Hello Everyone!!! I hope you all are having an awesome weekend. Today I am reviewing for you, Black Iris by Leah Raeder. This was a pretty dark and emotionally charged book. A story that anyone who has gone through high school has encountered one of the characters that is in this book. Whether you can relate to the idea of revenge or not fitting in or being bullied this book will rip off the band-aid that is covering your old wounds and make you feel them all over again through these characters. For my full review keep reading after the book blurb.
Book Blurb:
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.
Review:
Laney has been called many things in her life. Most of those things have been true but they don’t need to know that. They need to know how they have hurt her and others. They deserve to feel what they have caused others to feel. Once Laney has her plan she needs to find accomplices. Soon after going to a frat party she finds Armin and Blythe. The two perfect partners for her future crimes. As she gets closer to accomplishing her goals the closer she gets to destroying those she feels need to be destroyed. But on her road to revenge she will have bumps she doesn’t account for. It’s those bumps that validate what she is doing and what she needs to do. She is not the hero of her story but the villain in many others. She will get even and they won’t even see it coming.
This tale is definitely a dark one. From page one Laney tells the reader she will not have redemption or be a hero. She knows she is a villain but she feels validated by that. Those who have hurt her she is out to get. Out to repay them for the pain they caused her and her family. This really is quite a twisted story. Sadly though you can understand why she decides to do what she does. You feel her pain through her actions. Those actions aren’t usually against other people but against herself. I think that is the most realistic emotion people will relate to in this book. It isn’t just the emotions though that make the reader really take pause. It is the depth and level of planning that Laney takes. This book will keep you wondering where she is going and what she plans on doing. Just when you think she is done, a big twist comes along and smacks the reader right across the face. If you are looking for a book that will keep you guessing and put you through an emotional roller coaster you will love this book.