Hostage (Criminals Captives, #2) By Annika Martin
Annika Martin and Skye Warren are a powerhouse writing team, and they proved it once again with Hostage. Dark and edgy, with brilliant writing and a mesmerizing plot, Hostage was everything I love wrapped up in one fantastic book.
I let you live that night, and now you're in my debt. Understand? You're mine.
The characters in this story were unforgettable, each different in their own way but so perfect for each other. Stone broke my heart so many times over. His character was so well-written in its complexities. He was this unstoppable force of strength, violent and angry, focused and vengeful. At the same time, he was fiercely protective and loyal. The connection he forged with Brooke was unexpected, and at the same time it was unstoppable. I loved seeing the other sides to his personality with her, and I really loved that he never lost that edge that made him who he was. Brooke's character was just as intriguing as Stone's. She lived in a world in which she never felt she belonged, and meeting Stone gave her something she never knew she craved. She was brave without really knowing it, and she saw something in Stone that no one else did. Their interactions were always so intense, two people from different worlds clashing together with the threat of violence always surrounding them. Martin and Warren write that tension with such believability, and I really enjoyed how unpredictable the storyline was.
I should hate Stone for how he blazed into my life with all his heat and fury and passion. I should hate Stone for his intense gaze, and the way his eyes burn into my soul, and the way he kisses me- like he'll die if he doesn't.
There was so much back and forth and push and pull between Brooke and Stone, and it made for some captivating scenes. There were times when I couldn't guess where things would go between them. Their passion and yearning for each other was so raw and only grew stronger over time. Their chemistry burned strong from their very first encounter. Despite their age difference, despite coming from entirely different worlds, there was a magnetic pull between them that neither could resist.
My desire for him is raw. Unbearable. He's the man no boy can measure up to. He's the moon lighting up the vast, dark night of my life.
This was a story about justice and redemption, about healing and finding love in unexpected places. What Stone and his brothers endured as children was horrific, and I wanted so badly to see justice served. The way everything came together in the end was so perfect. Martin and Warren are pure magic together, and I sincerely hope that they have more projects planned in the future.
Hostage (Criminals Captives, #2) But without the darkness, there's nothing left inside me. I'm hollow.
#MindBlown is how I feel after reading this incredible book. This series has made it to my #Favorites list which only applies to a very small percentage of books that I've read. I'm very drawn to broken bad boys, and this series has my cup and my heart running over. While Prisoner and Hostage are part of the Criminals & Captives series, they can be read as standalones. They take place during the same time period and share some characters. I guarantee that reading either or both will have you joining the crew and hanging on every word.
Stone has hardened his heart out of necessity. He doesn't trust anyone other than his brothers. He's learned this the hard way. He uses women to scratch an itch, and names aren't even necessary. He has something more important on his mind, vengeance. He wasn't looking for her, she found him. She saw too much. She witnessed his crime and she became his obsession. He knew it was a risk to let her live, but for the first time, taking a life didn't feel right. She didn't deserve it like the others. She deserved so much more than him, but he couldn't stay away from her.
She was at the wrong place at the wrong time. Hiding out from her obligations, resting her fake smile muscles. She wasn't looking for trouble, but she found it. Trouble that she couldn't lie her way out of or smile through. Trouble with striking green eyes that compelled her to forget her own name. Trouble that followed her into her dreams and became her obsession.
The forbidden attraction between the dangerous man and the dutiful daughter was breaking all the rules. Yes, even criminals have rules, they have to be careful to protect their freedom. They can't risk sharing secrets and especially not feelings. And dutiful daughters wear the latest fashion and receive the most sought-after invitations. The two don't go together. One seeks to remain hidden and the other is always the center of attention. But you know what they say about opposite's attracting, right? Well, what they say about obsession is true also, and the attraction between them might be the last thing either of them want, but it's beyond their ability to contain. And this reader was guilty of standing by with a match ready to ignite the sparks bouncing between them. But alas, my services were not required. Chemistry took care of it, BOOM!
These authors are magic together and I hope they continue to collaborate. Separately they have devious minds, when they put their heads together, they become word wizards. They stirred their cauldron of spells and kept me entranced from beginning to end, unable to look away, unwilling to put it down. As the suspense built and the passion flared they took me on a ride, but they didn't have to tell me to drive, this reader was a willing captive ready to go wherever they directed. I'll be anxiously awaiting our next encounter, engine running, no GPS required. The line forms here... Hostage (Criminals Captives, #2) I couldn’t wait to read this book! This author duo combined forces a couple years back with a book titled Prisoner. If you haven’t read it, take my advice and pick it up. This book is a bit of an offshoot of that book. Centered around a group of men who, as boys, were abducted and thrown into the child sex trade. They’d all gotten out and they all vow brotherhood, a combined force to take down each and every man responsible for the disposable things done to them in their childhood and teen years. This book is darkish but still has a great unconventional love story.
Stone, the oldest of ‘the boys,’ has always taken on the lead role for vengeance. He’s a true anti-hero and is definitely rough around the edges. When our heroine, Brooke, stumbles upon a violent altercation between Stone and a guest at her Sweet-16 Birthday soirée, she’s taken herself. Eye witnesses are never good in the presence of murders, now are they? And so the ‘relationship’ between Brooke and Stone begins...
Love, love, loved this. It has just the right amount of grit and darkness but not cringeworthy. The love story the evolves within the darkness is well paced but not all hearts and flowers. Stone is a decade older than Brooke, a felon, deadbeat of sorts while Brooke is the daughter of wealthy folks from the other side of the tracks. Unconventional to say the least...
Suspenseful and gritty with a side of heart, Hostage will capture your attention and not let go until the very end. I loved the brotherhood between all these guys and I truly hope the authors consider writing more happily-ever-after’s for these lost souls....
Hostage (Criminals Captives, #2) This was one of the best books I've read so far this year!! Hostage by Skye Warren and Annika Martin is a must read. This story has a way of dragging you in and not letting go. I was so engrossed in it that at some points I lost track of time. Just that good. The chemistry, the feels and emotions between Stone and Brooke were so strong I felt them. Stone had a way of pulling you into his world and Brooke, even coming from money was still missing stuff in her life. I really enjoyed this book and I would recommend this to anyone who likes a beautiful story of love and chaos!! Hostage (Criminals Captives, #2) Oh my lord this book… THIS. BOOK. It’s been two days since I finished reading and I’m still breathless whenever I think about this story, I still don’t have the slightest clue how to put into words of the raw, utter brilliance that is HOSTAGE. Both authors write intense and captivating stories on their own – but these two teamed up make for one hell of an explosive duo!
Sooo… HOSTAGE. Innocent rich girl witnessing something horrible and gets abducted by the executing criminal and gradually but surely falls in love with him despite knowing how wrong it is? Stockholm syndrome the umpteenth? Nu-uuuh. Think again.
This story is so much more complicated, so much more complex than that. It’s raw. Abrasive. Haunting. Innocent. A beautifully damaged kind of dark that sucks you in and won’t let go. A journey full of bumps and questionable things, as much dangerous as sizzling hot situations, and a plot so twisty and edgy it’s an impossibility to put the book down.
And the characters… Boy, the characters – main and secondary alike. I’ve met them all in the past, followed Grayson’s journey, know what kind of horrendous past they’ve all had, but getting back to them… witnessing Stone’s, the crew leader’s part of the story was everything I hoped for and more. There’s just layers upon layer of depth to all those characters, and it once again left a lasting imprint on my heart. These brothers – these boys – all deserve their piece of happiness, especially after all the unimaginable pain and suffering they went through, and if they can only achieve that with more blood and murder… so be it. As wrong as it is, I’d still cheer them on!
This story… it gave me chills, had tears pooling in my eyes, had me smiling, aghast, horrified, happy, and whatnot. The anxiety flowing through me, followed by goosebumps, sheer never-ending. And that one scene at the cabin… It almost destroyed me. It hurt so badly to read on, I needed a turn in events so badly… Once you get to that part, I’m sure you’ll understand what I mean.
It’s been almost four years since PRISONER was released – four freaking years – and I have been waiting forever for another one of the basement boys to get their story – I’d almost lost faith there ever would be one. It was the first book by both Skye Warren and Annika Martin I’ve read – the one that got me hooked on them – and one of those stories I remember even years later. Yeah, it had that much of an impact on me. HOSTAGE was just as magnificent and I cannot stress enough how much I want – no, NEED more of those characters! If possibly, with less than a four-year wait this time :) Hostage (Criminals Captives, #2)
Annika Martin À 7 Free read
I NEVER KNEW WHEN HE’D COME TO ME. ONLY THAT HE WOULD.
I’d never even kissed a boy the night I met Stone. The night I saw him kill. The night he spared my life. That was only the beginning.
He turns up in my car again and again, dangerous and full of raw power. “Drive,” he tells me, and I have no choice. He’s a criminal with burning green eyes, invading my life and my dreams.
The police say he’s dangerously obsessed with me, but I’m the one who can’t stop thinking about him. Maybe it’s wrong to let him touch me. Maybe it’s wrong to touch him back. Maybe these twisted dates need to stop. Except he feels like the only real thing in my world of designer labels and mansions.
So I drive us under threat, until it’s hard to remember I don’t want to be there.
Until it’s too late to turn back.
HOSTAGE is a dangerous standalone romance by New York Times bestselling authors Skye Warren and Annika Martin. It’s set in the same world as PRISONER, but can read separately!
Hostage (Criminals Captives, #2)
I want to start off my saying I don’t think I can say enough words or give a worthy review of this spectacular book.
I absolutely loved Hostage and can honestly say it’s one of the best novels I’ve ever read!
From the very start it pulled my right in. Finished it with one go. But I had to wait a day to gather my thoughts and emotions together to write a review.
I’ll start with the characters.
Brooke is sixteen at the start of the story.
She’s such a strong young lady even though she doesn’t know it.
To have so much pressure put on her by her parents and trying to keep up with her peers and not break shows how much inner strength she has. She also has a big heart and compassion for those around her even when they are doing wrong by her.
Stone is a man filled with hate and bitterness. He’s brutal and violent and just doesn’t care for anyone except his crew. His anger is so deep it’s turned into darkness that seeped into his soul so much so that he believes there’s no longer a heart in him. Yet with all that I was still drawn to him.
Brooke and Stone come together in the most violent and terrifying way.
Brooke witnesses a horrific crime being committed by Stone.
From this point on they are bound together. The bond that ties them to one another is deep.
Not just because of what Brooke witnesses but something much stronger.
The saying “looks can be deceiving” is exactly what Brooke and Stone go through.
Their relationship is intense,it’s deep and neither can break the hold they have on one another.
Now the storyline and plot.
It’s incredible!
So much depth and layers to this outstanding book.
Many moving parts to the plot that had me at the edge of my seat and holding my breath at times.
It torn my heart,broke it to pieces and I had to keep the Kleenex box close at hand.
Hostage is an intricate complex story. It is a standalone you don’t have to have read Prisoner to appreciate and understand this one.
Brilliant book! Hostage (Criminals Captives, #2) Skye Warren & Annika Martin ate brilliant together. Hostage is book 2 in the Captives & Criminals series but it can be read as a standalone. I have not read book 1, but will be rectifying that immediately.
Stone and Brooke’s story was one I didn’t want to end. I was consumed from the beginning and I didn’t want to put it down.
Brooke has groomed to be a socialite and to be prim and proper at all times. Most decisions are made for her. What happens when you witness a murder on your 16th birthday and the man takes you hostage? Is she next? What happens when the man who should terrify her is the only one who makes her feel safe?
Hostage takes you on a dark and twisted journey that surprises you over and over again. It is told in dual POV and is a MUST read!
Hostage (Criminals Captives, #2) Oh my goddess, this was so good!!!!! Luckily I started the book on a Friday night, I was going to wait until Saturday, which is my stay up late to read night, because I am tired from the work week on Fridays, but, I wanted to read it so bad, I decided to start it, and if I got too tired I could finish it Saturday. Nuh-uh, once I started it, there was no putting it down, there was no looking away, there was only the story. Not only did I stay up late, I had a huge book hangover that kept me awake, and then, it was then first thing I thought of the next morning
Details, for those of you who want them, this is a YA/NA - our heroine is at her sweet 16 at the start of the book, and in the book she is 16, 17, and 18, as it progresses. Our hero is an anti-hero, he really is a bad man and does bad things. He doesn't redeem himself or want to change, he is happy the way he is. If you haven't read the previous book in the series, Prisoner, you are fine. It has a complete and separate story line from this story, and the few intersections made are natural. If you have read Prisoner, then you are fine too. There is no repeat of the story, there is some before it, and after it, but no re-doing what has already been done, and you get a bit more of Grayson and Abby
Now, why I loved this book. Brooke was perfection, just perfection, as a girl who had spent her whole life being what she had to be to keep up appearances. She wasn't abused, she wasn't hurt, but she had to be perfect, and that is so not her. Her parents love her, and while they push for this, they also know when she needs to step away and compose herself. When Brooke meets Stone, she knows she is not in a fairy tale, it is real, it is gritty, and it is way out of her league. But she feels a connection with him that she never has with anyone else. She sees him, she knows him, the him that is buried, and as terrified as she is, that comforts her. He has the freedom she is lacking, and as much as she wants part of that, true freedom terrifies her somewhat
Stone has had a rough and horrible life. He is loyal to his brothers, and no one, and nothing else. He doesn't like all the things he has to do, but they need to be done. Brooke is a complication he never expected. He was doing what had to be done, even though it scratched at him to do it. Then he did something very un-Stone like, and just like that, both of their fates were sealed. He doesn't understand her world, he was never even exposed to anything in her world, and he knows she doesn't belong in his. She is his though, and try as he does to stay away and sever the tie, he keeps coming back to her. She welcomes him each time, needing the connection they have as much as he does
This was gritty, and ugly at times, yet Stone and Brooke continued to amaze me with their earnestness and how true to themselves they stayed. They were strong, even when overpowered and things went against them, even the other person. Stone will never be the good guy, and Brooke will always be the good girl, but in each other, they get to be true to who they really are. They need that other half to be whole, and it takes them this story to figure that out - I was just along for the ride! Hostage (Criminals Captives, #2) 4.5 Stars!
I was SO excited to read Hostage by Skye Warren and Annika Martin as Prisoner was a favorite of mine. It was action-packed with a suspenseful theme that honestly had me hooked. I loved Brooke and Stone. In a way their relationship could be considered taboo/unconventional but I honestly thought it was delicious and sexy. There was something about one another that kept drawing each other back. I honestly could not get enough.
While Hostage is in the same world as Prisoner and runs somewhat parallel to Grayson and Abby's story, it is a complete standalone. I loved this story. I thought Stone was dangerous and addicting. I loved his connection to Brooke and despite starting out on scary circumstances, they were always in each other's thoughts, consequences be damned.
I loved that Hostage continued the same storyline in book one where Stone and his crew were on an ongoing quest for vengeance. But when Brooke Carson unknowingly gets caught in the crossfire and gets kidnapped by Stone Keaton, she makes an impression on him. Since that fateful day there was no turning back for either of them. But when secrets and lies come to light will Stone allow his bloodthirsty quest for vengeance to reign supreme over his feelings for Brooke?
I thought this novel was great and enjoyed their hot chemistry and banter. I loved that Brooke saw through Stone's hard exterior and he likewise saw who she was inside and past the facade she put out to the world. This novel was fantastic and I can't wait for more from these talented authors! Bravo! 4.5 Stars! ~Ratula Hostage (Criminals Captives, #2) This is the second book in the series, but it's a standalone book, so you don't have to have read the first one in order to know what's going on with this one. They do intersect at times though, so if you have read it, you can enjoy getting that little extra from the book.
I have almost everything Skye Warren has written, and there's a darn good reason for that. It's because I love to get down and dirty with her books and her heroes. I really want to get down and dirty with Stone, because he's hot.
On her 16th birthday, Brooke leaves the huge status party that her parents have set up to get some fresh air. Her party is huge, but she knows almost no one there since it's all about her parents. When she's standing out in the parking lot, she sees a man beating another man. She tries to chase the attacker off, but he ends up tossing the guy in a van and shoving her in the front, and away they go.
Stone looks at this delicate young woman that he now has to deal with. She's a loose end right now and he can't have her around telling people what he did. He decides that he's going to take her to a park and drown her, since that will be an easy way to die. Except, when they get there, she does something that changes his mind. The two of them cook up a story and he lets her go.
Periodically over the next few years, Stone shows up in her life and her car and tells Brooke to drive. She never knows when it's going to happen or what's going to happen when it does, but she looks forward to it.
Skye and Annika have written a great story that spans several years. They really do well at drawing their characters and creating people that you are cheering for, even if they sometimes have to do terrible things in order to survive. I love how Brooke and Stone just make each other stronger and that gives them a good base to build on. Great story. I can't wait to see what these ladies come up with for us next. Hostage (Criminals Captives, #2)
