Book #63 of 2021
"Excellently portrayed and filled with obsession, darkness, twisted truths, and insecurities." Starred Review by Readers' Favorite
Have you ever been trapped somewhere? I have.
Have you ever found that the world does not believe you? I did.
I have been betrayed by the people I trusted the most. They coil around me like snakes, lulling me with whispers about protection and safety and for your own good.
They offer up pills like sweets, promising me relief. Just take the meds and everything will be fine, Belle – the meds, Belle, the meds.
Everything will not be fine, and it never will be. Justice is gone from the world. I have been wronged by Gabe, the man I loved most, and when I turned to others for backup, they sided with him because he’s a star. When I ran to my father for safety, he locked me up in his great big mansion and threw away the key. Now I drift like the ghost Gabe pretended I was, my bare feet tasting the coldness of rich tiles, my breath turning to ice.
Gabe isn’t real, they tell me. They insult me, they spit at me, then smile and pretend that they wish to help. Meanwhile, Gabe is out there, luxuriating in all that I won for him, and I suffer and burn.
REVIEW: Thank you to NetGalley and author Jay Kerk for the review copy of this psychological thriller in exchange for a review. I will try to make this review spoiler free but there might be some accidental ones included. This book was an incredible depiction of what mental illness is like. The way this book is written is so chaotic and confusing but in a good way. It's impossible to tell what's real, what's not, and what is flashbacks. About halfway in, this book starts to turn to the bazaar. I do believe this is the intent as Belle is falling deeper and deeper into her mental illness. I do feel like even after the truth is revealed that there are still quite a few questions. Why so much secrecy surrounding Belle? Why the need to hide her away from the world? Overall this book was definitely a 4 out of 5 for me and I would love to read more from this author. And it is currently available on Kindle Unlimited if you want to check it out!
Publication Date: September 12, 2020
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