Title: Insanity
Author: Lauren Hammond
Book #: 1st of Trilogy
Publisher: S.B. Addison Books
Publish Date: May 8th 2012
Pages: 190
Format: Kindle Edition
Date Read (Throwback): November 7th 2012
Rating: ★★★★★ / out of 5
Life is pain. Life is chaos. It's never easy. Always a struggle.
Summary:
Adelaide Carmichael and Damien Allen couldn't be more opposite.
Adelaide is broken down from her mother's abandonment and her father's constant abuse. Damien has a wealthy family and a bright future to look forward to. Despite what everyone says, the two fall deeply in love and plan to runaway together, living against society's rules.
That is.. until Addie wakes up in an insane asylum with no memory as to how she got there. All she knows is that she wants out.
As she pieces together what took place, she comes to the conclusion that things aren't always what they seem and sometimes true love really never dies.
Review:
My brain is swarming with thoughts, my body pumping with energy, my fingers itching to write this review.. and I don't even know where to begin! I don't even believe that a "wow", or a "holy crapola" will explain my feelings for this book and give it the justice it so fairly deserves.
I guess I should start with the first thing everyone sees when they look at a book: The cover.
This book should win a "Cover of the Year" award. I mean, seriously! This is the most beautifully breathtaking cover I have ever seen. Ever. It is so simple, yet at the same time a millions words could be said about it. The way the wind is blowing and covering her face makes you ask "Who is that girl? What does her face look like?" And the white dress she wears, how white symbolizes pureness. Is it irony or symbolism? And then the field of wheat she is standing in. We know from reading the book that she grew up someplace near a field of tall grass, but from the perspective of someone who has not read it yet, the field could represent being stranded or isolated, or in this case the time period and social class of the main character, as well.
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Powerful
If I had to describe this book in one word, that would be it.
The talent this author has to be able to construct such a book is beyond me! If only this were a paperback book. This would be something worth getting signed by the author, herself.
A few chapters into the book, and I felt myself fully tuning into Adelaide's emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. There were times when I wished that I could only start screaming and kicking like she was, when they started to hold her down and restrain her. And, not only did I feel for her when she was going through the things she did in the Asylum during the "After", my heart also broke for what she went through in her home during the "Before".
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Her Father's drinking, her Mother's disappearance (view spoiler), and being beaten by her "Daddy". These were very strong emotions that the author brought into the novel, creating a sense that Addy was truly lost, hopeless, and broken.
Then Damien comes along. At first, I was upset about their relationship. I wish the book was a bit longer, and that it went into more detail about how they fell in love. That is always my favorite part about romance novels. When you see the characters spending more time together, and when you hear the "click" go off in their minds when they realize they love each-other. That was sadly missing from this book. However, we do know that what ever happened in the beginning, they are deeply in love.
As the story goes by, I find myself in a trance. I desperately want to know how she got in the asylum, and is there is really a way out.
Overall: Speechless!
Quotes:
"There was a brief moments, days after his death that I thought I might be okay. That I might be able to always remember our love, but be able to move on."
Note:
I did notice two small grammatical errors, throughout the book. I also kept wondering why there where awkward breaks in between conversations in the text.
On My Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/439541253
