Lying Season (Experiment in Terror book# 4) – slight spoiler alert! (barely but, just in case you haven’t read the books preceding this one, skip this review and check out this reading order guide instead: Karina Halle – Experiment in Terror Series Reading Order)
Well. I’m just starting to get over this one. Book #5 helped with that, but then again, don’t get me started on book #5. 😉 This book rocked my world (as my first nutty blog post indicated) . Best one in the series (#5 was pretty good too) but nothing can beat this one (at least not yet). And do you want to know why? ‘Cause it was the most relatable, most realistic, most emotional, most human book of them so far. And it gave me a TON of Dex and Perry in “real-life” situations. In day to day interactions. Clubbing, shopping, restaurant eating, friends meeting, arguing… all of it. But it didn’t give me just that. Nope. It gave me a TON of Jenn. Actually… Jenn and Dex. In. My. Face! GAH! It burns, it buurrrrnnns!!!! Hissssssss!!!
Er. Um. *clears throat* I’m sorry, got carried away there…
Burns, hurts, torments… but it did it so well. It was painful from the get go and I knew I was a goner from the start. This is one book I DID NOT put down once. I moaned, I grumbled, I cried out to my Facebook girls for help (and while I was at it, apparently lost all ability to articulate…)
Maryse’s Book Blog: LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’m starting book #4 tonight. I HEART THEM!!!! It’s gonna be torturous… You’ll see why. I think I might already enjoy this one the most so far…
Tiffany: Gotta say and I’m hoping this is giving nothing away but I was really NOT liking ****** in this book!!! Kinda wanted to Kick ***** Dumb Butt!! ;;))
Kristy: Too much tease! Now I really really won’t be able to put down #3
Maryse’s Book Blog: Ohhh the torture!! Its just so good, though! I’m so glad we’re getting some true downtime in this one.. Feels good to let reality and personalities flow under normal circumstances… This so far, is my fav.
Kristy: I concur
Maryse’s Book Blog: Ugh!! Ugggggghhhhh!! Grrrrrrrrr! I love it!
Tiffany: Exactly….Maryse, Don’t know where your at in the book….but UGH……I know.. 🙁
What was I freaking out about? What wasn’t I freaking out about? Perry and Dex have a project in Seattle to film, (a mental institution with bad paranormal history) and since they also have a corporate “Shownet Christmas party” to attend, too, well… she might as well spend the week’s at Dex’s apartment, right? YAY!!!! Yep! With him…. and…. Jenn. Nooooooooooo!!!
Yes.
Jenn let out a cry of flirty disgust and slapped Dex on his ass. He jumped a bit, pretending it hurt, and grinned at her. A grin I used to think was reserved solely for me.
OK. This was hell. I know what I had imagined earlier but now that I was actually seeing it, it was causing narrowing of the yes. It wasn’t jealousy so much (OK, it was), it was that feeling that Dex knew how I felt about him and yet, here they were… it was uncomfortable to say the least.
From an uncomfortable situation, to having to see something you just don’t want to to have see, to the “horror” part being especially horrific (yet… imaginable even if unimaginable, I could actually properly visualize the scary scenes) to an intense emotional… hrmmm…. “upheaval”. Let’s leave it at that. Who’s at fault? My notes indicate that I was vacillating with that very question.
I’m dying to get this through to those who are worried this is simply a “horror” or paranormal series… “I didn’t know it wasn’t a romance. Dunno how I feel about that.”
Maryse’s Book Blog: It’s romance in it’s own way… The intense attraction and angst between the two main characters is BIG. Your heart is engaged in each book, but book #4 is full on heartrending…your heart and crush-button will be fully activated throughout the series… no worries.
This may not be a “romance” series, per se… but OMG it freakin’ totally IS (ACK!! You almost made me say a bad word, in my adamancy!!) 
But really. It IS romance… just in a different way. In an almost better way, because I, the reader, was forced to languish in my yearning for a realistic amount of time. You’ve done it before. Crushed on someone for months… maybe even a year before (was fun though, even in all of it’s torment, wasn’t it?). This one feels almost like real life, because of it’s “first person” perspective. So as “it” is happening to the main character, it’s really as if it’s happening to YOU!! And does this one continue tormenting or give any sort of relief? My lips are sealed. Ahhhh come on!!! You know me. I never read kissing and tell. 😉 Plus… this series still has a few more books to go. The fun is in the discovery. All I can promise is… this IS fun.
5 STARS!!!! (and more!)
Check out the entire reading order guide: Karina Halle – Experiment in Terror Series Reading Order
Oh and!! I’ve started an “Experiment in Terror Support Group” in the spoiler forum for those who have a need to discuss. After my reaction to book #4, I DEFINITELY needed some support. However I recommend going there only once you’ve caught up with the series so far, so as to avoid spoilers.
P.S.: After receiving numerous recommendations for this series, I knew I had to put it up and look into it ASAP (prompting me into downloading the first book that was free on Amazon). The author in turn, sent me the rest of the series and I must say, I’m absolutely thrilled with it so far!! I haven’t devoured an entire series, all in a row, in ages. But I can’t help it with this one, as it just keeps getting better as it progresses.
Thank you for recommending this series!!! I’ve been devouring books 1-5 over the past few days and am at a loss about what to do with myself now. Like with the Slammed series, I never would have picked these up if it weren’t for your reviews and the series now fits easily among my favorites.
Oh Maggie I’m SO thrilled!!! I’ve been getting that reaction a lot, via email and in our spoiler forum, and I know JUST what you guys mean. I too, hesitated thinking it was mostly going to be just “horror/mystery” but the emotional angst ends up being the biggest part of the series. I LOVE THAT!!!!
Yes! So much angst and wonderfully flawed, relatable characters. Oh, and the witty banter! 😀 Love it! Karina Halle did a fantastic job with these characters!
I’ve been holding off, but I think Beautiful Disaster is up next. Thanks again!
Maggie I’m sure you’ll love it!! I’d love to hear what you think!
I’m going to start the second one since you’ve made such a fuss about this series. I really struggled to get hrough the first one. However, I love finding new titles through your freebie list and recommendations. It saves me a lot of time searching for them myself. So far my summer keepers are the “Alexa O’Brien Huntress”,” Immortal Coil”, and my favorite of the month is the “II AM Triology”.
Keep going Tracy. I don’t make a fuss for nothing, and quite a few (who had some doubts at first) have absolutely become addicted and loved it more with reach installment. And once they get to this book right here… Yep. That reaction up there is real, and not just mine. 😉
Well, you can see I made that comment Wednesday evening and now I’m halfway through book 4 on Friday evening! I’ve had to force myself to read on the treadmill so I get off my behind for a small portion of the day.