Actual score: 3.5 stars. I received this as an eGalley from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
First let me say, not my genre of choice. I read the first in this series "Kill Me Softly" and was pleasantly surprised. So when I saw this book come up on my list, I was very excited. Sarah Cross does an excellent job of trying to get her readers invested in the story. However, I did not care for this one as much as the first. I really enjoyed the descriptions, settings, and general feeling of the underworld. Cross is excellent at creating moods and keeping them where the reader should be. Overall, I struggled with this story mostly because I liked the villain better than the protagonist. I am very open to a novella about Regina - her story, being a loving mom, and how it all turned. Her story was hinted at in Tear You Apart. It was very difficult for me to like or have any sympathy for Viv. Much of the story is predictable - boy loves girl, girl doesn't want boy, bitterness, love, drama, girl makes rash decision, consequences... Things escalate rather dramatically towards the end. I appreciate the turn around Viv makes and the realizations she has about herself and life.
I would cautiously recommend this to those who enjoyed the first book. I would be more inclined to recommend it to girls who enjoy very dramatic and slightly dark tales.
Last, I would continue to read this series in the hopes that another book will match my adoration of the first.