Book Review: Poker Face

Poker Face (The Mask Series #4)

By: Melissa Pearl

Published By: Melissa Pearl

Publication Date: February 23, 2015

Page Count: 246

Buy it at Amazon or Smashwords

Source: ARC Kindly Provided for Blog Tour

Audience: Young Adult/New Adult - Fantasy

Review of Book #1: True Colors

Review of Book #2: Two-Faced

Review of Book #3: Snake Eyes

Poker Face is the final book in Melissa Pearl's Mask Series. The series starts out with Caitlyn as a fairly innocent high school senior in True Colors. But by Poker Face, Caity has been through hell more than once and is now fighting for her life. 

 At the end of Snake Eyes, Caity finds that she as been kidnapped. Poker Face begins as Caity realizes she has been sold to Santiago for the use of her power. She is in Las Vegas to help with security for Santiago's casino, Palacio del Diablo, in addition to helping he and his nephew, Bruno, cheat in high stakes poker games. Caity wants to refuse to use her power, but Santiago threatens to hand her over to Bruno if she fails at her job. Bruno's lascivious grins make Caity's stomach turn, so she does all she can to please Santiago. 

Meanwhile, Eric is grieving the loss of his grandfather and stunned at the reappearance of his father. He also is dumbfounded at Caity's disappearance and turns to Dale and Nicole to help him figure out what happened to her. They go to Detective Sullivan of the LAPD who had helped them before. He eventually figures out that Quella's father, Diego Mendez, was wanted for human trafficking. Eric and Detective Sullivan assume the worst - that Caity has been sold and they have no idea where she could be. 

 The rest of the book continues back and forth between Eric and Caity. Caity is trying to keep it together working for Santiago, fending off Bruno's advances, and resigning herself to the fact the no one knows where she is and could not possibly be looking for her. Eric and his father get a big breaking in looking for Caity, but going to Las Vegas means they could be walking right into Lucian Marchant's hands. 

 There is a lot of action in Poker Face! Poor Caity gets pretty beat up when she makes some foolish decisions. Eric is headstrong and lets his emotions dictate his actions...which gets him into trouble. This really annoyed me about Eric because I could see exactly what his behavior would lead to! But a book needs drama, right? I won't give away the ending, but I will say I'm a bit ambivalent about it. It seems as though it was inevitable, so I will say the ending was fitting to the story. 

 Great job on a wonderful series, Melissa Pearl! I enjoyed it from beginning to end!

Summary:

When Caitlyn Davis agreed to work with the FBI, she never imagined it would lead to her own kidnapping. But her special ability to read people's emotions and decipher the truth has attracted the unwanted attention of Santiago Gomez, a rich casino owner who intends to use Caity’s talent to further his own business. 

 Eric Shore knew Caity didn't want to break up with him; her scribbled note left on his bed gave him a snippet of the truth she'd been hiding. Still reeling from his brush with death and the loss of his beloved grandfather, Eric throws himself into searching for his girl. 

 With help from his reemerged father and a rogue FBI agent, Eric follows a tenuous lead to Las Vegas, not caring that his rescue attempt could bring him face-to-face with the same man who killed his grandfather and wants him dead as well. 

 While Caity fights to survive the horrors of her slavery, Eric is thrust into a dangerous world that could cost him his life, along with Caity's.

Poker Face by Melissa Pearl 

RELEASE DAY BLITZ 

February 27, 2015

Melissa Pearl was born in Auckland, New Zealand, but has spent much of her life abroad, living in countries such as Jordan, Cyprus and Pakistan... not to mention a nine month road trip around North America with her husband. "Best. Year. Ever!!" She now lives in China with her husband and two sons. She is a trained elementary teacher, but writing is her passion. Since becoming a full time mother she has had the opportunity to pursue this dream and her debut novel hit the internet in November 2011. Since then she has continued to produce a steady stream of books, ranging in genres from Fantasy to Contemporary Romance. She loves the variety and is excited about the books she has coming up in 2015. 

"I am passionate about writing. It stirs a fire in my soul that I never knew I had. I want to be the best writer I can possibly be and transport my readers into another world where they can laugh, cry and fall in love."