BLACK IRIS
by Leah Raeder
Atria Books Paperback | 384 pages | ISBN: 9781476786421 | On sale: April 28, 2015 | $15.00
eBook: Atria Books | 384 pages | ISBN: 9781476786438 | On sale: April 28, 2015 | $5.99
It only took one moment of weakness for Laney Keating’s world to fall apart. One stupid gesture for a hopeless crush. Then the rumors began. Slut, they called her. Queer. Psycho. Mentally ill, messed up, so messed up even her own mother decided she wasn't worth sticking around for.
If Laney could erase that whole year, she would. College is her chance to start with a clean slate.
She's not looking for new friends, but they find her: charming, handsome Armin, the only guy patient enough to work through her thorny defenses—and fiery, filterless Blythe, the bad girl and partner in crime who has thorns of her own.
But Laney knows nothing good ever lasts. When a ghost from her past resurfaces—the bully who broke her down completely—she decides it's time to live up to her own legend. And Armin and Blythe are going to help.
Which was the plan all along.
Because the rumors are true. Every single one. And Laney is going to show them just how true.
She's going to show them all.
If Laney could erase that whole year, she would. College is her chance to start with a clean slate.
She's not looking for new friends, but they find her: charming, handsome Armin, the only guy patient enough to work through her thorny defenses—and fiery, filterless Blythe, the bad girl and partner in crime who has thorns of her own.
But Laney knows nothing good ever lasts. When a ghost from her past resurfaces—the bully who broke her down completely—she decides it's time to live up to her own legend. And Armin and Blythe are going to help.
Which was the plan all along.
Because the rumors are true. Every single one. And Laney is going to show them just how true.
She's going to show them all.
There are times in ones life where you want to read something real, something gritty, something so intense that you can see those characters and their lives right before your eyes as you read.
That book for me is this one here.
Raw. Gritty. So beautifully written that I am still in awe of the author.
I know that for some this book is not something that they could fathom or understand. As a person who has been through so much crap in life this book hit home. Yes, kids are disrespectful. Yes, kids do actually curse at their parents and yes sometimes you can get pushed too far that you start to act and behave completely different.
This book is not for those who want to judge but rather have an open mind and can see what it is that is being put before them. There were parts that were intense but life can be that way once in a while.
What I really appreciated was the fact that the protagonist did not want to be defined by her sexuality. In this day and age I feel that is important. We need to be able to shed labels and live.
This book had me thinking about many things in my past and how I managed to survive. I wasn't going as free with drugs as the protagonist but I get it. I don't want to go into too much detail about the book because honestly I think people need to read this and just dive in without any pre conceived notions.
Leah Raeder has proven herself again why she is an exceptional writer. She pushes the boundaries, making me squirm but all the while the writing is poetic and beautiful.
Leah Raeder is a writer and unabashed nerd. Aside from reading her brains out, she enjoys graphic design, video games, fine whiskey, and the art of self-deprecation. She lives with her very own manic pixie dream boy in Chicago. Visit her at LeahRaeder.com.
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