Unsettled by Halle

Unsettled by Halle is a twisted, dark thriller that will leave you thinking long after you've finished this short book. The book focuses on two points of view, the first being a serial killer known as Butterfly Kisses. The name comes from a handmade butterfly the killer leave with each victim. Over the course of the storyline, we see Butterfly Kisses become increasingly unhinged. Each kill gets subsequently less satisfying, there is less planning involved to achieve the perfect crime scene, and our killer takes greater risks, seemingly on the verge of wanting to get caught. Additionally, we meet Hadley, an antisocial young woman. Hadley spends most of her days hanging out at her grandmother's gravesite or teaching art classes at a local nursing home. Hadley rarely spends time with anyone, generally only gracing the presence of Kyler, her "friend" with benefits, or Rhys, her newly turned lover. Kyler is losing his shine as the book starts. He only calls Hadley to hang out when his girlfriend isn't around. Rhys quickly starts becoming more of a staple in her life, often coming to sit with her at the cemetary or visiting her at home. To give Halle credit, it took me a bit to figure out where the storyline was headed, but she did a great job of adding in more and more hints to reveal Butterfly Kiss's identity. This book was engaging all the way through and I'd love to know more about what comes next for Hadley and Rhys. I received a free copy of this book and am leaving an honest review voluntarily. Character development: 4/5 Dark elements: 5/5 Steamy scenes: 5/5 Overall storyline: 4.5/5 Triggers: Yes, indeed - murder, knife/blood play, mental health struggles