McKAYI wasn’t the one who broke her but I played my part.She came to us when she was ten. I raised her. I loved her. I taught her how to survive in a world of evil men. But it wasn’t enough.ADAMI wasn’t the one who saved her but I did my best.She needed me as much as I needed her. Bought and paid for on the auction block. But not for the reasons you think. She was my weapon.DONOVANI wasn’t the … not for the reasons you think. She was my weapon.
DONOVAN
I wasn’t the one who lied to her but I hid her truth. She was broken before I got there. Wild and angry. Defiant and bratty. But she trusted me most. She loved me best.
So I set her free.
Indie Anna Accorsi is a woman lost in her past.
A pretty little nightmare.
A gorgeous piece of misery.
A mess of lovely darkness.
She is creeping beautiful.
And now we want her back.
more
I have to start off with saying that this kind of story isn’t my usual reading…but I was blown away! It was so beautiful and I loved learning Adam, McKay, Donovan, Nate, & Indie’s pasts. I think it was so important that we see how/why she loves them all and their importance in her life!!
This book definitely will keep you entranced until you reach the end! I need the rest of the series…like NOW (lol)!!
MIND BLOWN! This book has so many wow factors, I lost count. I can’t begin to describe how much I LOVED this book! I was riveted from the first page and hung onto every word until the end. I am keeping my review spoiler free so as not to ruin for you.
This book is about The Company World. It is a standalone and you do not have to read any other Company books to understand what is going on here. It is told in multiple points of view, and flips back and forth from past to present. It The storyline is amazing and well-written. It is unique, unpredictable, and has so many twists and turns that your head will spin! It is dark, dangerous, twisted, intense, angsty, suspenseful, some violence, sexy, steamy, mind-bending, thrilling, and addicting. It is filled with secrets and lies that will blow your mind! Just when you think that you know what’s going on…BAM! Plot twists! You read that right! Plural plot twists! And what plot twists they are! In this book, we meet Indie, Adam, McKay, and Donavon. The characters are complex but relatable, unique, and likable. I loved all of them for their unique qualities, their loyalty, what they brought to the table to support one another, and how they treated one another. Characters from other books in The Company make appearances, and some questions you may have had about them are answered.
This story took me on one heck of a ride! I loved the twists and turns and utter shock at some of the revelations. My mouth literally gaped open. Julie truly outdid herself on this one. It is so different from her other books (but in the best way), so addicting! I was sucked in from the first page and it didn’t let me go. I’m still reeling from reading it. I am impatiently waiting for the next book, Pretty Nightmare, in the series! So buckle up. This isn’t for the faint of heart but it is so worth the ride! I feel like I want to read it again (which I don’t do rereads often) just to experience it again. Hurry ladies! Hurry up and grab your copy so you can get lost in this world Julie created with her words.
****ARC generously provided in exchange for an honest review.****
We’ve devoured all Julie’s other stories, so we are a little surprised this one didn’t hit all the right spots for us.
The characters were captivating, hello McKay , they are unique in their own way, they were the reason this is a 4-star review.
The story consists of the past and present jumps by 4 pov’s. You Really need to pay attention, as for us, the storyline got a wee bit confusing in places.
It was intriguing with all the twists, turns and secrets but it was easy to get a little lost along the way.
On the whole, this was an amazing story and we would definitely encourage others to read it.
Here is hoping book 2 knocks it out of the park.
Reviewer: Kylie and Natalie
This was … hmmm, okay … um …. OKAY, so what had happened was …. *looks around nervously* … I don’t fucking know, okay. I have no clue what I just read. I mean I knooooooow what I just read but …. I’m not sure. I know it is the beginning of something and that something is epically compelling and uniquely twisted. I am in awe. This is not a fluff piece. Your mind will always be engaged during your read. If you try and skim, you’ll have to go back so just don’t do it because there is not a single moment in this timeline that you will want to miss. Trust me on this. This book is mentally exhausting but worth it. I cannot stress this enough LOL IT IS WORTH IT.
This is just the beginning, but I wouldn’t wait for the books to be published before I started reading. This is an epic mind-fuck and you’re gonna want to breath between books #TRUST
Another amazing JA Huss creation explodes its way out of the page and straight into your totally focussed, engaged and awestruck mind. How the hell does she come up with these incredible plots and equally compelling characters? I consistently fall in love with them and find myself thinking about them at random times! That is one amazing talented woman!!
As always, I found myself engrossed in learning about each of these new additions to the world of The Company. Indie, Adam, McKay and Donovan are intense, interesting, multi-faceted and woven into each other with emotional ties that have been years in the making. Intelligent writing which sets a pace that leaves no room at all, for idling around, Creeping Beautiful is a masterpiece of twisted thinking, mystery, emotions and, as is always the case with a book by JA Huss, I could not put it down. With a long term plot in the making, I am going to bask in the joy of knowing that so much more is to come. Bliss!!!
Holy Heck, this story was way more than I was expecting.
Of course, I should have known better, lol, it is a JA Huss book and it’s written in her own inimitable style. I don’t know how she does it. I’d love to see inside her head, just once, lol. As with most of this author’s books, this one is full of twists and turns, open ended comments and little insights that made me go. Oh, so that’s how that happened, or, made me want, NO need to read other books that I hate to admit, I haven’t read yet, just to get more information, which will probably send me down yet more rabbit holes-er, books. 😉
This is Indie Anna Arcossi’s story. She shares it with three men. It starts off when she ten. Most of the story is told in flashbacks showing her growing up, progressing to the present day. It’s not a gentle life she’s leading, but she’s not your average child. Indie is something… more. Different… deadly.
This is an intensely engaging story, it’s got some harsh moments, sweet times. Darkness squeezes through the light and each character, no matter how jaded or jagged, will pull emotions out of you. They will get under your skin. They’ll take you down and keep you hostage while you wonder just who is running the show?
If you’re looking for a simple love story, then look elsewhere. There’s so much more than that going on here. And more to follow too. So many questions still need to be answered.
This was a spell-binding, nerve-tingling read and I can’t wait to get my hands on book 2. I need it now!!!
Most unique Character Intro Ever!!
The Company is a dangerous organization which basically rules the lives of those who are a part of it. A story of three young men who “rescue” a young girl and take her under their wing. Of course, she is built to be a killer, as are they all. Twists and turns and many surprises.
You get under the skin of each character, but no character knows all events, so the reader must work to understand the timeline. The young men meet the girl Indie when she is age 10. You are told a major event happens on her 20th birthday. This story slowly unveils in intervening years and events which lead to present day (4 years after the event).
Fascinating and intriguing. This would make a splendid box office thriller!
**I am voluntarily leaving my honest review of this book**
This book is a mind bend experience, when the company is involved there is always secrets, lies and so many dark things.
This book holds your attention and you just want to continue turning pages to understand what happened, but with this it was just no what she remembered but what really happened. You go with all the characters true so much emotions.
The three guys are all intriguing and delicious in his own way. I just want a McKay for myself.
Indie was a very intriguing heroine, and you just want to help her and then understand her.
I don’t want to say more because I think anything could be a spoiler. This books is better to read it just with the prologue.
I can’t wait to read more, I have so many questions and there are so many lies and intriguing this that when I finished I was left thinking and trying to pice the puzzles!!!
I can’t even begin to unpack everything that goes on in this book. All you need to know is that it was an absolute on the edge of your seat kind of story…from beginning to end. This story does take place in The Company world. I’ll admit….I have not yet read those books (although it IS my goal to get those babies read in short order). You do NOT have to read them in order to love this story. JA Huss weaves an absolutely magical story in a not so magical world, where not everyone is as they seem and there are powerful organizations controlling the world and our lives. Every other chapter brought new surprises (or perhaps old surprises) and some of JA Huss’ other stories begin to converge. Indie is insane….or is she? She loves these men who raised her, who trained her to be who she is. Donovan, McKay and Adam, all hold a part of her and she holds a part of them. This is a merry-go-round of emotions and secrets and true fuck-uped-ness and it is a ride I’d take again.
Creeping Beautiful by J.A. Huss is a romantic suspense with lots of twist and turns. It focuses on the story of Mackay, Adam, Donovan and Indie, four people that came together at an early age and went through things that were unimaginable. The story begins right in the middle of the action with something happening and us the reader trying to follow along to figure it out. Within that we also have the backstory of their dark pasts and how they are all intertwined together both positively and negatively as well as an incident which has left indie with amnesia.
This story is full of darkness, twists and turns as well as pulling you into this fractured ‘family’. Told from different POV, you really get a feel for the characters and the situations that they find themselves in and have been put into through their pseudo-government. There is mystery in every paragraph written and sexiness strewn throughout with four characters who are unique and don’t fit into the box. I don’t want to give too much away, so you should go and read this book and see what you think!
ARC received for a fair, honest and sometimes long review
More of my reviews can be found on my blog: https://thehotmesslibrary.blogspot.com
This book definitely has an inter web of multiple story lines. A couple different povs with past and present chapters. Just pay close attention. Towards the end I didn’t expect it to go where J.A. took us. This book is so different from her previous ones that I have read. That ending though. I just can’t wait to see what happens next!
I received this book at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher/author to review for Stephanie’s Book Reports.
McKay
I wasn’t the one who broke her but I played my part. She came to us when she was ten. I raised her. I loved her. I taught her how to survive in a world of evil men. But it wasn’t enough.
Adam
I wasn’t the one who save her but I did my best. She needed me was much as I needed her. Bought and paid for on the auction block. But not for the reasons you think. She was my weapon.
Donovan
I wasn’t the one who lied to her but I hid the truth. Shew as broken before I got there. Wild and angry. Defiant and bratty. But she trusted me most. She loved me best.
So I set her freeIndie Anna Accorsi is a woman lost in her past. A pretty little nightmare.. A gorgeous piece of misery. A mess of lovely darkness. She is creeping beautiful. And now we want her back.
Holy freaking wow!! I read this book days ago and knew that I had to take the time and figure out how I was going to write this review. Well, I am still at a loss. I think that it impossible to tell you anything about this book. I knew it was dark but it is beyond that. This one is going to mess with your mind. This is romantic suspense at its finest. It is twisted and messed up and full of characters that your going to want to know everything you can know about them. It is told from four points of views and in the past and present. If you love dark and twisted your going to not want to miss this one. I have read a lot of J.A. Huss books but this one is on a whole other level.
Received ARC from Author for Honest Review.
I Give this Book a 4.5/5 Star Rating, Listing as 4.
Cliffhanger(?): Goodness Gracious, I Hope So! Lol
Heat: 5/5
Romance: 3.5(?)-4(?)/5, can’t fully decide on this rating.
Drama: 5/5
Suspense: 5/5
Dark: 3(?)/5
Relationship Type: Reverse Harem
Let me tell you, when you see ‘J. A.Huss’ on the cover, you know immediately the book your currently looking at is going to be good!
I Don’t want to give away Spoilers on this book.
I was sucked into this book till I didn’t even realize what time it was! Lol
There’s so much going on, but it like… ‘fluid chaos(?)’ Ton if things happening yet it’s breathable and flows good throughout and I personally didn’t find it confusing.
I haven’t read The Company books, I definitely should read them just to get a fi feel of this universe.
Man…at the end of this book… I have so many questions!! Lol
I sincerely cannot wait for the next book!
Bring it on!
Wow, what a mind-blowing story this is!! This is a beautifully written tale which is intense, suspenseful, romantic, and riveting which all lead to a twisted and mesmerizing read with complex characters and plot. I was on tenterhooks throughout. This gifted author has done a phenomenal job in penning this story, which I highly recommend for all.
“It’s a hard lesson to learn, but not everyone’s worth saving.”
Riveting!
I was glued to my kindle from the moment I met Adam and Indie
Everything a romantic thriller should be!
I’m not sure where to start. I definitely don’t want to risk any spoilers
Let’s start with the timeline of the story
It bounces back and forth from past to present, spanning a bit over a decade. It also switches between POV’s for Indie, Adam, McKay and Donovan.
It may sound a bit confusing but the author made the transitioning between characters and time periods flow almost seamlessly
“Just men. Just humans who make it up as they go, like the rest of us. They are liars, and cheaters, and killers. They are sick, and twisted, and ruthless. They are afraid, lonely, and scared, just like the rest of us. ”
The cast
Just WOW
A diverse and detailed mix of personalities. I connected with each of them almost immediately. I could hear their voices, see their expressions.
The story itself
I actually suffered a book hangover. I finally turned the last page in the we hours , long passed my bed time.
Indie is quite the conundrum. Innocent yet deadly. So many possibilities hidden in her mind.
Adam is bored so he sets a plan in motion. How to describe this?
He is the child of a high ranking member of a secret organization, an untouchable if you will.
But times change, people change as do allegiances.
This is the beginning, the period of bargaining if you will.
Creeping Beautiful takes the reader on a twisted journey where the past and the present collide.
Where reality isn’t quite as real as it seems.
Friends are a questionable commodity like the truth, a rare thing.
If you enjoy stories that drag you too the edge.
That cause your breath to stall and your heart to pound.
That keep you guessing – never quite sure which direction is up.
Then this is it
(Would trade my morning coffee for this read in a heart beat)
Disclaimer: I was given the opportunity to read this book for posting an honest review.
Creeping Beautiful is written differently to J. A. Huss usual style, showing a maturity as a writer, but it’s easy to follow, intriguing and refreshing as well. Don’t get me wrong in thinking her other books are below par, because they aren’t, and I would know because I have read them all, and give 5 stars to all of them.
Within the pages you will find beautiful metaphors crafted so brilliantly they leave an imprint on your mind, immersing you into the novels mysterious and unconventional world, and she does this by equally balancing the characters as they mature and evolve through the book.
Indie is the central character. We learn she is full of contradictions. She can be wild and calm. And she can be calm within chaos. She was purchased by Adam when she was 10, and he protected her. His best friend McKay raised her and trained her, and their friend Donavon counselled her. These three men spent the next 14 years devoted to her.
We learn that something happened in Santa Barbara, before this novel begins, and that the three men had a part in its demise. Their world has no room for ethics or moral code, but do they begin to question if their raising of Indie was the right choice considering her ‘condition’ ? Do they become remorseful of the things they made her do and the things that were done to her?
Their world is dark, and unforgiving. They and others are a part of a pseudo government, where intrigue, lies, betrayals, secrets, and psyops are just the everyday norm.
Sprinkled throughout we learn something terrible happened to Indie on her twentieth birthday that induced traumatised amnesia. To unravel this Creeping Beautiful flits between the now and then. The then starts 14 years prior and weaves it’s way beautifully through the novel to the now, showing us how the main characters developed over time and their relations with each other, and with Indie, and Indie with them.
There is a secret that everyone but Indi knows. A secret that has people on a knifes edge should she find out. We know Adam, McKay and Donavon are privy to that secret, but are they holding secrets from each other? And to further complicate matters, Indie loves the boy next door, stressing an already difficult family structure.
I love this book so much I’m reading it for a second time. It’s the first in its own series. Huss has been able to weave and connect this book to the Rook and Ronin series and their spin offs, and to the Come series with my all time favourite mad and bad anti hero James Fenichi and his wife Harper. Huss did this so expertly that you don’t need to read the other books to know what has happened or is happening to impact on Creeping Beautiful as she gives you all the crumbs that you need to know.
Wow!! If you love a book that will pull you in, make you feel and live out the story every step of the way with each and every omen if the characters then this is definitely a book for you! It’s a constant rollercoaster ride for your mind and heart that I couldn’t put down. A mind blowing and heart wrenching, page turner that will keep you begging for more.
Three hot men, one boy next door, and one white-hot mess of a girl create a ripe garden of possibilities in J.A. Huss’ Creeping Beautiful. The author’s superb scene setting, fantastically tormented characters, and intricately entwined plot make for the most enthralling reading. Just like the intriguing cover, Creeping Beautiful is filled with fabulous symbolism that kept me questioning everything and everyone from the start to the finish.
Indie, Adam, McKay, Donovan and Nathan’s story is told in multiple POV, and the timeline toggles back and forth from the present to various points in the past that have greatly affected the main characters. Interspersed in the narrative are a smattering of recorded conversations that add to the story and character development in addition to creating an interesting story layout. Ms. Huss provides an excellent backstory and character development. Creeping Beautiful is the perfect setup for a series without feeling like a series starter book, until the incredibly suspenseful cliffhanger ending.
Creeping Beautiful is definitely a standalone read, however, for long time fans, who have read the author’s prior work, you can see the parallel and concurrent timelines of various other stories via literary Easter eggs. This story left me (and clearly a few characters) wondering who is running the show, and whose version of reality is closest to the truth. The book left me thirsting for more, and I know that the author will fill my cup and then some as the series progresses.
#MustRead2020
I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads, so here is my review.
This story is just WOW! It is a suspenseful story to keep you on the edge of your seat until the end kind of story. The main characters are part of The Company that makes assassins. Adam has McKay, who was gotten for him when they were young so Adam would not be alone. Now Adam is looking for a young girl to train. On the island, there are many young girls to choose from but he knows which one he wants when he sees her.
Creepingly Beautiful was what came to mind when Adam first saw Indie Anna Accorsi. He knew she was the one he wanted to bring home. And everyone else was bidding on her too. But Adam got what he came after. She was 10 years old when she came to live with Adam and McKay. While Adam was her protector, McKay was her trainer and Donavan was the one to help keep her mind safe. And then there was Nathan St. James, the boy next door well he lived across the woods from them.
For years she would do a job, Donavan would talk to her and help her process things and Nathan would be her friend and then her boyfriend. Sometimes Indie would disappear but she couldn’t remember where she went. It was like her mind was hiding things from her.
After being gone for four years, Indie finally comes back and the four are back together. And the things that happened and the reasons she left all come back. Can they help Indie remember without her losing her mind for good? Will She leave again when she learns the truth? Will they find out who was in control of her mind?
This was a mind-bending story that will have you glued to your kindle because you have to know what will happen next. It is a dark and twisted story and I want to see where book 2 goes.
**Wicked Reads Review Team**
Ahuge WOW—- what an amazing read.
This wonderful book is mind- blowing absolutely overwhelming .. It is a book that you can’t put down you are completely absorbed to every word written.
The Company is an organization that trains the protegees to be assassins at a young age.
Adam , McKay , Donovan are the main characters with Indie Anna Accorisi who has been purchased …
The boy next door is Nathan St James don’t forget him !
Full of suspense you think you know what will happen think again !! You don’t !
JA Huss is a wonderful story teller the journey she takes the reader is one of living a completely different life . An amazing read full of everything that I adore.. Wonderful work again J A Huss…