like a yoke around her neck constantly dragging her down and using her money.

I'm a deer in his headlights. There's no left or right for me. No up or down. No chance of looking away from the disaster that's about to happen to me.

Knox works for the Russian mob. He "takes care" of people the boss needs removed. Unlike most hit men, he doesn't do it for the money or the power—it's not a job, it's his passion, his life. Knox is a serial killer that gets to feed his hunger in a way that is useful to his boss. As far back as he can remember, he has never had any connection to another person or any emotion besides the desire to kill. He is indifferent to love, hate, happiness, sadness, fear... The name of this series is The Butcher so just imagine what you will.

He isn't sane. Not even a little bit. Everything he's done to me up to this point proves that.

Lacey, yet again trying to save her ungrateful family members, ends up indebted to Knox. There is something about her tenacity that intrigues him. She's like a puzzle that he needs to work out. How far can he push her before she breaks?

I think it might be a reflection of the sort of person he is on the inside. Beautiful, yet irredeemably evil.

This book is filled with unlikable characters. Lacey's mother and brother are of course on the list along with several minor assholes at her school. But the biggest bitch of all is Katia. I don't know when I have hated a book persona this much.

There are so many things I'm not even going into about title. It has some deep twists and turns. There are explanations, connections and surprises. These things need to be learned as you read so that you may get the full emotional blow.


For those looking for a dark read that is truly dark, not sort of, but the real deal, which also has an awesome storyline this is the book for you. Sometimes a book is labeled dark, and it isn't. This book is dark. Sometimes a dark book takes it too far and becomes a horror story. You end up not caring about the characters. That isn't the case here. I was totally into this book and the outcomes. I highly recommend it.


5 flawless black stars


***Copy given in exchange for an honest review***





toni





FangirlMoments and My Two Cents








FULL REVIEW CAN BE FOUND AT http://fangirlmomentsandmytwocents.blogspot.com/2014/11/flawed-by-francette-phal... ( )

I am not even sure what to say. This is one f-ed up story, that's for sure! I loved every second of it! I am still kind of trying to wrap my head around this one...

I will start with Lacey. She is one of those characters that you think you should maybe dislike on some level but should like on another level. She definitely is a strong and weak character in this story. It takes talent to create such a complex character. Between her being the glue always holding the family together no matter how they treat her and the power Knox seems to hold over, she is both strong and weak at the same time.

Then we have Knox. He is a no nonsense killer. He feeds off of the thrill and calm of butchering people. What's not to love, right? But I find myself liking him. No matter what horrible thing he does, I still like him. He was trained to be the man he is. He knows nothing else. He allows nothing else. Somehow Lacey is under his skin in an instant.

I got lost in this story for a few days. I took my time with it. I am glad I did. This is one of those stories that you need to make sure you soak everything in. I was appalled, thrilled, sickened, angry, sad... I think I went through a whole rainbow of emotions while reading this book!

If you like dark and twisted, this is the book for you. If you don't like dark and twisted, I would not suggest reading this. It is NOT a fluffy story. It's raw and dirty. And if you are one of those who whine and complain over cliffhangers, I wouldn't bother picking up this book either if I were you. The cliffhanger. Oh. My. Word. Can I get the next book, please! I loved the cliffhanger! It was the perfect turning point to end this book! Now give me book two, please! ( )