Book Review: Killing Sarai by J.A. Redmerski

Killing Sarai (In the Company of Killers #1)
~1st Person POV

Amazing! It summarizes my thoughts about the book and how I felt after reading it. I've actually just finished reading the book and I couldn't hep but do this now. I was supposed to put up a different blog post today for another book, but I decided to write one about this instead. This book involves several problems with the economy and human beings in general, but it had me hooked and wanting more. 

Synopsis copied from Amazon:
"Sarai was only fourteen when her mother uprooted her to live in Mexico with a notorious drug lord. Over time she forgot what it was like to live a normal life, but she never let go of her hope to escape the compound where she has been held for the past nine years.

Victor is a cold-blooded assassin who, like Sarai, has known only death and violence since he was a young boy. When Victor arrives at the compound to collect details and payment for a hit, Sarai sees him as her only opportunity for escape. But things don't go as planned and instead of finding transport back to Tucson, she finds herself free from one dangerous man and caught in the clutches of another.

While on the run, Victor strays from his primal nature as he succumbs to his conscience and resolves to help Sarai. As they grow closer, he finds himself willing to risk everything to keep her alive; even his relationship with his devoted brother and liaison, Niklas, who now like everyone else wants Sarai dead.

As Victor and Sarai slowly build a trust, the differences between them seem to lessen, and an unlikely attraction intensifies. But Victor's brutal skills and experience may not be enough in the end to save her, as the power she unknowingly holds over him may ultimately be what gets her killed.

This is their story..."

This is not your typical damsel in distress story. Sarai has been scarred for a long time and she has certain qualities that make me believe in her and the story more. The first being Sarai's somewhat acceptance and conformance to her captor, the notorious drug lord. I see her as a brave woman who did what she has to do to survive, and I admired her strength the whole time. She has her break down moments which are of course understandable and I love it cause her thoughts make me feel 'how human' she really is. I felt the characters in this book and I got into it terribly so that I did not look at the time once.

I also enjoyed getting into Victor's head, to understand how his head works, and I believed it. His struggles and second thoughts had me holding onto him for more. I wanted to shake him out of it and tell him to just fall in love with the girl, but aside from I can't, I don't want to. You don't get the 'sparks flying and everything just turns to mush' reaction. Instead, you get the thoughts of a human being who's murdered people but still has somewhat a conscience and a certain unknown feeling about a girl who needs his help. I believed it, I loved it and I wouldn't have it any other way. I enjoyed how he broke some of his rules or norms while still having that guard, that protective wall around him.

The two of them are well developed and have a sense of realism. The plot was well thought of and I found it hard to expect what will happen next. Even though the end was different from what I'd usually want it to be, I'm satisfied. The character development is to be expected, but I enjoyed the way it was carried out. There isn't a part I wish I could change. You'd feel annoyed or mad at some of the characters, but it just makes the whole book believable. You can't like everyone, included in the book, You are supposed to feel the emotions they feel, feel their pain when they are suffering and be filled with enlightenment when they have an epiphany. I think one of the author's most important goals is to make the reader feel what his/her characters feel and to take hold of your imagination and bring you to another world where his/her book is your reality. I believe J.A. Redmerski accomplished this with her book. I look forward to reading Reviving Izabel, the second book of the series and more books from this wonderful author.

☆☆☆☆☆ ~ 5 Stars