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A review by readingwithfefe
Unhinged Kallie by Brooklyn Cross
dark
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
1st person/multi pov
Spice: 4/5
Kallie Buchanan grew up with a dark family legacy. Her father, Cain Buchanan, was not only her hero but also one of the most feared and notorious serial killers in the country. Known as "The Chameleon," he had a chilling ability to blend into society and leave no trace of his crimes. It was a legacy that Kallie had learned about at a young age, and while it didn't bother her, it made navigating her own identity outside of their family farm somewhat difficult. She's so independent and constantly wants to prove to herself and her family that she is good enough to follow in her dad's footsteps.
Kallie and her father have always done things their own way, without worrying about what others thought. They didn't follow the usual rules or societal norms, and they were okay with that. But as Kallie got older, she started to struggle with her emotions, especially when it came to her feelings for kind of sorta stepbrother, Carter Kohlmann. He came to live with them after his parents were killed in a car accident when he was two. So naturally everyone assumed he was her brother. Awkward. 🥴 Kallie now found herself in a tricky situation, trying to keep her feelings a secret and manipulate things behind the scenes. But she couldn't help constantly watching his every move, and doing whatever it took to make sure he stayed hers and hers alone.
After losing his parents Carter came to live with the Buchanans and a few years later Kallie was born. As he grew up his goal was to avoid trouble at all costs. This included any romantic involvement between him and Kallie, even though his feelings for her got stronger every day. But when the girl you're falling for has a serial killer for a father and is also the man who raised you the last thing you want to do is end up on his bad side by cozying up to his little girl. But when an evil from the past threatens the family once again, Carter has no choice but to turn to the man he fears most in this world in order to protect the person he loves the most.
I loved that we get to see the dilemma Carter goes through as he and Kallie get older. Attending high school, new circles of friends, personas that must be kept in public to avoid outing the family business, and navigating the teenage dating scene full of hormones and jealousy. This section of the book builds so much tension and will have you on the edge of your seat wondering what unhinged thing will happen next! The spice is slow to build in this book since a big portion of the book shows them growing into adulthood. But once they are there be ready for things to start heating up and getting wild. The way these two tap into their inner selves around each other is scorching hot and they live up to all the crazy that you would expect from the Buchanan family. Be ready for some laughs as well because there are a few spots that I almost passed out I was laughing so hard! Brooklyn never fails to lighten the darkness of her stories with some well-timed and twisted humor! It's not all sunshine and rainbows though - there were definitely some parts that had me sobbing and all in my feelings. I have to hand it to Brooklyn though for writing a story that will take you through the whole spectrum of emotions lol. And the epilogue... I was an absolute mess! It wrecked me and healed me all at the same time. It's possibly one of my favorite epilogues Brooklyn has written.
Now just like Cain's book, Unhinged Kallie is not for the faint of heart. It is dark and twisted in so many ways but it also gives you a story about love and loyalty that will make your heart melt. So heed those trigger warnings because they are absolutely necessary but if you enjoyed Unhinged Cain then you will love Kallie's story just as much!
Spice: 4/5
Kallie Buchanan grew up with a dark family legacy. Her father, Cain Buchanan, was not only her hero but also one of the most feared and notorious serial killers in the country. Known as "The Chameleon," he had a chilling ability to blend into society and leave no trace of his crimes. It was a legacy that Kallie had learned about at a young age, and while it didn't bother her, it made navigating her own identity outside of their family farm somewhat difficult. She's so independent and constantly wants to prove to herself and her family that she is good enough to follow in her dad's footsteps.
Kallie and her father have always done things their own way, without worrying about what others thought. They didn't follow the usual rules or societal norms, and they were okay with that. But as Kallie got older, she started to struggle with her emotions, especially when it came to her feelings for kind of sorta stepbrother, Carter Kohlmann. He came to live with them after his parents were killed in a car accident when he was two. So naturally everyone assumed he was her brother. Awkward. 🥴 Kallie now found herself in a tricky situation, trying to keep her feelings a secret and manipulate things behind the scenes. But she couldn't help constantly watching his every move, and doing whatever it took to make sure he stayed hers and hers alone.
After losing his parents Carter came to live with the Buchanans and a few years later Kallie was born. As he grew up his goal was to avoid trouble at all costs. This included any romantic involvement between him and Kallie, even though his feelings for her got stronger every day. But when the girl you're falling for has a serial killer for a father and is also the man who raised you the last thing you want to do is end up on his bad side by cozying up to his little girl. But when an evil from the past threatens the family once again, Carter has no choice but to turn to the man he fears most in this world in order to protect the person he loves the most.
I loved that we get to see the dilemma Carter goes through as he and Kallie get older. Attending high school, new circles of friends, personas that must be kept in public to avoid outing the family business, and navigating the teenage dating scene full of hormones and jealousy. This section of the book builds so much tension and will have you on the edge of your seat wondering what unhinged thing will happen next! The spice is slow to build in this book since a big portion of the book shows them growing into adulthood. But once they are there be ready for things to start heating up and getting wild. The way these two tap into their inner selves around each other is scorching hot and they live up to all the crazy that you would expect from the Buchanan family. Be ready for some laughs as well because there are a few spots that I almost passed out I was laughing so hard! Brooklyn never fails to lighten the darkness of her stories with some well-timed and twisted humor! It's not all sunshine and rainbows though - there were definitely some parts that had me sobbing and all in my feelings. I have to hand it to Brooklyn though for writing a story that will take you through the whole spectrum of emotions lol. And the epilogue... I was an absolute mess! It wrecked me and healed me all at the same time. It's possibly one of my favorite epilogues Brooklyn has written.
Now just like Cain's book, Unhinged Kallie is not for the faint of heart. It is dark and twisted in so many ways but it also gives you a story about love and loyalty that will make your heart melt. So heed those trigger warnings because they are absolutely necessary but if you enjoyed Unhinged Cain then you will love Kallie's story just as much!