The Lonely Review

Book Review Feb. 21

The Lonely

by: Tara Brown

★★★★   4 Stars

Blurb: Emalyn Spicer has lived with it for a long time. She thinks it goes back further than her memories do. She knows it goes back further than the OCD.

When she arrives at college, her OCD's and the lonely refuse to let her have her wish to be normal.

When she meets Sebastian and starts to fall for him, she lets herself believe it's possible to outrun the things chasing her from the past. But how to you get away from the things inside of you? How do you run from yourself?

Just as she gives up and succumbs to the lonely, the unthinkable happens. She finds herself once again trapped in the dark, once again held against her will.

This time she meets the lonely head on. In the darkest corners of her mind, she discovers there is more to her world than she ever imagined. She discovers that the lonely was there for her, protecting her from herself and her secrets.

Just WOW!!!! If you want your mind to be blown then read The Lonely. Holy crap, seriously this book is nuts but  in the greatest of ways.... I was wondering if I was crazy and needed therapy both while reading it and after. This is literally a book that you cannot put down, it will stay in the back of your mind and haunt you like a vengeful spirit. Think V for Vendetta meets Girl Interrupted.
So much is great with this book, particularly the writing style. OMG, its mind-blowing. It's like the book itself is bipolar and you become a lucky witness who has to decipher the clues. And feeling like a detective comes with the territory as you try to figure out what the hell is wrong with Emalyn and eventually her invincible benefactor. Ema's voice is full of a refreshing honesty that really contradicts her sullen shadow which she calls 'the lonely.' But with all the self-torture, heartbreak and torment she suffers, readers cannot help but be sucked in. (I will admit she has the worst gag reflex ever, every page she's gagging at something new!!!) The story is extremely engaging and you will have a NEED to find out answers.

There are a few moments in the book that will not only give you pause but probably piss you off a lil bit. Such as everything with Sebastian, you can't help but love him. But in the end he's far too 'normal' for Ema. Eli on the other hand somehow works. Not only do the two share a history but a need for the dark side of life. Eli definitely has his kinky side and that's by far Ema's favorite part... (Maybe readers too **wink wink**) Ema often tortures herself and makes her situation worse on herself. She's so stuck on being a non-crying orphan she forgets to live.

This book fits the New Adult genre so it's more suitable for those 18+. It's not your normal boy meets girl, they skirt around each-other until they eventually have their happily-ever-after. Oh, no!! Not The Lonely, this book is all over the place. Like a soap-opera on 10X's the recommended dose of Valium. 

I don't want to say too much but to sum it up. Michelle (Ema's childhood friend and now college roommate) is awesome and doesn't handle Ema with kid gloves instead makes her step outta her comfort zone and even comforts her when she goes a bit off the edge. Stuart (Michelle's sometimes BF and Ema's driver/bodyguard) is the bomb. Freakin awesome and I wish we knew more about him, maybe a story of his own. He's a (part Asian) fighter/chauffeur hired by Ema's mysterious benefactor. He's such a good friend that even when I found out his part in the deception act when Ema's taken, I still loved him and worried more about his well-being than hers. Sebastian, yum, and swoon-worthy rich, but almost too perfect to be real. And honestly, I was shocked by all the crap he took from Em. He just kept coming back like a woman with an abusive husband. 

Don't fret. There is a lot of good that comes with this book and not all crazy either. At one point, Eli takes Ema to a gym so she can learn to defend herself. And can I just say hearing her get beat up by a 14 y/o was very entertaining. 

I could go on, but I won't. This book is a thrill ride you won't want to end. From start to finish, your mind will be blown. There are a few squeamish parts. So if mild abuse, crude language, sexual kinkery and mental disorders aren't your thing, Move Along, otherwise jump on the crazy-mobile, you won't be disappointed just awestruck at everything you just read. Your brain may need a few days to recuperate but that's what the weekend are for!!!. 

HAPPY READING :)