Series Review: Experiment in Terror by Karina Halle (books 1-4)

My ratings for these books so far range from 3.5 up to 5 Stars

3.5/4 Stars 

There’s always been something a bit off about Perry Palomino. Though she’s been dealing with a quarter-life crisis and post-college syndrome like any other twentysomething, she’s still not what you would call “ordinary.” For one thing, there’s her past which she likes to pretend never happened, and then there’s the fact that she sees ghosts. Luckily for her, that all comes in handy when she stumbles across Dex Foray, an eccentric producer for an upcoming webcast on ghost hunters. Even though the show’s budget is non-existent and Dex himself is a maddening enigma, Perry is instantly drawn into a world that both threatens her life and seduces her with a sense of importance. Her uncle’s haunted lighthouse provides the perfect catalyst and backdrop for a horrific mystery that unravels the threads of Perry’s fragile sanity and causes her to fall for a man, who, like the most dangerous of ghosts, may not be all that he seems.

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My thoughts on DARKHOUSE (Book 1): I started this series at the recommendation of a friend. We were talking about cliffhanger ending and she mentioned Ashes to Ashes (Book 8) and I was immeditatly intrigued. To say I am a glutton for punishment is an understatement. I read this book and while I was not fully taken with this series it had that little something that I love in this type of series so I immediately picked up book two....

4 Stars

With Book Two of the Experiment in Terror Series, Perry Palomino and Dex Foray trade in the stormy Oregon coast for the unforgiving deserts of New Mexico. 

In the for­got­ten town of Red Fox, New Mex­ico, a Navajo cou­ple is tor­tured by things unseen and by motives unknown. Wild ani­mals slink through their house in the dark, a bar­rage of stones pound their roof nightly, and muti­lated sheep car­casses are turn­ing up on their prop­erty. Armed with a cam­era and just enough to go on, Perry and Dex travel to the des­o­late locale, hop­ing to film the super­nat­ural occur­rences and add cred­i­bil­ity to their flail­ing web­cast. Only their show has a lot more work­ing against them than just grow­ing pains. Tested by dubi­ous ranch hands, a ghost from Dex’s past, and shapeshift­ing decep­tion, the ama­teur ghost hunters must learn to trust each other in order to fight the most ancient of myths…or die trying.


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My thoughts on RED FOX (Book 2): I started book already familiar with the characters and that made this one a bit smoother, no awkward first few chapters while I was being introduced into this world, like there was in book one. I felt the story was more developed also. If felt more thought out and the writing was spectacular. I was still very engrossed and knew I would continue on but at the same time still had not fallen in book love yet. But a strong crush was beginning to form. I paused this series monetarily to read the final book of another series that I loved but knew as soon as I was finished that I would be back to continue on to book three....

3.5/4 Stars

With the Experiment in Terror show finding some success, amateur ghost hunters Perry Palomino and Dex Foray embark on their most terrifying investigation yet. A tiny, fog-shrouded island in the rough strait between British Columbia and Washington State has held a dark secret for decades: It was a former leper colony where over forty souls were left to rot, die and bury each other. Now a functioning campground, Perry and Dex spend an isolated weekend there to investigate potential hauntings but as the duo quickly find out, there is more to fear on D’Arcy Island than just ghosts. The island quickly pits partner against partner, spiraling the pair into madness that serves to destroy their sanity, their relationship and their very lives


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My thoughts on DEAD SKY MORNING (Book 3): Up to this point I have to say that this book, by far, had the best storyline. So many things happening between Dex and Perry, so many past secrets coming to life. I would have given this book a very strong four except for that little thing that I like to call..... my BIGGEST pet peeve. The editing in this book (kindle) was awful. You could hardly find a sentence that didn't have a typo. I know it is to be expected sometimes with indie/self pubbed authors, however, if I am going to hand over my money for a book (no matter how inexpensive) I would just like to know the author at least took the time to proofread a few times. That being said I did buy book four. Had this been book one and this was the standard of writing I was to judge this series by, I may have given up at that moment. But I had two other books under my belt with this series so I know this was more of an exception, not the rule. Book four did not disappoint....

5 Stars

Ama­teur ghost-hunter Perry Palomino has bat­tled ghosts, fought off skin­walk­ers and skirted the fine line between life and death. But can she sur­vive bunk­ing down in Seat­tle for a week with her partner (and man she secretly loves) Dex and his perfect girl­friend, Jennifer? And can she do so while being tor­mented by a mali­cious spirit from Dex?s increas­ingly shady past? With love and life in the bal­ance, Perry must dis­cover the truth among the lies or risk los­ing every­thing she's ever cared about.


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My thoughts on LYING SEASON (Book 4): This is the point at which I tell you I am now officially in love with this series. I am PISSED off and completely run through the ringer but in love nonetheless. Dex and Perry's relationship, or lack thereof, has been the most frustating part of this whole series. Will they get together or won't they? The sexual tension between the two is pretty much nuclear. And then there is Jennifer, Dex's girlfriend. You finally meet her face to face in this book and the experience is, well, interesting to say the least. You also get to meet several other people who have been mentioned throughout the series. I don't wanna say to much because meeting them is half the fun. I would gladly read the rest on this series in a back to back marathon but I am going to force myself to take a break and read others. I know once I get to Ashes to Ashes that I will have to WAIT for the next book. I really SUCK at waiting.... 

I hope you all will check out this series. Even if you aren't a huge fan of the first book keep going... give it a chance. It is only getting better! I look forward to reading the rest of this series to see where it takes me.


~S


 Also from this series The Benson Experiment (Book 2.5). I have not read this one yet. I believe I will wait and use it to sooth my series hangover in the end