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The truth is out there...

The Dex-Files is a compilation novel that accompanies the Experiment in Terror Series and is not to be-read as a stand-alone. In the Dex-Files we find a variety of scenes and chapters from the enigmatic Dex Foray's POV from books #1-6 in the series. Some of these scenes have been previously published, albeit from Perry's POV, while other scenes are completely new.

In addition to it not being a stand-alone, the novel also contains some major spoilers and should be read only by those who have read all the published books in the series.

Book #1 - Darkhouse

*Lighthouse Meeting
*Pie Scene
*Jenn and Dex

Book #2 - Red Fox

*Bar Scene - extended
*Playing Nurse


Book #3 - Dead Sky Morning

*Strippers
*Truth or Dare
*Tent Scene

Book #4 - Lying Season

*The Big Question
*The Xmas Party

Book #5 - On Demon Wings

*A Phone Call


Book #6 - Into the Hollow

*Bailout

139 pages, ebook

First published July 27, 2012

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About the author

Karina Halle

123 books16.4k followers
Karina Halle is a screenwriter, a former music & travel journalist, and the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, & USA Today bestselling author of River of Shadows, The Royals Next Door, and Black Sunshine, as well as 70 other wild and romantic reads, ranging from light & sexy rom coms to horror/paranormal romance and dark fantasy. Needless to say, whatever genre you're into, she's probably written a romance for it.

When she's not traveling, she and her husband split their time between a possibly haunted 120 year-old house in Victoria, BC, their sailboat the Norfinn, and their condo in Los Angeles. For more information, visit www.authorkarinahalle.com

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 496 reviews
Profile Image for Georgia ♥ .
420 reviews1,119 followers
May 25, 2013

★STARS★STARS★STARS★STARS★STARS★STARS★STARS★STARS★

ATTENTION: You are about to enter the crazy-ass world that is Dex Foray's mind. Prepare for the ride of your life...

My name is Dex Foray and I’m a hypocrite. Proud of it, too.

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The highly anticipated novella in the Experiment In Terror series from Dex' POV, absolutely freaking delivers everything we hoped.

Heartbreaking,
I was head over heels in love with her. No, that didn’t describe it. I was tear my fucking heart out and throw it at her, beg her to take it into hers. I was falling from the greatest heights with no safety net below. I was giving everything of my own life for hers, giving up every inch of my soul so she could wear it proudly. I was a former king on my knees in front of the queen. A jester begging for a chance. I was powerless, helpless and at her mercy.

funny,
It sounded like a cat being raped by a sad monkey; pained, terrified and sad.

snarky and sarcastic,
I liked staring into her eyes as much as I liked staring at her boobs.

painful and embarrassing, ridiculous, sexy and impossibly romantic.
She was mine. For the sake of appearances, she was my wife, but she was mine anyway. She didn’t know it yet, but I did. It was wrong and it made no sense, but she belonged with me. No one else, not any-one else.

Sweet mother of God... I'm completely in love!!!

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This book sheds a whole new light in the series, completes its mythology, answers questions, teases us mercilessly and completely breaks our heart with the truth about Dex' past.

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Being in his mind is thrilling and exciting. We can finally understand his motives and actions and you can't help but fall for him. Harder...

And when it is finally revealed, what really happen in Lying Season... OMG!! *explosion*

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Karina Halle adapts her lyrical style of writing to fit the alpha male mentality. Blunt and crude, it's like Dex' baritone caresses your ears.

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If the Old Blood novella, committed the readers to this series, The Dex-Files solidifies our love affair with these books. A treat and a gift to all of us fans.

A million times THANK YOU!!
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This review can be found on my blog: infinity-of-time.blogspot.com also known as...

Profile Image for Debra.
474 reviews2,411 followers
March 7, 2013

★★★ENDLESS AMOUNT OF STARS★★★



"I had to rely on my good looks and goddamn charm."




I honestly didn't think it was possible for me to love Dex even more but it turns out I was wrong, so wrong. Yes, he may be a pervy weirdo, he may be selfish, hypocritical and rude at times but honestly, I don't care. Because he's also funny, sarcastic, sexy, sometimes even romantic and all I can say is, I LOVE HIM!!! Karina Halle has created a character that from now on, easily resides in my all-time favorite characters shelf and well, actually an entire series, that from now resides on the top of my all-time favorites series shelf.

"My name is Dex Foray and I'm a hypocrite. Proud of it,too."


In The Dex Files we finally get a glimpse of Dex' side of the story, told in his POV and it was absolutely FAN-TAS-TIC!

Dex made me laugh...

"I was a gentleman over everything. An ass-appreciating gentleman. We are the finest kind of man. I should open my own ass-appreciating gentleman's club one day."





He made me swoon...

"She was mine. For the sake of appearances, she was my wife, but she was mine anyway. She didn't know it yet, but I did. It was wrong and it made no sense, but she belonged to me. No one else, not any-one else."




He broke my heart...

"I was head over heels in love with her. No, that didn't describe it. I was tear my fucking heart out and throw it at her, beg her to take it into hers. I was falling from the greatest heights with no safety net below. I was giving everything of my own life for hers, giving up every inch of my soul so she could wear it proudly. I was powerless, helpless and at her mercy.
And that was the one place I swore I'd never be again.
To love was to hurt."





He even had some great life lessons to share...

"Listen, people, I don't care who you're playing with and how close to them you are but truth or dare is never a good idea.
Ever."

~~

"It's like living with a gangrene foot. You know you need to just whack it off and you'll be healthier for it. But damn if you don't feel some sort of emptiness when your decaying foot is gone. You look at the end of your leg expecting to see it there in all black and rotting but there's just nothing but air now."
(when talking about his ex-girlfriend)



Overall all I can say, is: Dex,



Although he still remains a mystery at times, this novella has given us a great insight into the mind of the unique person that is Dex Foray. It has also provided us with a lot of essential background information and facts that make this series even more complete and enticing. And I know this review makes me look like a total fan girl but I can't help it...that is the effect this book and more precisely this character has on me...

Although I am a bit sad now that the novella is over...



BUT luckily the series isn't over yet, so I'll be moving on to the next part right away !!!!



*****







Profile Image for Holly.
510 reviews515 followers
February 5, 2013
I honestly thought it was impossible for me to love the snarky, complicated asshat that is Dex Foray any more than I already did. And then I read this novella, and realized how wrong I was.




Holy...smokes.

Now, it will come as no surprise to anyone who has been following my updates and reviews lately to know that am a HUGE fan of the EIT series. So, my expectations going into this novella were high to begin with. But once again, Karina Halle blew all my expectations out of the water.

Warning: SOME SPOILERS AHEAD.

Dex has been a mystery to fans of the series from the beginning, so having the chance to get a peek inside that twisted, pervy head of his?! Sooo damn gratifying. Getting to see his take on some of the key scenes from the series to date was eye-opening to say the least. For example, finding out that Dex was already having feelings for Perry before the end of their first adventure...made my inner Dex/Perry-shipping fangirl want to do wind sprints around the yard.



Of course getting a glimpse inside Dex's head was eye-opening for many reasons. Least of which was seeing just how much of a pervy weirdo he really is. And I will stand here and proclaim for all the world to hear: I APPROVE!!! :P



"I wondered if she'd let me grab her thick, dark mane and hold it like a pair of reins, if i could make her come with my girth alone or if I'd need to reach down and stroke her until she literally dripped on the carpet."



Um...yeah. I will freely admit I thought that entire chapter, Big Dumb Sex would put me in my grave. I will never listen to that Soundgarden song the same way again, let me tell you! But despite my hormonal overload while reading certain parts of this novella, the main thing I truly loved about The Dex Files was getting to see not only how vulnerable and conflicted Dex was most of the time...but how fiercely protective and loyal he was with Perry right from the beginning. Even when he seemed cold and pushing her away, he was struggling with his feelings for her, and the need to protect himself from letting his guard down and ending up with his heart being ripped apart again.

There was something so vulnerable and restrained about Perry, something that made me want to do stupid, ridiculous things to keep her safe. At the same time, I wanted to draw her out and make her strong, like a diamond from coal.
Without even realizing it, I found myself gazing deep into those blue eyes, totally fucking lost in them. My heart did a little flip. Christ, this was not a good idea. My heart of all hearts did not need to be flipping.





Okay. I know what you're thinking; I need to get a hold of myself here. Every time I write a review for one of the books in this series I come off sounding like some smitten fangirl. Well...that's because I AM a smitten fangirl. My love for this series and these characters is ridiculous. And that kind of makes it impossible for me to sound professional when writing about them. So, if that's wrong...so be it!!



So, I will continue to pimp these books out to my friends, and anyone willing to listen. Because they deserve a bigger audience.
Karina Halle is a badass force to be reckoned with, and I am so effing glad I allowed myself to get sucked into this incredible series that has been consuming my life for the last few weeks.


She was mine. For the sake of appearances, she was my wife, but she was mine anyway. She didn't know it yet, but I did. It was wrong and it made no sense, but she belonged with me. No one else, not anyone else.
Profile Image for Fatima.
661 reviews339 followers
August 13, 2012
Soooo freakin excited !!!



Edit : 13 - august - 2012

This pretty mich sums up my current thoughts on this book :



It answered some questions , but now has bombarded us with a whole lot of new ones !!! And yes , the steam factor of this book borderlines FICTIONAL CHARACTER INDUCED ORGASM



OH YEEEAAAH ....

Full review to follow when I manage to unclog my brain cells ...



Profile Image for Kristalia .
394 reviews615 followers
October 5, 2015
And the Buddy Read continues with the one and only Vilda!!

Final rating: 5/5 stars



Wow... I am at loss for words. Karina Halle is continuing with her quest of destroying my heart(along with the hearts of many other people) with her awesomeness, and she did it again when she wrote this. Dex and Perry are like an addiction. But being in Dex' head is like a drug - i just want more and more. His reality is not pretty, his life is and was wrong, his mind is a complete and utter mess - and seeing it all from his point of view was just devastating.

Oh Dex.... I cannot even describe the feelings i have for him right now. Dex is definitely the most complicated hero that ever existed . And i completely, and utterly, love him.

He is not a perfect guy. He made mistakes, he is different, and worst of all, he hurts people around him - sometimes without even realizing it. But Perry changed him, from book one to five, and he became someone else.

“I wanted nothing but her, now and forever.”


To read about his childhood in both Old Blood and The Dex-Files was devastating. It made me cry , it made me feel and it made me understand him completely. Because this past haunts him and it makes him feel broken.

All he ever wanted was for someone to love him for being who he is....for being himself.. To be needed and to be loved. And Perry is the only person in his life who made him feel that way.


“I need you,” she whispered.
That was a new one. It stirred up something strange and foreign in my chest. No one ever needed Dex Foray.
“You need me?” I asked, my throat feeling thick.


Overall , this novella was more than i hoped for. And now i need more :) Dex is amazing characters and this series is just fantastic. I can't wait to read the next installment in this series.



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● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
____________________________________________

MY EXPERIMENT IN TERROR REVIEWS:

Darkhouse (Experiment in Terror, #1)
Red Fox (Experiment in Terror, #2)
The Benson (Experiment in Terror, #2.5)
Dead Sky Morning (Experiment in Terror, #3)
Lying Season (Experiment in Terror, #4)
On Demon Wings (Experiment in Terror, #5)
Old Blood (Experiment in Terror, #5.5)
The Dex-Files (Experiment in Terror, #5.7)
Into the Hollow (Experiment in Terror, #6)
And With Madness Comes the Light (Experiment in Terror, #6.5)
Come Alive (Experiment in Terror, #7)
Ashes to Ashes (Experiment in Terror, #8)
Dust to Dust (Experiment in Terror, #9)


This review can be found on my blog: infinity-of-time.blogspot.com also known as...

Profile Image for * Meli Mel *.
856 reviews655 followers
July 22, 2013

♥♥♥ 6 DEX-ILICIOUS STARS ♥♥♥





Okay all I can say is that this was...



I was always wondering about what Dex was thinking in all those scenes, we finally get to know!! It was FANTASTIC!!



I seriously fell more for him!! He is so swoony and sexy sometimes... actually, he's like that pretty much ALL the time!! *sigh*



All I know is... WE NEED TO HAVE MORE OF DEX'S POV IN FUTURE BOOKS!! WE MUST!!



I loved everything about this novella. I LOVED Dex! And I can't wait to read more of the series.

August 29, 2013
The Dex-Files is made up of various scenes from Dex's POV. Some are new and some are retold but all are very, very good!

By this point, you should have a good idea of how Dex operates but getting into his mind is a whole 'nother matter. Of course, I love finding out his feelings from the get-go...the scene with Jenn when he first comes back from being with Perry is so poignant!

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The best scene is The Big Question....I had no idea how important that was....well, I had a sense but it was so much better reading what Dex thought.

His childhood was a killer though...it was really hard reading how he was treated as a child. I did enjoy the interesting information about his nanny and I hope there's more about what happened with his Mom and that we get an update about Michael.

I really didn't care for the Abby scenes...blah. 'Nuff said.

I won't rehash each scene...just read it and enjoy it. If you've been a little unsure about Dex, these stories should help you as they did me. At least you will learn how he felt and why he did some of the things he did.


Favorite quotes:

♥ "Little Miss Doe Eyes."

♥ "She was mine. For the sake of appearances, she was my wife, but she was mine anyway. She didn’t know it yet, but I did. It was wrong and it made no sense, but she belonged with me. No one else, not any-one else."

Profile Image for Duchess Nicole.
1,258 reviews1,546 followers
June 20, 2013
Life just doesn't get any better than this. I just spent an hour and a half inside Dex's head...Yes I did!!!



This compilation of short scenes is mostly a retelling of things that Perry and Dex have been through together, only from Dex' point of view instead of Perry's.

What I LOOOOVE so much about this is that we get to see just how often...and just what he thinks of her. Let me tell you folks...it's EXACTLY what we wanted and needed from they mysterious Dex Foray. Just like most women, Perry sees herself as much less both physically and mentally than what Dex sees. Where Perry sees extra fat and a frumpy, tubby body...Dex sees that fine ass...nice and round, accompanied by generous boobs that he continually salivates over. It's actually quite comical how lustful Dex is. He's a typical male, that's for sure. But we never really saw that side of him, aside from the memorable "Are you looking at my ass" scene :):)

But Dex doesn't just see the physical in Perry. He admires her even more for who she is. He feels proprietary with her from the beginning. Red Fox is where it all started.
“She was mine. For the sake of appearances, she was my wife, but she was mine anyway. She didn’t know it yet, but I did. It was wrong and it made no sense, but she belonged with me. No one else, not anyone else.”

And it only gets better. I was actually really surprised at how tender Dex's thoughts could be at times. Now, don't get me wrong...Dex' mind is a pervy place to be!!
““The Dex Foray special involves two lubed fingers, a lot of tongue and a cigarette for afterwards.”


Gotta love our Dex!
Profile Image for Lucia.
735 reviews815 followers
January 31, 2017
I've got to tell you guys, to finally be able to be in Dex's head was incredible experience. I love all books in Experiment in Terror series so much, but to relive all the most siginificant events in Dex life together with him was something special. And I was absolutely content with the choice of moments that were written in Dex's point of view. The Dex-Files is pure awesomeness!!! It was all amazingly beautiful and I could not get enough!!!

Some of his thoughts were shocking, some of them helped me to understand his thinking, some made me sad and heartbroken for him. Moreover, his thoughts were definitely very interesting, sometimes even perverted :)
"My God, she had one hell of an ass. Not too big that your dick would get lost but just big enough to get a good, meaty hold and squeeze and smack and come until the cows came home."

It was also visible how hars Dex was on himself, never allowing himself to be trully happy.
"My heart did a little flip. Christ, this was not a good idea. My heart of all hearts did not need to be flipping."

And his ever present sarcasm made an appearance too.
"I wonder if the owners would mind if I murdered someone in their front yard. He was so full of shit, he'd make fantastic fertilizer for their garden."

Dex is the most complex character ever created and I love him so much. I really liked him in previous books and was fascinated by him but he won over my heart completely with his side of story and he is on the top of the list of my all time favourite male characters!
Profile Image for Jen.
1,655 reviews1,002 followers
August 15, 2013
To be back in the world of Dex Foray again, was an absolute wonderful experience! I adore the self-centered,ego-filled,sexist, and lets not forget; pervy hunk of a man. Why do I adore him if he is all these irritating character traits you ask? Well, for starters the man has this way about him that just makes me laugh. His sense of humor is dry but hilarious, and I am forever entertained by anything and everything he says! Then there is the fact that he is a hottie, and if he likes you..then he will have your back if you need him. (providing he hasn't disappeared..just ask Perry who everytime gets in hot water with a ghost, seems to be constantly wondering where Dex has taken off to this time) Speaking of Perry, the way Dex cares for her melts my heart every time. They say that "man-whores" when they fall for their woman, end up the best boyfriends/husbands to have because they fall hard and they are loyal for life. In Dex's case, I am hoping that this is true, because after all is said and done; I am really hoping that he and Perry end up together forever.

This novella was awesome! I loved the fact that it wasn't just a repeat of scenes from the other books. We get Dex's POV in all of the major scenes throughout the series that dealt with him and Perry. This includes the hot sex, and even what was going through his head when he bought that infamous lap dance for Perry that unforgettable night! It was nice to finally get inside of his head, and to know that his feelings for his partner do run deep. There was only one scene that wasn't included in this story, and I would have liked to have known what Dex was thinking and feeling when he discovered what had happened to Perry right before she became possessed. That would be my only complaint, but I still enjoyed every minute of this novella. (mind you, I could have done without hearing about him and Jenn "doing it")

This is a must read if you are a lover of the EIT series. I would recommend that this is read after the first five books, as there is a lot the reader just wouldn't understand if they havent read prior books. I still say that Karina Halle is brilliant, and I love all of her work. I look forward to anything that she writes in the future, and I can't wait to continue on my journey of the EIT series..This series is a must read for any book lover out there, it is an experience you won't ever forget!
Profile Image for Cristina.
114 reviews
August 10, 2012
Declan Foray is one sick messed up filbert. And yet, so much more complex than Mr. 50 Shades (the previous series I'd read). Seriously, I love the guy (Dex), and to get into his head was actually rather frightening, a bit sickening, and oh so heart-breaking! He has so much potential for greatness, if only he would get out of his own way!

I'm sure I have more to say, but I need to collect my thoughts.

Thoughts collected:

The Dex Files, as coined by Rebecca in "On Demon Wings," is precisely that. Imagine if you will,ala Rod Serling, a boy who has been touched by something amazing. Only in the grand scenario of nature versus nurture, we can totally see how nurture plays a big part in how he is the way he is. From the time he was in his single digits, to a peek into how he's dealing in the future of "In the Hollow," the life of Declan Foray is nothing short of a roller coaster. And he has Perry to thank for some of that. What we could only speculate (along with Perry) in the previous novels, we can now see. I found most of it not surprising. As much as he had tried to hide, there was just enough clues to virtually expose him.

Perhaps the more interesting reveals are the teasers around Maximus. There's a guy who certainly isn't saying something.

Anyways, short end of the stick. I loved being in Dex's mind. In so many ways I just want to wrap my arms around him, pull him to my chest and tell him it will all be ok. I'm on his team, and I want him to be with Perry. Cuz I certainly don't want his crazy nut of baggage mucking up my days! I love you, but at a distance.

Go forth and love him as I love him. Or not. But don't be afraid to take his mind trip.
Profile Image for AJ.
2,931 reviews958 followers
July 27, 2014
GAH! THIS BOOK IS PURE AND ABSOLUTE, DEX FORAY PERFECTION!!!

Is there anything better than a book written in the long-awaited POV of one of your favourite characters?... probably... but probably not much! Being inside of Dex’s head is a dark, dirty, nasty, smutty place to be. And I loved every minute of it!! And with a start like this - "Hey Dex. Way to fuck my girlfriend, you dick!" - I knew I was on to a winner!

Dex Foray is a complex, fucked up, arrogant yet vulnerable guy. He knows it, and he makes no apologies for it.

“With one hand she popped the button on my pants. She dropped to her knees. I got hard instantly, knowing what was coming next.
Me.”


I have loved Dex from the very beginning of the Experiment in Terror series, and as frustrated as I have sometimes been with him while reading, I’ve been tempted sooooo many times to sneak a peak at this book to see WTF is going through his head, but I’m so, so glad that I waited and read it in the order that Karina Halle intended. It all ties together beautifully, and would have ruined earlier books in the series if I had Dex’s POV before now. So heed my warning if you’re intended to cheat and peek ahead!!!

And with this novella it’s like Karina took almost every scene that I have loved and hated the most, the ones where I needed to know what was going through Dex’s mind, and given them to me, from his POV, all wrapped up in his snarky, sarcastic vulnerability, in one little book of absolute perfection. And with the inclusion of a bit of his backstory before he even met Perry, I feel like I ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND HIM NOW!! All of it! All of the questions that I had, the times I hated the things he said and did… I understand his motivations, why he behaved like he did, and I have a whole new level of love and admiration for him now - even though my heart absolutely broke for him.

While I thought I knew his feelings towards Perry, finding out the depth of his emotion, and when it all started to happen for him really surprised me. I’m not going to give spoilers, but let me just tell you this book rocked my understanding of what I thought was going on. Some of my expectations and interpretations have been turned on their head a bit, but I love it! And I wouldn’t have thought he had it in him, but OMG, so much SWOOOOOOOOOOON!!!!

“She was mine. For the sake of appearances, she was my wife, but she was mine anyway. She didn’t know it yet, but I did. It was wrong and it made no sense, but she belonged with me. No one else, not anyone else.”

But Dex is still very much Dex, and he’s freaking hilarious! I was in hysterics so many times reading this book with so many classic Dex lines (see my quotes below). And even with everything he goes through, he still maintains this smooth, pervy, asshole-ish nature, yet he also has a beautifully caring and protective side to him, and it’s a winning combination.

But this book is quite dark in places and is not always an easy read. Dex’s background is truly tragic, and how this translates into his life as an adult is heartbreaking. The way he thinks about himself and why he acts as he does, all ties in to everything he has been through. And when you put this together with the things that he and Perry have been exposed to so far in the series, the way they have come to feel about each other, and how everything has played out up until this point… it’s freaking BRUTAL! I honestly felt like I was the one going through it all while I read. And even knowing what was coming, it still tore my heart out.

But after the last book – On Demon Wings – and now the little glimpse beyond that ending that we were given at the end of this book, I feel like the series is taking a shift with Dex and Perry emerging from their individual dark times tougher and stronger, and both are destined for better things (I hope!). With a few additional clues dropped into this book about bigger storylines in the series, I can’t wait to see what is in store for them as their stories continue.

It made me laugh, it made me cry, there were moments of hotness and heaps of swoon... and of course it was all Dex. No way is 5 stars enough for all of the awesome that is this book, 6 stars all the way!


And just on a side note - my status as a Quote Whore has been well established amongst my friends and I know I’m probably going to be teased mercilessly for this lot, but I figured you can never have enough Dex quotes, so I totally don’t care! I think I may have highlighted half of the book on my kindle, so consider yourselves lucky I reined it in ;)
Profile Image for Karen.
809 reviews1,025 followers
May 9, 2013
★★★HOLY FUCKING COW!!!!★★★ A GALAXY OF STARS FOR DEX!!!!!★★★ A FREAKING SUPERNOVA!!!!!! ★★★

Declan Pierre Foray
Colin Farrell photo ColinFarrell4-1.jpg

I just LOVE this man, and I LOVED this book. The Dex-Files is a compilation of short stories that coincides with the EIT books so far, all written in Dex's POV. And how enlightening it is!!!! We get to see a side of Dex that is not visible from any other vantage point. He has become so good at putting up a front, at shielding his emotions, that even those that are closest to him cannot see his true feelings. And there are some really deep feelings there. Feelings that hopefully he's finally willing to accept!!! This story has me primed and ready to read on to the next chapter in their story.

I was just so tired of wanting something I absolutely knew I couldn't have.

What can I say. If I didn't know better, I would think I was reading someone's diary. A real-life recounting of someone's real-life events. Karina Halle is so talented that she has completely captured her character's mind. So incredibly convincing it is. The way he thinks, and reacts, the way he pushes his strengths and buries his weaknesses. The train of thoughts. The male-speak. How did she do it? I mean how does a woman truly get inside a man's head? I would have thought it impossible before, but I have been delightfully proven wrong. And what a magical place it is... his mind!!!! It is a place I'd like to burrow in and grow some roots!!!! He is real, he is flawed and totally and completely LOVABLE!!!

"I'm a hypocrite because I can't stand weakness in others, even though I'm born or weakness myself. I dish it out and then laugh when they try and dish it back. Like I'm above it. And sometimes I think I am.
I'm a hypocrite because I hunt ghosts and I've pretended all this time that the ghosts haven't been hunting me.
And I'm a hypocrite because I judge people. I judge the fuck out of everyone I meet, from their music tastes, to their jobs, to their lifestyle choices. I judge them but fuck them if they dare judge me. They think they understand this monster in me, the monster in all of us. But they don't.


The story begins when Dex is just a boy of six. His childhood is really heartbreaking. What he went through at the hands of a mentally ill, and alcoholic mother, and a stern and uncaring father. He didn't even get much support from is much-cherished older brother. Hearing his story broke my heart. How he came out of it as well as he did, is none less than a miracle. It made him strong, but is also made him weary, and protective of himself and his heart.

She was mine. For the sake of appearances, she was my wife, but she was mine anyway. She didn't know it yet, but I did.It was wrong and it made no sense, but she belonged with me. No one else, not any-one else.

The story also sheds light on his life in college, his friends and his band, his relationship with Abby, and the tragedy that came of it all. It also leads us into the present, and his meeting of Perry Palomino and the development of the EIT show they produced together. It is a refreshing look into events that we've already experienced through Perry's eyes.

She didn't have to buy the thing, but she did. I'm a good product.

His take on the events that occurred during their short-lived relationship are truly intoxicating to read. Like crack cocaine. He is funny and self-deprocating. But he is also incredibly confident and sexy at the same time. He is comfortable in his state of depravity, and it suits him like nothing else. It just adds to his allure. Which is freaking off the CHARTS!!! I just cannot say enough... just that I am addicted to him... just like Perry...and apparently like everyone else whose read this series!!!!!!!

"I was head over heels in love with her. No, that didn't describe it. I was tear my fucking heart out and throw it at her, beg her to take it into hers. I was falling from the greatest heights with no safety net below. I was giving everything of my own life for hers, giving up every inch of my soul so she could wear it proudly. I was a former king, on my knees in front of the queen. A jester begging for a chance. I was powerless, helpless and at her mercy." - WOOOOOOWWWWWW!!!!!!

Congratulations Karina Halle!!!! You have graduated into the category of GENIUS. And I am not just saying that!!!!! BRAVO!!!!!!!! And I'm so incredibly grateful to all of my GR's friends for pushing this series on me. I'm LOVING IT!!!! Thanks guys... and thank you Karina for creating these stories!!!!!

And I know everyone has their own image of the characters and of Dex... but for me... when I think of Dex, I picture only one... the incredibly sexy Colin Farrell...my Dex, with those beautiful expressive brown eyes!!!

The many faces of Declan Foray...

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Profile Image for Jo ★The Book Sloth★.
485 reviews432 followers
February 1, 2014
Let me start by saying that if someone(me mostly) hoped that by reading his story I would suddenly love Dex, they were wrong! Aside from an asshole I now think of him as a coward too!

Dex is like...



And I am like...



Now that I got that out of my system...

***SPOILERS***

My name is Dex Foray and I’m a hypocrite. Proud of it, too.

In this book we get to see how the infamous Dex thinks. We get to see his POV of some parts of the story we have already read from Perry's POV, as well as some scenes that don't involve Perry so they are sompletely new to us.

I'd like to say here that although I still don't like Dex I kind of get why he does certain stuff. It is also quite refreshing to finally see exactly how he feels about Perry!

“I was head over heels in love with her. No, that didn’t describe it. I was tear my fucking heart out and throw it at her, beg her to take it into hers. I was falling from the greatest heights with no safety net below. I was giving everything of my own life for hers, giving up every inch of my soul so she could wear it proudly. I was a former king on my knees in front of the queen. A jester begging for a chance. I was powerless, helpless and at her mercy.”

Of course how does he show it? He breaks her heart.



There were moment in the story that I really wanted to cry on his behalf (although I did take a cruel kind of satisfaction from the fact that he suffered as much as Perry), there were moments that I wanted to forgive him everything (especially when I read about his mother), there were moments I thought I should give him another chance! But then I remembered how much I love Perry and how much I wanted to hug her in the previous books every time Dex hurt her and I got over my "pity Dex" moments.

So what I have to say is...

If you completely lose Perry in the end...



PS. I have to admit that there in the end he made me cave in a little. If in the next book he behaves I might be inclined to like him(just a tiny bit), so I will let Snape say everything else for me...

Profile Image for *.Amaia.* BlackMagicRose.
314 reviews72 followers
July 3, 2013
5 I-FEEL-YOU-DEX STARS!!

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Wowww!!! Dex <3

I really don't have much to say except I couldn't wait to read this novella since I read Darkhouse, my expectations were high and... OMG reading Dex's POV was everything I hoped for, and more. It's exactly what I needed to understand (or at least understand a little bit more) the mystery of Dex.

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The novella starts before Dex and Perry met, when he is only 6 years old and, as he put it, he got his first taste of hell. I already knew Dex's past was difficult but after these two novellas I just wanna hug him, SO bad :'(
I'm not justifying his actions, but Perry was right, he is a scared little boy with a gift he couldn't deal with and a fucked up childhood.

I now understand many of his actions and reading his suffering, guilt and the way his feelings developed.... wowww that was awesome. *.* especially his relationship with Perry.

"You know how some people really get under your skin... and you like it? I fucking loved it. She pushed me, poked at me. She questioned me, kicked me, annoyed me. She was always there, digging, digging, digging and I loved every second of it."




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There are so many quotes I'd like to add... but seriously, I highlighted like half of the novella so... LOL Just read this one ;)


And well, can't finish this review without a special mention to that ending... WTH was that???????????????!!!!! :O



Starting Into the Hollow (Experiment in Terror, #6) by Karina Halle , like NOW.
415 reviews127 followers
June 18, 2013

It's Dex time...

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*breathes deeply * To say I was excited to read this one, is putting it quite mildly. Since the 1st book, I wished i could get in Dex's head, even for a little bit (that sounds a bit creepy but i don't care,lol). He can be such an enigma, a puzzle I want to solve *sigh

Oh Dex the things you do to me...

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Yes, You're my #1 book boyfriend.

Anyway, Yes I do know he can be an ass. And a douchecanoe. And cocky. And a perv. (and how i love that,eheh)!!
But then he is intense and vulnerable. And once he gives his heart is forever. Plus, he does have a wicked sense of humor.


"All right, I know what you're thinking. I'm a crude man-whore. And I couldn't argue with you. If it looks like a pig and fucks like a pig, it's a pig."


And well, this book just killed me...reliving some of the scenes in his POV was just too much

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Neither to say I LOVED every second of it!!!!


5 ADDICTED TO DEX STARS


Profile Image for Catarina.
896 reviews1,974 followers
June 18, 2013
This novella doesn’t bring anything new, considering that they are key-scenes from the previous books.
But since they are under Dex POV it makes everything better.
During the books we often wondered why he acted like that, what was he hiding, why was he an asshole (a sexy one, but still….) during most of the time?
This novella answered all those questions and answered also the million dollar question: Why did he act like that in the end of Lying Season, causing the Holly-Mother-Of-All-Awful-Cliffhangers?

She looked me right in the eye and I saw the truth. I saw it all. And it was all too late.
“You’re not the only who knows how to lie, Dex!”
And there it was.
The truth.


Don’t get me wrong, during several moments I still wanted to slap some sense into him.
But knowing his story, his background I started to understand most of his actions and why he was that way. I started to understand how his feelings towards Perry started to change and why that scared the hell out of him.

She was looking at me in a way I’d always dreamed. It’s too bad I had to save her in order to get it.
I’d never stop saving her.


I could stay here all day telling you why I liked this so much and how I loved being inside Dex mind. But the main point is: I would live forever in his mind and would love every single second of it.

Because even when he has is asshole moments, the feeling doesn’t change:
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Well, to the next one now! :)
Profile Image for Amy | Foxy Blogs.
1,472 reviews975 followers
September 3, 2013
description
“May I tell you tonight’s special”
“Um, sure”
“Tonight’s special is provided by Dex Foray and it involves two lubed fingers, a lot of tongue and a cigarette for afterwards.”
“Yep, sign me up for that and don’t forget the doggy bag. I’m going to take him home with me.”

I LOVED this book! Being inside Dex’s head was awesome. When Dex becomes territorial and possessive with Perry because Max is sniffing around her....one word-HOT!

SERIES:
Darkhouse (Experiment in Terror, #1) by Karina Halle Red Fox (Experiment in Terror, #2) by Karina Halle Dead Sky Morning (Experiment in Terror, #3) by Karina Halle Lying Season (Experiment in Terror, #4) by Karina Halle On Demon Wings (Experiment in Terror, #5) by Karina Halle Into the Hollow (Experiment in Terror, #6) by Karina Halle Come Alive (Experiment in Terror, #7) by Karina Halle Ashes to Ashes (Experiment in Terror, #8) by Karina Halle Dust to Dust (Experiment in Terror, #9) by Karina Halle
Must be read in order. Continuing story.

Novellas:
The Benson (Experiment in Terror, #2.5) by Karina Halle Old Blood (Experiment in Terror, #5.5) by Karina Halle The Dex-Files (Experiment in Terror, #5.7) by Karina Halle And With Madness Comes the Light (Experiment in Terror, #6.5) by Karina Halle
(#2.5)(#5.5)(#5.7)(#6.5)
Profile Image for Erica Ravenclaw.
340 reviews97 followers
April 13, 2014
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆


No spoilers and colorful language abound!

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I am really glad that I read this.

First of all, for the past 5 books of this series I've been a Dex hater. If I were to ponder all the reasons why, most likely it's because he is familiar to me and unlike in fantasy land, fuckwads don't suddenly find the right girl and stop being an asshole. They are who they are until life lays a swift and all encompassing beat down, until they lose everything and they are forced to examine themselves. Then they must make a choice, to either change and live a meaningful life or continue to live in denial finding people to feed off of until they are old and washed up. Unfortunately, most fall into the latter.

There was always something missing from the EIT series that really allowed me to brush him off as an asshole. Sure with each new installment we would be given a hint of his past but nothing substantial enough to soften my feelings towards him. Then I read this. Not that I can or will ever excuse his clear behavior patterns, but I can at least understand him now.

Bonus: Dex is a very dirty boy, this is quite the read!

I highly suggest reading this if you are a fan of the EIT books, even more so if you are a Dex hater. I wish I had known about this when I started, I would have read along with the books.

Enjoy!

P.S.
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Profile Image for Emmy.
150 reviews
July 31, 2012
WOW

Review posted at Sinfully Delicious Book Reviews to kick off The Dex-Files Blog Tour.

One of my favorite series out there, The Dex-Files is an intimate glimpse into the multifacted character of Dex Foray. I loved every minute of it.


"And with madness comes the light..."


When I started this, I knew I was going to gain a new perspective of one of my favorite and tortured characters to ever grace my kindle. Is that dramatic? Yes. Is it how I feel? Absolutely. But what I did not expect was the larger puzzle unravelling that you will see if you just pay attention. I will not go into detail. This is too great an addition to the series to spoil anyone with my perceived revelations of the bigger picture. But I got my eyes on you Karina, and your wicked ways.

My perspective of Dex Foray:

I’m a hypocrite because I can’t stand weakness in others, even though I’m born of weakness myself. I dish it out and then laugh when they try and dish it back. Like I’m above it. And sometimes I think I am.

I’m a hypocrite because I hunt ghosts and I’ve pretended all
this time that the ghosts haven’t been hunting me.

And I’m a hypocrite because I judge people. I judge the fuck out of everyone I meet, from their music tastes, to their jobs to their lifestyle choices. I judge them but fuck them if they dare judge me. They think they understand this monster in me, the monster in all of us. But they don't.



The prologue is a deeper look into the young Dex we got a sneak peak of in Old Blood. The times they are a changing for this young one and I wanted to just give the lil guy a hug. So young and scared.

In After School Special, Dex is 15 and a ladies man already. Yeah, he was a slut. Not going to sugar coat it. We also get to see what a trouble maker he was and what was happening at home. I had an "Oh shit" moment for sure. The riddle starts to unravel.

Dear Abby: Dex is in college. Max joins the band and soon, Dex is dating Abby. Just another little sliver in that crazy cranium of Dex's. And all the while, I'm only 24 pages in and have already been astounded by this look into this amazing character.

Big Dumb Sex: I should not have enjoyed this as much as I did. I was properly scandalized to say the least.

Fuck trouble. I wasn't asking for it.
I was inviting it.


Butterfly Caught: Red Fox! This was such a fantastic book and things were still so new and fresh between him and Perry. They're practically still strangers. Max is back on the scene and we hear of a Dex Foray special.

Seriously people, I could not put this down. I wanted to know more about Dex, needed it. To know what the hell he is thinking. He's so complex.

... At the same time, I wanted to draw her out and make her strong, like a diamond from coal.

Digging the Grave: During Dead Sky Morning... So much was happening in that book. My heart was breaking to read his inner thoughts. Just one of many times that it would happen in this novella.

When Good Dogs Do Bad Things: It was really hard not to jump to this chapter when I first got my hands on this ARC.

Then I threw caution to the wind and did the thing I'd been dreaming about doing.

You now what scene I'm talking about. Karina brings out a whole new definition to the term Slip N' Slide and I couldn't appreciate her pervy mind more if I tried. I make no apologies people. I like getting to know the dirty side of Dex. Every side of Dex is worth knowing.

It was a mistake, even if it was the most unregrettable mistake of my life.

She Loves Me Not fast forwards to Lying Season. This was a very poignant moment in discovering the depth of Dex Foray. I can't even quote what I want to from this because it's so profound, so telling, and so heartbreaking.

Mr. Self Destruct: In all of the EIT books, this was the most difficult part to read. My emotions change like a reflection upon a fun house mirror.

Bailout: This is an amazing insight into the future of Experiment in Terror in this glimpse from Into the Hollow. This series has already taken us through many highs and lows, taken us to the darkest corners of Karina's imagination and the progression of the series looks just as emotionally gripping.

Karina also provides a soundtrack for the The Dex-Files with her use of song titles for most of the files. Just one more reason for me to love this series. “Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” ~ Berthold Auerbach

Overall, this series is one of my favorites and calls to me on many levels. Possibly defined as a newer genre or category called new adult, it's generational yet timeless all the same as we see the characters encounter personal demons.
Profile Image for Ash Wednesday.
441 reviews525 followers
May 9, 2013
5 STARS

I rarely, RARELY give a perfect 5, but at this point in the series, I feel like being one of those annoying readers who gives automatic 5 stars to books without actually reading them because it's inevitable anyway. Just take all my stars, already! Take them all and leave me in my purple haze of Dex.

Anyone who have read and enjoyed The Collector will be happy to know Dex is probably as close as you can get to seeing Dante a few years down the line: better swagger, snark for days and rapist facial hair.

I was a gentleman over everything. An ass-appreciating gentleman. We are the finest kind of man. I should open my own ass-appreciating gentleman's club one day.

This was written like a collection of short stories from Dex' POV at key plot points in the series. A POV I've been desperately waiting for since Dex first appeared in the pages. I just read an alternate POV of a beloved book series that didn't work out for me but this... oh, GOD, this was glorious! Because Dex is the kind of character you want to get to the bottom of. He's like that guy who looks at the world with a bemused smile and you really want to be in on the private joke. And his was a POV that deserved, NEEDED to be told.

And you know what? He did not turn out to be a sappy, pussified version of what I've come to know of him (much). He's still a douche of massive, epic proportions but one that you can make absolute sense out of. Not gonna lie, there are scenes that will be brutal to the take no prisoners, Dex and Perry shippers out there, but it was what made this a perfect 5 for me. Because authors often gloss over these details about their MCs for fear of alienating the fans of their heroes and heroines. There are Abby moments and Jenn moments that the sheltered fan wouldn't want to know of, but these were also the moments that brings enormous depth to Dex that will make you remember him 10, 20 books after.I especially loved the treatment of . It wasn't brushed aside as if it's miraculously so easy to say goodbye to something you've been burdened with for 3 years. The gangrened foot analogy was genius.

This entire novella was genius.

I'm not sure how Dex 2.0 will be executed as we go further along but for the here and now, he was perfectly imperfect.
Profile Image for AleJandra.
832 reviews415 followers
August 24, 2017
5 Wild but on purpose, crazy but free STARS

"I’m a hypocrite because I hunt ghosts and I’ve pretended all this time that the ghosts haven’t been hunting me."

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Si ustedes no saben quién es Mr. Declan Foray, se los presento:

Dex es un hombre lleno de carisma, sensualidad, misterio y humor negro. Es egoísta, cínico y un honrdog sin remedio, constantemente nos comenta lo que lo excita y lo pone duro. Durante el 80% de este libro se la pasa con una erección en los pantalones.
Comete muchos errores, toma malas decisiones y se auto sabotea constantemente.

Y si aún no lo adivinan, lo amo con todo mi obscuro y temeroso corazón.

Este libro nos muestra un par de capítulos donde nos habla de su infancia, luego son retellings de escenas que ya vimos en los primeros 5 libros de la Serie Experiment in Terror.
Que, si no han leído esta serie, no sé qué carajos esperan.

Solo le iba a dar 4 estrellas, pero al final Karina nos explica que el título de cada capítulo es el nombre de una canción. Me encanta que haga eso, sin duda es de las cosas que más disfruto de sus libros, porque, aunque yo no soy fan del rock independiente, Karina tiene un gusto excepcional y siempre que sigo sus recomendaciones musicales, me encuentro con joyas que estarán por siempre en mis playlists, solo por eso le di las 5 estrellas.

Dex, te extrañaba tanto, disfrute cada segundo de este pequeño reencuentro.

"I was head over heels in love with her. No, that didn’t describe it. I was tear my fucking heart out and throw it at her, beg her to take it into hers."
Profile Image for Ellelou.
196 reviews47 followers
March 13, 2013
“She was looking at me in a way I’d always dreamed. It’s too bad I had to save her in order to get it.
I’d never stop saving her.”


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“And in that eternity I got a glimpse of myself.
That wasn’t just fucking. That wasn’t just long overdue.
This was love.
I was head over heels in love with her. No, that didn’t describe it. I was tear my fucking heart out and throw it at her, beg her to take it into hers. I was falling from the greatest heights with no safety net below. I was giving everything of my own life for hers, giving up every inch of my soul so she could wear it proudly. I was a former king on my knees in front of the queen. A jester begging for a chance. I was powerless, helpless and at her mercy.
And that was the one place I swore I’d never be again.
To love was to hurt.
I wasn’t strong enough to survive it again if everything went wrong.”


Although I am grateful to be given this chance to get inside the mind of Dex Foray, I feel like I was teased mercilessly, arghh...so many more new questions.
The most prominent one is what is the deal with Maximus Jacobs?
My suspicion

Ok, so I guess I'm off on to the next one...
Profile Image for Kim Bailey.
Author 9 books607 followers
May 3, 2015
I ♥ Dex Foray. Forever. And always.

I love how this novella ties all of the previous books together with wonderful snipettes from Dex's POV. His brain is so fucking sexy. He's a pervert. He's a hot head. He's a total jerk at times. But damn! He's so full of feeling, heartbreak and suffering. And tbh I love his perviness.

So many amazing moments in this book. But I think this is my favorite:

Life can be pretty screwy. Hectic. Random. That was my life anyway, and most of the time. But, occasionally, things just fall into place. There’s a feeling of fate. Kismet. Order. I prefer the up-and-down jumble and unpredictability. I liked that shit happens for no reason sometimes. There’s something easy about that. When things align themselves in my favor, it makes me suspicious. Maybe because I don’t like the idea of my life being part of some overall cosmic plan. I don’t want the universe to pay attention to me. I just wanted to put my head down and go.

No, wait ... It's this one:

This was love. I was head over heels in love with her. No, that didn’t describe it. I was tear my fucking heart out and throw it at her, beg her to take it into hers. I was falling from the greatest heights with no safety net below. I was giving everything of my own life for hers, giving up every inch of my soul so she could wear it proudly. I was a former king on my knees in front of the queen. A jester begging for a chance. I was powerless, helpless and at her mercy.

Did I mention that I ♥ Dex? Good!
Profile Image for Heidi R..
2,119 reviews
May 26, 2013
I still can't believe I won an ARC of The Dex-Files! On that note... I definitely needed to see things from Dex's POV, as his behavior throughout the series has been so maddening. WOW! Karina Halle gives us great insight into what makes Dex "tick". I read it straight through, and even re-read parts because they just blew my mind. He's the kind of guy you want to hate a lot of the time, but can't help loving :o) *SIGH*...

AWESOME!
Profile Image for Nikki.
101 reviews
August 28, 2014
Reread with Renee!

5+ stars!!!! Wow, was this everything I thought it would be and more!!!

Being in Dex's crazy, sad, perverted, love-sick mind was absolutely amazing. I never wanted to leave (except I did find myself going back and rereading certain parts through Perry's eyes)! This was so, so good.

And onto the next!
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