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The Katiller #1
Kenan
A Turkish hit squad goes rogue. An American surgeon faces a life-and-death choice. A terrorist group bent on murder draws ever closer. Assassinations rarely follow the plan, even when you’re the demolitions expert for the Ghazi’s top hit squad, the Katiller. Kenan gets caught in the crossfire when their latest hit goes south. Bleeding out on the cobblestones of Milan, the one person who can help him is the last person he expects. Just off her shift at a nearby hospital, American surgeon Kris Marshall thought she was done saving lives for the day—until Kenan falls at her feet half dead. She doesn’t realize saving him will put herself and her friends in the sights of the world’s deadliest terror organization. Honor demands the Katiller protect Kris and her friends, since she saved one of their own, but the Ghazi call for her elimination. On the run across the lush Italian countryside and the icy beauty of the Swiss Alps, Kenan discovers that there is always a choice between life and death. A choice that might cost him everything.
354 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 21, 2015
9 people are currently reading
23 people want to read
About the author
Karis Waters
1 book25 followersI'm a globe-trotting missionary journalist and travel photographer, who's secretly a homebody, fiction writer and book nerd. I travel the world creating short documentary videos on Operation: Mobilization ministry projects. In my spare time, I write sci-fi and action-adventure novels and am an editor for Crosshair Press.I'm a Kansas girl transplanted to northern England, despite disliking both rain and milk in my tea.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 21, 2017
Kris knows how to treat wounds, so when she sees a man shot during a bombing, she rushes in to help. Trouble is, her patient is a hitman. Within the day, Krys, her two roommates, and four elite hitmen gone rogue are on the run from an international terrorist organization.
Note on ratings:
* Horrible.
** Below average
*** Average. Not good or bad.
**** Above average
***** Above and beyond
Content: **** (Content based off my personal level of squeamishness.)
Lots of action violence and blood loss, but nothing graphic. I can't recall any swearing, unless it was in Turkish.
Originality and world building: ****
World building is kind of light, which isn't a problem for a book like this since it kept it from getting mired down in politics like some other stories I've read, though I did wish I knew a bit more about the political situation. I enjoyed that the author didn't seem to be visibly pushing an agenda. The plot line is pretty good.
Characters and their Arcs: ****
This is where the book excelled. Each character had their own personality and quirks. I think the arcs are probably going to be series-long, so the arcs weren't that huge. Bener was probably my favorite of the four hitmen.
Writing style and Pacing: *****
The writing is quite sound. If anything, the pacing may have been a bit fast, but then again, I'm not that experienced with thrillers.
What I liked:
The characters and the mental image of four tough hitmen running around with three American girls. The humor in here is quite funny too, and the relationships between the characters.
What I didn’t like:
I didn't get some things done because I couldn't put this book down.
Is it worth reading?
Yes, and it's not very expensive on Kindle. Also, there are some shorts here. (Note that you should read the oldest ones first. Some of the new ones have spoilers for the first book.)
Note on ratings:
* Horrible.
** Below average
*** Average. Not good or bad.
**** Above average
***** Above and beyond
Content: **** (Content based off my personal level of squeamishness.)
Lots of action violence and blood loss, but nothing graphic. I can't recall any swearing, unless it was in Turkish.
Originality and world building: ****
World building is kind of light, which isn't a problem for a book like this since it kept it from getting mired down in politics like some other stories I've read, though I did wish I knew a bit more about the political situation. I enjoyed that the author didn't seem to be visibly pushing an agenda. The plot line is pretty good.
Characters and their Arcs: ****
This is where the book excelled. Each character had their own personality and quirks. I think the arcs are probably going to be series-long, so the arcs weren't that huge. Bener was probably my favorite of the four hitmen.
Writing style and Pacing: *****
The writing is quite sound. If anything, the pacing may have been a bit fast, but then again, I'm not that experienced with thrillers.
What I liked:
The characters and the mental image of four tough hitmen running around with three American girls. The humor in here is quite funny too, and the relationships between the characters.
What I didn’t like:
I didn't get some things done because I couldn't put this book down.
Is it worth reading?
Yes, and it's not very expensive on Kindle. Also, there are some shorts here. (Note that you should read the oldest ones first. Some of the new ones have spoilers for the first book.)
December 31, 2016
I've been excited to read this book for a few months, mostly because of the character stories and excerpts shared on the publisher's blog. Set an unknown time into the future, the story follows four members of a squad in the Ghazi, a secret terrorist organization. Their hit in Italy goes wrong when one of the team gets injured and they are forced to rely on a young American doctor for help. And of course, her two girl friends tag along on the adventure.
At first I was worried that this was going to be a "romance-on-the-run" type book but I like the way it turned out. Yes, there are some hints of romance but it's a more natural progression. I liked the girls for the most part. They were pretty good characters and all had completely different personalities. As for the members of the hit squad who want nothing more than to leave the Ghazi? I loved every single one of them.
The dialogue was quick and snappy and I loved the interaction between the four "brothers". I hated to see the ending of the book and I can't wait for the rest of the series! Highly recommended for anyone who likes fast paced adventure, light romance, and strong male/female leads.
Content warning - there were a handful of mild curse words as a heads up if you don't like that. And several times characters were worried about what would happen to the girls if the Ghazi captured them. Nothing explicit though. None of it detracts from the story at all, so if you're ok with it, give this book a try!
At first I was worried that this was going to be a "romance-on-the-run" type book but I like the way it turned out. Yes, there are some hints of romance but it's a more natural progression. I liked the girls for the most part. They were pretty good characters and all had completely different personalities. As for the members of the hit squad who want nothing more than to leave the Ghazi? I loved every single one of them.
The dialogue was quick and snappy and I loved the interaction between the four "brothers". I hated to see the ending of the book and I can't wait for the rest of the series! Highly recommended for anyone who likes fast paced adventure, light romance, and strong male/female leads.
Content warning - there were a handful of mild curse words as a heads up if you don't like that. And several times characters were worried about what would happen to the girls if the Ghazi captured them. Nothing explicit though. None of it detracts from the story at all, so if you're ok with it, give this book a try!
June 18, 2015
A fun action adventure that never stops moving. It's great to read a book in this genre that manages to keep the story from getting dark. Looking forward to the next book!
Read
January 7, 2016A fun suspense/romance read. A good vacation read for sure.
August 25, 2017
Sympathetic for the Assassins
It's one thing to create a novel where the heroes are upstanding citizens, it's something else to cheer for men who are killers for hire. Kenan and his associates Savas, Eser, & Bener are assassins, The Katiller.
Kris is a physician who saves the wounded Kenan putting her and her roommates, Jena and Stef, at risk from the Ghazi, who are in pursuit of the Katiller.
The story has a tight plot that provides steady action. The characters are well-developed. It's a suspense novel more than a romance although there is good chemistry between the roommates and the members of the Katiller.
It's one thing to create a novel where the heroes are upstanding citizens, it's something else to cheer for men who are killers for hire. Kenan and his associates Savas, Eser, & Bener are assassins, The Katiller.
Kris is a physician who saves the wounded Kenan putting her and her roommates, Jena and Stef, at risk from the Ghazi, who are in pursuit of the Katiller.
The story has a tight plot that provides steady action. The characters are well-developed. It's a suspense novel more than a romance although there is good chemistry between the roommates and the members of the Katiller.
October 7, 2019
This book was fun. It was different from my usual reads, but it was a nice break from my favorite genres. It moved quickly, had lots of good twists and turns and suspense in all the right places. There was also lots of explosions and gunfire, which I liked. :D I loved how the characters' personalities all worked- or didn't- together. It made for some amusing moments, witty banter and also some hilarious moments between Stef and the Ghazi. There were also some sweet moments, too. If this were a movie, I think this is something I'd really like to pick up to watch with my brother. If only I could convince him to read! ;)
March 23, 2020
It's like the road trip from hell that turned out to be your favorite family vacation. Great mix of characters, tight pacing, plenty of action, and a hint of romance. Added bonus: it challenged my very rusty, barely existent, Turkish skills. Looking forward to the next one!
July 30, 2019
LOVED the fast action in this book. But loved the all the characters, especially hunky Kenan, even more! Another book I couldn't put down!
April 17, 2020
I had so much fun reading this book! It was filled with great brother/sister relationships, humor, and a little bit of romance--the perfect book to read after a long day. It lifted my spirits!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews