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Merissa (11953 KP) rated Burn Baby Burn (Fairytales of the Myth #1) in Books
Jan 27, 2021 (Updated Aug 7, 2023)
BURN BABY BURN is the first novella in the Fairytales of the Myth series and there is no easing gently into this series. Oh no! Instead, we jump straight into the action with children fighting, followed by 'real' fighting, slaves, abuse, you name it.
Ella has put up with more than any person should, but her childhood enemy turned friend, Cadeyrn, got her through. When she feels he has betrayed her though, all bets are off and she turns to a pact with the Dark Fae, Daman.
I thoroughly enjoyed being with Ella in this novella. Seeing things from her perspective, and feeling her pain, it was a brilliant read. The only thing I wasn't sure of was the ending with Delentia. I couldn't quite get my head around what she actually wanted.
Nevertheless, this was a brilliant read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jan 25, 2021
Ella has put up with more than any person should, but her childhood enemy turned friend, Cadeyrn, got her through. When she feels he has betrayed her though, all bets are off and she turns to a pact with the Dark Fae, Daman.
I thoroughly enjoyed being with Ella in this novella. Seeing things from her perspective, and feeling her pain, it was a brilliant read. The only thing I wasn't sure of was the ending with Delentia. I couldn't quite get my head around what she actually wanted.
Nevertheless, this was a brilliant read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jan 25, 2021
Envy (Seven Princes of Sin #5)
8.0
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Book
Nothing lasts forever... All Becca wants is for Red Riot to make it big and being offered a gig...
Dark Contemporary Paranormal Romance TRIGGER WARNINGS Profanity
Ally and her Mad Hatter (The Madness of Wonderland #2)
8.0
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Book
Wonderland is just a story.... Ally spent her whole life being told Wonderland was just a...
Dark BDSM Erotica Contemporary Fantasy TRIGGER WARNINGS Profanity
Merissa (11953 KP) rated Return of the Assassin (All The King's Men #5) in Books
Jun 7, 2023
This is Malek and Gina's story - both of them have mated before and lost their mates, through one reason or another. This is their second chance but will they both be too stubborn to take it?
This book is both fantastic and horrible! It is full of historical abuse, psychotic episodes, and trauma. And yet it is also full of hope, of love and of the promise of good things yet to come. With this storyline, we not only learn more about Malek and Gina, but also Trace, his brother Brak, and their father Maddox. Then there are the Drecks, Dracians, and Thracians all thrown into the mix too. However, Ms Lynne's writing is such that you are never overloaded with information, rather it all slots neatly into place, leaving you with a thrilling and emotion-packed story.
A fantastic addition to the series, leaving me wanting more... like now! Highly recommended.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Apr 28, 2016
This book is both fantastic and horrible! It is full of historical abuse, psychotic episodes, and trauma. And yet it is also full of hope, of love and of the promise of good things yet to come. With this storyline, we not only learn more about Malek and Gina, but also Trace, his brother Brak, and their father Maddox. Then there are the Drecks, Dracians, and Thracians all thrown into the mix too. However, Ms Lynne's writing is such that you are never overloaded with information, rather it all slots neatly into place, leaving you with a thrilling and emotion-packed story.
A fantastic addition to the series, leaving me wanting more... like now! Highly recommended.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Apr 28, 2016
Yet again, Kristin Hannah has ripped my heart out of my chest and jumped all over it. And yet again, I’m just fine with that.
Frankie McGrath volunteers to go to Vietnam as a nurse, in the hope that she’ll be put up on her fathers “Hero’s Wall”. She arrives a naive idealist, and leaves emotionally scarred with no hope of support when she gets home.
In Vietnam, Frankie meets her best friends, who will always be there for her - two equally amazing women. They help her through PTSD, the end of relationships and substance abuse. The three women join the fight for recognition of Vietnam vets - where they are repeatedly told that they couldn’t have been there.
This book is in two parts: Vietnam and its aftermath, and honestly, both halves are equally harrowing.
This is such a powerful story. A story wanting recognition for the female nurses in Vietnam. It certainly puts their experiences out there for everyone to see.
The Women will be a book that I’ll be forcing into friends hands with the promise that they’ll love it, but they’ll be traumatised (I believe I made similar warnings to friends after I read The Nightingale).
Frankie McGrath volunteers to go to Vietnam as a nurse, in the hope that she’ll be put up on her fathers “Hero’s Wall”. She arrives a naive idealist, and leaves emotionally scarred with no hope of support when she gets home.
In Vietnam, Frankie meets her best friends, who will always be there for her - two equally amazing women. They help her through PTSD, the end of relationships and substance abuse. The three women join the fight for recognition of Vietnam vets - where they are repeatedly told that they couldn’t have been there.
This book is in two parts: Vietnam and its aftermath, and honestly, both halves are equally harrowing.
This is such a powerful story. A story wanting recognition for the female nurses in Vietnam. It certainly puts their experiences out there for everyone to see.
The Women will be a book that I’ll be forcing into friends hands with the promise that they’ll love it, but they’ll be traumatised (I believe I made similar warnings to friends after I read The Nightingale).
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Rocketman (2019) in Movies
Jun 11, 2019
Strong Lead Performance
I have to admit, I thought the Freddy Mercury bio-pic BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY was just "meh" and that Rami Malek was "just o'k" as the Queen frontman (personally, I would have given the Oscar to Christian Bale for his portrayal of Dick Cheney in VICE) so I was not rushing to the multi-plex to check out the Elton John musical film ROCKETMAN. And the fact that the release of this film was "buried" in the summer and not right before "Oscar Season" gave me room to pause.
And...I would be wrong...for ROCKETMAN is a fun, fantastical fantasy musical depicting the rise and fall (by drug and alcohol abuse) of one of rock's most flamboyant showman of the 1970's.
Following the "Jukebox Musical" blueprint of something like JERSEY BOYS, Rocketman follows a young Reggie Dwight as he discovers his musical talent and grows into the Global Superstar known as Elton John.
I was happy that the filmmakers went this route (vs the bio-pic route that BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY went) for they were able to use the vast catalog of Elton John/Bernie Taupin tunes to their fullest advantage, when it made sense to drive the narrative forward - or to give the storytelling a shot of adrenaline.
This film had Elton John's blessings and he was not kind to a few people in his life - most notably his mother (an almost unrecognizable Bryce Dallas Howard in a strong turn), his father (Steve Mackintosh, who I had never seen before) and his Manager, John Reid (Game of Throne's Richard Madden). All 3 are pretty one-dimensional villains that help contribute to Elton's drug and alcohol abuse.
On the other side of the coin is his writing partner, Bernie Taupin (Jamie Bell, the original BILLY ELLIOT in a performance that I think is the best of his career) and his Grandmother, Ivy (good ol' Gemma Jones BRIDGET JONES DIARY and Madam Pomfrey in the Harry Potter films). Both of these characters are generally positive influences on Elton's life, trying to understand and support our hero on his journey.
As for our hero, Taran Egerton (the KINGSMAN films) embodies Elton with panache and zeal while showing an underlying shyness and insecurity that helps lead to his abuse issues. Egerton is EXCELLENT in this role - both in acting and singing. He doesn't so much imitate Elton John but embodies the essence of Sir Elton and his performance is quite effective. If Rami Malek deserved his Oscar for playing Freddy Mercury in BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY then Taran Egerton better be in the Oscar conversation this year.
The film was Directed by Dexter Fletcher (who was brought on to finish BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY once Bryan Singer was fired from that film for his on-set behavior), so he puts to good use his experience on the Queen movie, keeping the action moving fast, the characterizations simple (but satisfying) enough while showcasing just enough music to fill a "Best of" Album.
While BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY was a "meh" movie with a buffo ending (the recreation of the LIVE AID concert was amazing), ROCKETMAN suffers from just the opposite problem. Starting off strong and growing weaker until it ends in "meh" fashion. The fact that this film musical fantasy decided to end with a faithful recreation of the I'M STILL STANDING music video is at the heart of the issue. I understand the implied underlying meaning of this song selection, but it just doesn't pack the punch that a live concert appearance would have.
Come for the music, stay for Egerton's performance and you'll be glad you did.
Letter Grade: A-
8 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
And...I would be wrong...for ROCKETMAN is a fun, fantastical fantasy musical depicting the rise and fall (by drug and alcohol abuse) of one of rock's most flamboyant showman of the 1970's.
Following the "Jukebox Musical" blueprint of something like JERSEY BOYS, Rocketman follows a young Reggie Dwight as he discovers his musical talent and grows into the Global Superstar known as Elton John.
I was happy that the filmmakers went this route (vs the bio-pic route that BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY went) for they were able to use the vast catalog of Elton John/Bernie Taupin tunes to their fullest advantage, when it made sense to drive the narrative forward - or to give the storytelling a shot of adrenaline.
This film had Elton John's blessings and he was not kind to a few people in his life - most notably his mother (an almost unrecognizable Bryce Dallas Howard in a strong turn), his father (Steve Mackintosh, who I had never seen before) and his Manager, John Reid (Game of Throne's Richard Madden). All 3 are pretty one-dimensional villains that help contribute to Elton's drug and alcohol abuse.
On the other side of the coin is his writing partner, Bernie Taupin (Jamie Bell, the original BILLY ELLIOT in a performance that I think is the best of his career) and his Grandmother, Ivy (good ol' Gemma Jones BRIDGET JONES DIARY and Madam Pomfrey in the Harry Potter films). Both of these characters are generally positive influences on Elton's life, trying to understand and support our hero on his journey.
As for our hero, Taran Egerton (the KINGSMAN films) embodies Elton with panache and zeal while showing an underlying shyness and insecurity that helps lead to his abuse issues. Egerton is EXCELLENT in this role - both in acting and singing. He doesn't so much imitate Elton John but embodies the essence of Sir Elton and his performance is quite effective. If Rami Malek deserved his Oscar for playing Freddy Mercury in BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY then Taran Egerton better be in the Oscar conversation this year.
The film was Directed by Dexter Fletcher (who was brought on to finish BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY once Bryan Singer was fired from that film for his on-set behavior), so he puts to good use his experience on the Queen movie, keeping the action moving fast, the characterizations simple (but satisfying) enough while showcasing just enough music to fill a "Best of" Album.
While BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY was a "meh" movie with a buffo ending (the recreation of the LIVE AID concert was amazing), ROCKETMAN suffers from just the opposite problem. Starting off strong and growing weaker until it ends in "meh" fashion. The fact that this film musical fantasy decided to end with a faithful recreation of the I'M STILL STANDING music video is at the heart of the issue. I understand the implied underlying meaning of this song selection, but it just doesn't pack the punch that a live concert appearance would have.
Come for the music, stay for Egerton's performance and you'll be glad you did.
Letter Grade: A-
8 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Darren (1599 KP) rated The Book of Henry (2017) in Movies
Oct 2, 2019
Characters – Susan is the mother of the house, though she doesn’t have the full responsibility in the house as she lets her genius son Henry handle the finances in the home. She is a single working mother that does everything she can to help her kids, enjoys a drink with her best friend Sheila and videos to release the stress, she must go through a difficult process when Henry becomes sick and wants to follow his book to do the right thing. Henry is a genius 12-year-old boy, he keeps his family together while trying to leave his own legacy, he knows how to work the stock market which keeps the family a float and when he sees wrong in the world he wants to help change it, this brings him to write a book to stop the abuse of his neighbour by her stepfather. Peter is the younger brother to Henry, he always looks up to him and wants to help him with his innocent being the only thing that lets Henry have fun. Sheila is the best friend and work colleague of Susan, she enjoys herself a drink and has great banter with Henry. Glenn is the neighbour and police chief living next door to the Carpenter family, he has a stepdaughter that he is abusing though he position of power makes it nearly impossible for him to get investigated. Dr Daniels is the man that must treat Henry, he must help the family through the difficult decision.
Performances – Naomi Watts in the leading role is great through this film, we see how her character needs to develop after what happens to Henry. Jaeden continues to show us he is a fast-rising child star along with Jacob Tremblay who are both going to be talked about as a couple of the best of the current generations. Silverman, Morris and Pace give us good supporting performances throughout the film too.
Story – The story here follows a genius son that helps run the family to help take the pressure of his single mother, he plans long term and wants to make the world a better place, though when sees abuse he wants to step in and help. He doesn’t expect the short term though, leaving his legacy to his mother to help solve the abuse he sees the neighbour going through. We do have moments that make the children feel like they are in ‘Pay it Forward’ which does have a better message about, doing something to make the world a better place, this story does get that message over and does make you want to help bring calm to the world. if I was being honest with the way the story is told, I feel it would have been nice to mix the planning Henry does with the actual plan rather than showing his plan before the incident.
Crime – The film does have a crime base to everything going on, we get to see how Henry sees a crime being committed and the only way he can solve it is to have someone commit a crime for him.
Settings – The film shows us the simple life the Carpenter family are currently living and how Henry is happy with this even though he can make them rich with a blink of an eye, he wants family over anything.
Scene of the Movie – Take the shot.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The kids are way to talent in the talent contest.
Final Thoughts – This is a film that has taken a beating by the critics and sure there are a couple of weaknesses in this film, but the core of the story is one of the most interesting ways to show a child genius doing the right thing in life, well-acted and one people should be giving a chance too.
Overall: Nice story about leaving a legacy.
Performances – Naomi Watts in the leading role is great through this film, we see how her character needs to develop after what happens to Henry. Jaeden continues to show us he is a fast-rising child star along with Jacob Tremblay who are both going to be talked about as a couple of the best of the current generations. Silverman, Morris and Pace give us good supporting performances throughout the film too.
Story – The story here follows a genius son that helps run the family to help take the pressure of his single mother, he plans long term and wants to make the world a better place, though when sees abuse he wants to step in and help. He doesn’t expect the short term though, leaving his legacy to his mother to help solve the abuse he sees the neighbour going through. We do have moments that make the children feel like they are in ‘Pay it Forward’ which does have a better message about, doing something to make the world a better place, this story does get that message over and does make you want to help bring calm to the world. if I was being honest with the way the story is told, I feel it would have been nice to mix the planning Henry does with the actual plan rather than showing his plan before the incident.
Crime – The film does have a crime base to everything going on, we get to see how Henry sees a crime being committed and the only way he can solve it is to have someone commit a crime for him.
Settings – The film shows us the simple life the Carpenter family are currently living and how Henry is happy with this even though he can make them rich with a blink of an eye, he wants family over anything.
Scene of the Movie – Take the shot.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The kids are way to talent in the talent contest.
Final Thoughts – This is a film that has taken a beating by the critics and sure there are a couple of weaknesses in this film, but the core of the story is one of the most interesting ways to show a child genius doing the right thing in life, well-acted and one people should be giving a chance too.
Overall: Nice story about leaving a legacy.
Jamie (131 KP) rated Dead by Daylight in Video Games
Jul 15, 2017
Genuinely fun & thrilling (2 more)
Survive with Friends & Kill Your Friends modes are both fun
Steep learning curve that rewards skilled players
Riddled with bugs and easily exploited (2 more)
Toxic community
Useless ranking system
Fun horror themed multiplayer action
It's been almost a year since DBD was first released and for me it's been a year of both joy and frustration. I love the game, it's still one of my favorites, and it's an absolute blast to play with friends. The developers have made signifcant progress since launch in terms of fixing bugs, rebalancing mechanics, and adding content both to keep the game fresh but also to improve the quality of life for both survivors and killers. When I first started it was genuinely tense until I got used to the game, and the Halloween update last year brought back the old scares at least for a little while even for relatively seasoned players. It's nice to see that the dev team is still actively working on the game.
With that said, while I recommend this game I do so cautiously. On release the game was riddled with bugs and had serious issues with the queue system, and while some of the issues with both of those things have been fixed there are still some glaring problems that don't seem to have any easy fixes. The game can be easy to abuse and there have been problems in the past with cheaters and bots (thankfully not so much anymore). Game lobbies are peer to peer which means that survivors will be at the mercy of the other person's internet connection. There is a ranking system that means next to nothing as there are no end of season rewards, just a steam achievement and bragging rights.
Add in the fact that this game is extremely competitive, you'll pretty regularly run into some salty people. You get killers that camp, survivors that abuse infinites, and on occasion the random angry messages and trash talk on steam. A good number of the folks I used to play with ended up rage quitting for one reason or another, so this game can have that effect on folks.
Overall though, I still enjoy DBD on occasion, I like to see the new stuff that gets added or fixed. While the bugs, occasional long queue times, and lag can be extremely frustrating at times I feel that the good outweighs the bad. As long as you don't take it too seriously and just have fun it can be a really enjoyable, especially with the right people.
With that said, while I recommend this game I do so cautiously. On release the game was riddled with bugs and had serious issues with the queue system, and while some of the issues with both of those things have been fixed there are still some glaring problems that don't seem to have any easy fixes. The game can be easy to abuse and there have been problems in the past with cheaters and bots (thankfully not so much anymore). Game lobbies are peer to peer which means that survivors will be at the mercy of the other person's internet connection. There is a ranking system that means next to nothing as there are no end of season rewards, just a steam achievement and bragging rights.
Add in the fact that this game is extremely competitive, you'll pretty regularly run into some salty people. You get killers that camp, survivors that abuse infinites, and on occasion the random angry messages and trash talk on steam. A good number of the folks I used to play with ended up rage quitting for one reason or another, so this game can have that effect on folks.
Overall though, I still enjoy DBD on occasion, I like to see the new stuff that gets added or fixed. While the bugs, occasional long queue times, and lag can be extremely frustrating at times I feel that the good outweighs the bad. As long as you don't take it too seriously and just have fun it can be a really enjoyable, especially with the right people.
Jessica - Where the Book Ends (15 KP) rated Harp's Song (Harp's Song, #1) in Books
Jan 30, 2019
***I received this book in exchange for an honest review ***
Harp's Song is a beautifully written breathtaking account of a young girl named Harp and her story of coming to terms with the abuse she suffered at the hands of her mother as well as first love.
When we first meet Harp she is a bit of a band geek who just so happens to be best friends with the high school jock Connor. Connor and Harp have been friends through thick and thin, and really Connor and his mom Catherine are the only people that know about the truth surrounding Harp's home life. Harp isn't part of any social group at school really, and her main focus is to play her Cello and to get out of Iowa, away from her mom, and to music school.
Harp's mother has always been lacking in the motherly department. She is constantly verbally abusing Harp and a couple of times even physically abusing her. Harp just knows she doesn't deserve the life that's been dealt to her and she has to get out. The way this book is written is that instead of having your typical chapters, the author uses them as a countdown to graduation. It's a very different approach to take and I love the way the author uses her "chapters" as a timeline for the reader. It helps you immerse yourself in the story even more. Not only that but your senior year I bet you counted down the days too, I know I did.
Connonr lets it slip that he wants to be more than friends with Harp, and how he's cared about her for so long. He doesn't want to see anything bad happen to her, and what he really wants is to do nothing but protect her. For the most part their relationship is comfortable and easy for them until Vincent shows up, and he becomes a snag in an otherwise smooth relationship. Connor perseveres and swears his love to Harp.
These characters are so beautifully written and so vibrant that I feel as though I know them outside of their pages. Harp's story is one that rips your heart out, and then replenishes your faith in humanity, and along the way raises awareness about abuse (both verbal and physical).
If you haven't read Harp's Song yet, or if you're debating about possibly reading it, let me do you a solid... Read it... I'm begging you. You won't be sorry. This story is both beautiful and poignant. This book will definitely make my top list of the year, maybe even ever. Bravo Cassie Shine, bravo!
Harp's Song is a beautifully written breathtaking account of a young girl named Harp and her story of coming to terms with the abuse she suffered at the hands of her mother as well as first love.
When we first meet Harp she is a bit of a band geek who just so happens to be best friends with the high school jock Connor. Connor and Harp have been friends through thick and thin, and really Connor and his mom Catherine are the only people that know about the truth surrounding Harp's home life. Harp isn't part of any social group at school really, and her main focus is to play her Cello and to get out of Iowa, away from her mom, and to music school.
Harp's mother has always been lacking in the motherly department. She is constantly verbally abusing Harp and a couple of times even physically abusing her. Harp just knows she doesn't deserve the life that's been dealt to her and she has to get out. The way this book is written is that instead of having your typical chapters, the author uses them as a countdown to graduation. It's a very different approach to take and I love the way the author uses her "chapters" as a timeline for the reader. It helps you immerse yourself in the story even more. Not only that but your senior year I bet you counted down the days too, I know I did.
Connonr lets it slip that he wants to be more than friends with Harp, and how he's cared about her for so long. He doesn't want to see anything bad happen to her, and what he really wants is to do nothing but protect her. For the most part their relationship is comfortable and easy for them until Vincent shows up, and he becomes a snag in an otherwise smooth relationship. Connor perseveres and swears his love to Harp.
These characters are so beautifully written and so vibrant that I feel as though I know them outside of their pages. Harp's story is one that rips your heart out, and then replenishes your faith in humanity, and along the way raises awareness about abuse (both verbal and physical).
If you haven't read Harp's Song yet, or if you're debating about possibly reading it, let me do you a solid... Read it... I'm begging you. You won't be sorry. This story is both beautiful and poignant. This book will definitely make my top list of the year, maybe even ever. Bravo Cassie Shine, bravo!
ClareR (5674 KP) rated My Dark Vanessa in Books
Feb 9, 2020
As soon as I started reading My Dark Vanessa, I questioned why I had chosen to read it. It’s a subject that I’d usually not even attempt to read as I find it too upsetting, but I’d heard such good things about it, and I was curious. And boy am I glad I read it. It’s an uncomfortable read though.
An insecure, lonely 15 year old is groomed by her much older teacher, Jacob Strane, and she is led to believe that it’s all on her own terms. She is in control. There are parts of this book that really distressed me, and I had to put the book down. However, I really felt for the main character, Vanessa. Even as a 35 year old woman, her life is still dictated by her relationship with Strane. These scenes where she is older, in a boring job, living in a tiny apartment and drinking too much, really made me see how Strane had ruined her life. She refuses to see it, however. Even when she is seeing a counsellor about the death of her father, she still sees no link between her feelings for Strane and how he affected her life before the death of her father. And when former female students blow the whistle on his abuse, Vanessa refuses to get involved. Strane tells her they’re lying, that they’re fantasists - and she believes him. He continues to control her for years after their sexual relationship ends.
I think the way that the narrative swapped between present day and the past, showing us how the ‘relationship’ developed, made it all the more stark. Everyone, including the reader, can see the abuse. Everyone except Vanessa. I don’t know what the laws about the age of consent are like in the USA, but I’m pretty certain that if he’d been found out in the UK, he would never have taught again. But of course I could be wrong.
For me, the end was a relief. I was glad I’d made it through - it was traumatic for me as a reader.
I’ve given this 5 stars, but I wouldn’t qualify this 5/5 with an “I loved it!” like I often do with my top marked books. I do think that this is an important book though, and to be perfectly honest, it’s beautifully written.
Many thanks to HarperCollins 4th Estate and NetGalley for my copy of this book to read and review.
An insecure, lonely 15 year old is groomed by her much older teacher, Jacob Strane, and she is led to believe that it’s all on her own terms. She is in control. There are parts of this book that really distressed me, and I had to put the book down. However, I really felt for the main character, Vanessa. Even as a 35 year old woman, her life is still dictated by her relationship with Strane. These scenes where she is older, in a boring job, living in a tiny apartment and drinking too much, really made me see how Strane had ruined her life. She refuses to see it, however. Even when she is seeing a counsellor about the death of her father, she still sees no link between her feelings for Strane and how he affected her life before the death of her father. And when former female students blow the whistle on his abuse, Vanessa refuses to get involved. Strane tells her they’re lying, that they’re fantasists - and she believes him. He continues to control her for years after their sexual relationship ends.
I think the way that the narrative swapped between present day and the past, showing us how the ‘relationship’ developed, made it all the more stark. Everyone, including the reader, can see the abuse. Everyone except Vanessa. I don’t know what the laws about the age of consent are like in the USA, but I’m pretty certain that if he’d been found out in the UK, he would never have taught again. But of course I could be wrong.
For me, the end was a relief. I was glad I’d made it through - it was traumatic for me as a reader.
I’ve given this 5 stars, but I wouldn’t qualify this 5/5 with an “I loved it!” like I often do with my top marked books. I do think that this is an important book though, and to be perfectly honest, it’s beautifully written.
Many thanks to HarperCollins 4th Estate and NetGalley for my copy of this book to read and review.