Review: Black Iris

Black Iris by Leah Raeder
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am still reeling from the emotional roller coaster that is this story. Let me repeat, SERIOUS emotional roller coaster. This story has left me feeling raw, used, abused, incredibly sad, and only slightly optimistic as even the ending felt bittersweet to me.

This isn't to say that all these dark feelings have led me to dislike the story - yes at times I just wanted to shut the damn book and be done with it - but something kept pulling me back. Laney's twisted mind began to swirl and mix around in my own and regardless of how the story disturbed me on an emotional level I had to keep reading so I could at least find out whether or not she finally followed through with her plan.

I have great respect for Leah Raeder as an author. She made me think and feel SO MUCH more than I had anticipated. I've never been so moved, physically or mentally, by a story. Her writing is something otherworldly and feral, poetic and lyrical. There are hundreds of lines worth highlighting and quoting and remembering for later. She is a goddess with words.

That said I can't quite give this book 5 stars because although I loved the writing and was moved so thoroughly by the story, I felt almost overwhelmed by the...well by all the sex. Haha. Don't get me wrong, it was highly enjoyable for me the first few times and I really loved the contrasts between when Laney was with Blythe versus with Armin. Both couples are beautiful in their own way and MAN can Leah ever write a sex scene! But nearing the end of the book I just wanted to figure out what the hell was going on with eveyone and all the sex just seemed to get in the way of my finding out!!

Overall a fantastic read though, will be recommending for sure.
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