Elliot WakeBesprekingen
Auteur van Unteachable
Besprekingen
Black Iris door Leah Raeder
This book was like a huge, decadent dessert of vengeance, sex and the complexities of teenage sexuality.
At times a little over-the-top, I still really enjoyed it. The out-of-order narrative can be a turn-off but I felt it was well utilized here, without feeling excessively messy. It was a fun, delicious read, despite the dark subject matter.
Rating: 8/10
Gay-o-meter: 10/10
This book is so beautiful and completely fucked up, in the best kind of way.
📖: 10/10
🌶️: 4.5/5
Hands down, my absolute new favourite book. I read it in about 48 hours, but if I didn't have sleep and other responsibilities, I would have absolutely devoured it in one sitting. It is a romance involving a teacher and student, so if that will be an issue for you right off the bat, then maybe skip this one. If you're okay (or more than okay) with this taboo in your fictional romance novels, then I urge you (read: beg you) to read this book. The author delves into the moral and ethical issues with this arrangement, while purposefully blurring the lines between right and wrong with all involved parties. At the same time though, the spice in this book is perfectly, beautifully spicy AND well written. A journey of a novel that will grasp your soul and suck you in, the twists and turns this story takes will leave you consistently on the edge of your seat. This is one of those books that will have you thinking about it long after you've read it.
GR: lyssrp
Storygraph: @alyp
I spent about half of the book feeling confused and not being sure I liked it but it had hooked me and I felt I needed to read to the end to untangle everything. The story telling is masterful and it's written beautifully.
It's dark and probably not for the faint hearted but it doesn't shy away from some big things. As a queer person with BPD it's so rare to find those things in characters and it was very interesting to see such a raw and honest portrayal. I came away wanting to recommend this but at the same time it's such an intense book that I know it won't be for everyone.
I thought this was better than Black Iris because although there were still many mysteries and things kept from the reader it was less frustrating. I was more interested in the characters & enjoyed getting to know them a lot more
Beautifully written, interesting and strong MC and what could have been a great story. But it just felt wrong to me all the time - I don't mind the teacher/student relationship, but this one just didn't feel right. Also, the ending was ridiculous.
I have so many conflicted emotions about this book. I loved Elliot Wake's Black Iris and I was so excited when I found out he had written a novel with a trans main character. This was probably my favourite part of this novel, it meant a lot to me as a trans guy who has gone through abuse to read a novel about a trans man who has too, written by a trans man. I also really liked the romance between Ren and Tamsin, the diversity in this book was fantastic.
Then there were some things I enjoyed less... It felt strange to read about Laney and Blythe in this context. I loved them in Black Iris but in this novel, I almost, started to dislike them... Especially Laney, and I hated that that happened.
It really was a wild ride of never quite knowing who to trust, and that definitely showed through Ren's paranoia, and with each twist and turn it was hard to know what to believe. It made it a little messy throughout and almost a little silly at times, but the ending conclusion / twist was definitely unexpected and well done. It also broached the subject of TERFs and toxic relationships with transphobic people.
Some of the content was fairly triggering and hard to read, and definitely could be for other trans people as there is a lot about body dysphoria, transphobia from others, and internalized transphobia. But overall it was great to read a thriller novel with a trans main character and so much diversity and representation. I'm excited for whatever Elliot Wake writes next.
Lyrically written work. This author is an amazing writer. This story...not so much. So many non mysteries trying to be mysteries. What could have been a promising book went in so many directions and tried so hard it fell flat. There was a good story in there, somewhere. However, it was hidden by multiple story lines, and "secrets" that were mysteries simply because subjects were dropped by the main character and never delved into. The carrot dangling technique used to prevent characters from giving away their secrets became so overused that by 50% into the book I stopped giving a crap. It was the equivalent of vague booking in conversational form. I gave up and ended up skim reading the rest of the book. This book also suffered from trying the same scene over and over in different variations. Most of the scenes of the book (especially her Cam job scenes and almost all conversations/fights Vada had with Ellis) were repetitive, and I am sure just thrown in there to be titillating. If you are looking for bad erotic fiction peppered with a stories of lonely, self destructive and co-dependent people, this is the book for you. I still plan on reading more of Raeder's work, as I can't imagine a writer so promising could not stumble upon the correct content.
4.0
The character in this book are vengeful, jaded, often self involved, fractured, and hold a very flexible morality. The story zig Zaha around in an often off putting semblance of a timeline. The writing is as lyrical. The discussion of sexuality raw, real and honest. The plot was dark in the best of ways. The plot twists at the end -some brilliant and one...reaching.
I loved to hate the characters, I enjoyed struggling through the disjointed time line, and the writing had me grabbing my highlighter. Also, I don't think I can forget this book. I'm glad I gave Elliot writing another chance after Cam Girl.
It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Elliot Wake's work. CAM GIRL is one of the books I point at every time someone asks me for a book request. (...As long as I think they'd be okay with the subject matter. Cause it's...uh. A bit dark. XD)
It's also not a huge secret that I'm a sucker for the teacher/student trope in romance, though I can be a little picky about how it's executed. But I'm like that with most romances, so that's not specific to the trope. So when I realized that Wake's first novel (I believe, back when he was writing as Leah Raeder) was a student/teacher romance, I jumped on it so fast.
(And you know, let it sit on my Kindle for way too long. But...again. That's kinda my MO.)
Now, I was keeping two things in mind walking into the novel. One, this was Wake's early work, so it wasn't going to be as polished as his later stuff. I'd been warned about that going into BLACK IRIS as well, so I was pretty sure I knew what I was walking into. Two, was the same thing that I walk into all romances with: the pacing of the relationship was going to be way faster than I wanted it to be.
Both of those counts were true. And it still charmed me just as much as I wanted it to.
As it is a bit of a tendency in Wake's work, our lead female is a bit of a broken soul. Maise O'Malley is old for her grade, both in spirit and in age. And when she goes to the carnival on one of the last days before school starts again, a one-night fling with a gorgeous older man is just one more in a line of men she'll sleep with and never think of again. Even...if there seems to be something different about this guy. Even for a fling, he wants a connection...he wants to know her name. And he stays on her mind, long after when she might have wanted to forget him.
But of course, the film studies class she fights her way in to has a brand new teacher in charge: Evan Wilke, the man from the carnival. And Maise's life flips upside down.
I figure there are two ways to write the teacher/student dynamic effectively. One is the slow burn, where the tension builds up in the classroom until they desperately try to find some subtle way to diffuse it. The other is how Wake tackles this one: have them meet outside of the school year, have the fire flash of a connection, and then force them into a classroom together.
Even in his early days, Wake's writing is intense and evocative. The struggle between Maise's desire to keep all interpersonal relations at an arm's distance and her desperate attraction to Evan is palpable, and visible in each scene we get with them. Wake doesn't shy from the party mentality of late high school students, nor does he pretend that Evan and Maise live in a bubble where no one else is going to see them undressing each other with their eyes in class. Rumors fly, secrets are kept, and as it must be, when it all comes to light everything struggles to keep from falling off the cliff. Maise has friends (well, a friend at least) outside of Evan, and Evan has an existence outside of Maise. It's well balanced without seeming forced. It's real, something that not all romances can convince the reader.
Is it perfect? No. There seem to be a lot of plot lines going on at once, and several of them I question their ability to exist in a world outside of fiction. Even in a book, there is a level of suspension of disbelief (a concept Evan would be well familiar with) that needs to be upheld and that barrier wavers several times. But, I have to admit to my personal bias being that I grew up in a very small town, went to a small college, and never really ventured into the darker paths of my schools. Maybe it's more realistic than I know.
All things said and done, it's still a fun read. It's a whirlwind from start to finish, with a good balance of wanting to cuddle the both of them until everything is better--and then smacking their heads around until they stop acting like morons. I would be interested to see how Wake would tackle this story now, as opposed to back when it was first written, but perhaps that's neither here nor there.
It's Elliot Wake. It's fun. Go read it.
Rating: *** (Worth a Look)
This is Leah Raeder's second book... I read her first one, Unteachable, and liked it, but I didn't love it. I had some personal issues with it. So, going into this book, I wasn't sure what to expect. I already knew that Leah is a fantastic writer. Her first book was just not the type of plot I would normally go for. This one, though, I totally dug into!
This story is a unique and phenomenally written book. I will say, this somewhat dark read might not be for everyone. I have seen some that either had a hard time finishing it or just didn't finish it at all. Not every book is for everyone. I can understand where some had difficulty with this book. It is slower moving, for the most part. A lot of books that go slower tend to lose readers' interest. I almost stopped for this reason, but I am glad I didn't.
In this book, you will find some complete mind-fuckery going on! This is a triangle of sorts. You have one girl who is lost and broken and out for revenge, you think... Then you have another girl who is twisted and shows some serious signs of mental illness. Then you have a boy... a boy who likes girls he needs to fix. Throw these three together and you get one big cluster of head games, plot twists and heart breaks.
I don't want to be a spoiler. If I go into the plot too much, I will give too much away. Just know that not everyone is as they seem in this story. Things aren't anywhere near black and white. This book is about trust and manipulation of the worst kind. It isn't light and fluffy or unicorns and rainbows. In fact, I am pretty sure some of these characters would chop off the unicorns horn if given the chance.
I am still unsure of this book. Did I like it? Did I dislike it? I am not sure. It's a good book, but definitely not one of those books that stayed with me afterwards. I was more like, eh with this one. I thought it was going to be more profound and heart-wrenching from the description.
The characters themselves are not as relate-able as I hoped. I didn't like Evan. Given his age, he acted more like the eighteen year old than Maise did. He left a bitter taste in my mouth. Maise is the typical eighteen year old who just wants to be and wants to be loved. She hasn't had that in her life. So she seeks that relationship that she thinks will define her.
The plot itself is one that you are curious about. We have all seen it on TV. The student and teacher having a relationship. However, Maise is of consenting age. That makes it easier to stomach. Then throw in her druggie/drug dealer mother's drama. The combination makes for an interesting read and plot twist. Lies, blackmail. Yeah they are in there in the middle of everything.
Overall, I gave this an average rating. Unfortunately, generally speaking, this is an average book for me. Like I said, it isn't the best book, but it isn't a bad book!
This wasn't my favorite of Leah's books. It definitely was a good book, but I felt like it was missing something.
This story should have wowed me. I expected to have my jaw hanging on the ground in this one. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. Although the book is well written, it has very little attention grabbers in it. It seemed to move extremely slow. I had a very hard time keeping myself on the book. I had to put it down and come back to it a couple of times.
The story itself is very intriguing. It's full of twists and turns. I will admit, I saw many of them coming. That may be more because I read so many books with twists, I pick up on the more subtle clues others might not pick up on. I am not sure though. They seemed a bit obvious to me.
I wasn't really a fan of any of the characters. They really didn't have any qualities that wooed me like in past books. I don't mean to be a downer on this book. I just expected more than what I received. Overall, the book is a good one. It just wasn't a book that I can really jump up and down over.
About the Author
Leah Raeder is a writer and unabashed nerd. She is also the USA Today bestselling author of Unteachable and Black Iris. Aside from reading her brains out, she enjoys graphic design, video games, fine whiskey, and the art of self-deprecation. She lives with her very own manic pixie dream boy in Chicago.
Read my full review of the book at seriesousbookreviews.com! Spoiler Free!
This is probably one of the most intriguing and unique novels I recently read.
I loved the unreliable narrator and the flipping back and forth between the past and the present. It keeps the plot interesting and always moving at a faster pace as you try to discern what happened to Laney and why.
It's dark and gritty and that has its pros and cons. While the darkness is definitely needed to move the story forward, I also felt like it dampened it a bit as well. I just felt like it took away from the story at certain points and that tainted my experience.
Check out more spoiler-free book and series reviews on my blog SERIESousBookReviews.com as well as read book series recaps!
Full Review: http://wp.me/p3txrs-15Q
It really seems like the publisher told this author (who was already a successful writer before coming out), "that whole trans thing is a real 'phenomenon.' That's how we're gonna market you from now on." Which like, hey publishers, that's not how this #ownvoices thing works.
FOR MY FULL REVIEW---> http://southernbredsouthernread.blogspot.com/2015/05/black-iris-by-leah-raeder.h...
I have been looking forward to the release of Black Iris pretty much since Leah Raeder announced she was writing it. I absolutely loved her book Unteachable, and it is usually one of my all time favorite books.
Black Iris follows Laney and her two "friends"/lovers/I-don't-even-know-what-to-call-them Blythe and Armin. I'll be upfront with you and say I didn't finish the book, so I can't tell you what it is all about. I stopped at page 153 (about 41%) because I just could not effing read anymore. IT WAS SO BAD. Laney and Blythe are so jazzed up on pills and X and booze the whole time that you have no idea what they are talking about. They're super into each other, but Blythe is one of those girls who wants to tease everyone and have fun but doesn't actually ever want to have a serious conversation. Oh, and Blythe and Armin used to be a thing, but as Armin describes their relationship "She can't fall in love, and I can't fall out." So the whole book is this weird love triangle between Laney being super into Blythe but actually hooking up and being a sort of girlfriend to Armin, Blythe teasing everyone but mostly just going home with rando guys every night, and Armin saying he's in love with Laney but still gets weird around Blythe. Oh, and let me just say that the romance and the scandy scenes are completely weaksauce.
Anyway like I was saying, I had no idea what was going on in the book. I still don't know if it was romance, or contemporary, or mystery, or what. All I know is the chapters jump around so much that you can't keep up with what is happening. There are some flashbacks to when Laney was in high school, some flashbacks to when Laney first meets Armin and Blythe and the summer following, but then there are what I assume present day chapters as well. It's so freaking confusing. I feel like the author had to be smashed the entire time she was writing this book because that is exactly how it reads: like trying to talk to someone who is belligerently drunk.
To make matters worse, Laney and Blythe are so freaking pretentious in the way of their dialogue. Every other sentence is a reference to Sylvia Plath or Emily Dickinson or some other famous poet/author who makes them seem really worldly and well read...... EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT THEY ARE WASTED FOR THE ENTIRE BOOK. All of the literary references had me rolling my eyes so hard that I felt like they were going to fall out of their head. You know poetry! Awesome! So does every other person who has taken some sort of basic Intro to English Lit class. GTF over yourselves.
I don't know how the book ends. I don't care. I just got to the point where I couldn't read anymore without wanting to die. I want to take this book and throw it in the middle of the road and run it over with my car while I'm drinking some sort of free trade organic black coffee (with my pinkie up of course because I am totes grandiose) and reading Poe's best works. Repeatedly. *insert emoji with gun to head*
This book was such a surprise for me. I came into it knowing it would have lots of hot teacher steamy sex, but I wasn't expecting a lot as far as storyline. Man, was I wrong. This book reached inside of my chest and grabbed my heart and twisted it before yanking it out and throwing it on the floor and stomping on it. This isn't a happy love story. Yeah, there are happy parts, but like any real love story, their are parts that make you feel high as a kite and then kick your legs out from under you.
For my full reivew, check it out on my blog
*Thank you for the ARC via netgalley*
I am all kinds of torn with this review... On one hand I want to give it 4 stars because the writing was exquisite, but on another, I have to give it 3 because as a whole I just never really enjoyed/connected to the story. Now before I go on I want to make a note... My dislike did not stem from the subject matter, but more the characters, storyline, and overall outcome. I was pissed when the mystery was revealed and I still kind of am. I was all in with Blue. Something about his character was itrigueing, sexy and mysterious. It was basically my whole reason for continuing to read. When I got to that reveal though my jaw hit the floor, my forehead scrunched, my resting bitch face became a full on bitch face. For me that twist just ruined the story. I had high hopes and they were shot down with hollow point bullets.
With all of that being said... I did enjoy Vada. I liked her confusion, complexity, personailty, and struggles. I loved the "cam girl" parts and her flashbacks to the accident. I think The Author really showed us how a vulnerable character can turn into a fierce heroine.
Overall, I think many will enjoy this story and many will have issues. The theme is pushing the norm and teaching us to open our eyes to something we don't see everyday. It's about judging and bullying... About the trans world and how suicide comes into play. It wasn't really my cup of tea, but Leah knows how to write. The words are poetic and the vivid descriptions of the paintings add a subtle classic side to this unconventional story. I can't say I recommend it to all readers, but if you have an open mind and give it a try... I hope you enjoy it.
*NETGALLEY REVIEW WITH NO SPIOILERS*
Black Iris isn't a book that can be easily be summed up without giving away too much. The story was complex and unlike any other story I've ever read. It was risqué, emotional, intense, dangerous, romantic, and at times, a complete twisted up mystery. It switches back and forth from past to present to show you how everything came into play. Crucial details are revealed and important characters are introduced. The plot is one that will make your mind hurt in the best way possible. It will strip away at everything you believed and make you feel completely different. I was on the edge of my seat for most of the book... The pages couldn't turn fast enough. I wasn't sure how everything would come together, but I never expected the outcome we got. When I finally finished I felt a weight being lifted off my shoulders. I could finally breathe again. My tense body fell relaxed and mind felt sane again.
Honestly it was like a 1,000 piece puzzle. Each word came together to a form a slightly flawed, slightly messed up... absolutely captivating picture. My heart went out to these fictional characters. Yeah, they were emotionally unstable and yeah, at times I wanted to punch each one, but somehow, someway... They managed to capture my heart and fill my body with sympathy.
It was an intense subject and the Author's writing was flawless. It felt raw and vulnerable. While at times the story became jagged and sharp, it somehow remained smooth and flowing. I did question how Leah went from writing Unteachable to this dark, heavy story and after I read the acknowledgements I understood. My hat goes off to her and anyone else who lived similar scenarios. Sadly, this happens a lot more than we would like to think. It opened my eyes and made me feel things I didn't feel before reading. I am utterly head over heels for this book and quite frankly I now have a girl crush on Leah Raeder.
I definitely recommend this one to every reader out there. It is a MUST READ.
Wow! I love a good student/teacher romance and this one didn't disappoint one bit.
Oh the feels this book gave me....
Maise and Evan are a book couple that will forever be in my heart.
Their romance begins at a carnival. From there it goes to high school with him being her teacher. I'm sure you know how the rest goes... Secrets, lies, and sexy escapades.
The angst is thick. They know they shouldn't act on their feelings, but they can't stay away from each other. The relationship gets messy and as the truth is unveiled, ties are broken.
I loved loved loved this book!! Yes, student/teacher books have the same feel to them, but this one brought so much to the table. Talk about a page turner... The plot had just the right amount of twists and turns to leave you craving more. Once I started, I couldn't stop. The sexual tension made me squirm in my seat and the lies left my mind wandering.
I honestly cannot say enough wonderful things about this book. Evan was the perfect book boyfriend. He was protective, yet dominate. He wanted control in the best of ways. Maise was a fierce lead. She was seductive and strong. Both characters complicated one another so well and their romance was quite intense.
I highly recommend this read!!
3.5 Torn Stars
I am torn between 3 and 4 stars for this book.
There were parts that I absolutely adored and other Wierd parts that truly bothered me. I liked the heroine but sometimes found that I truly hated her and did not feel that the author allowed me to see enough of the real her to absolutely fall in love... I know there was a lot there but still something was Missing.
Now Evans I think this is where I want to give the book the 3 stars or possibly 2 really. I did not like his past story..
Right when I thought I could love him I felt like this stuff was thrown in my face and I hated it. I felt like it took away so much from the story and the relationship and made me feel as if he was some kind of perv with the wrong intentions.
Truthfully, I liked the story and I think that the author did a really good job of telling it she just added stuff that was not for me and took away from somethings I felt I needed to know. I am so torn about this book because I truly did like the story, the characters, and the premise I just felt disconnected in places that I needed to be connected.
Overall it was a decent read, a quick one.. I guess I was just not pleased to the point of dislike on some parts of the book.
This review was originally posted on Bookish Things & MoreThoughts on Cam Girl
This is going to be pretty damn scatter-brained. Raeder always leaves me thinking and hopeful. It's one thing I can always count on with one of her books, and Cam Girl is no different.
Vada and Ellis are amazing characters. Both are afraid to some extent of what others think of them. Vada is definitely the one who worries more. She has some of her own phobias she has to work through into find herself. Ellis is struggling on a different level, but the struggle is very much real.
There is so much emotion, and learning to be happy with yourself. It's hard to do when you are always fighting prejudices and a world that doesn't accept easily.
I still can't even form logical thoughts. Raeder has written a book that will touch many, and will bring hope to those out their struggling with their own battles.
I loved every word of Cam Girl. From the wonderfully written characters to the beautiful writing. It's definitely a must read!
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Review:
Oh Maise and Mr. Wilke. Y'all took me on a rollercoaster of a ride.
I admire Maise in so many ways. She has been dealt a crappy life, and does what she can to take care of herself. I don't agree with everything she does, but she's pretty strong. Maise has a habit of keeping people away, and I don't really blame her for that. If you let people in, you get hurt. I really liked Evan. He isn't all about the physical, although, don't get me wrong, there's a lot of hanky panky going on. He wants to get to know Maise.
I love the connection between Maise and Evan. You can feel it jumping out of the pages. They have a complicated relationship what with all the student/teacher thing. But they also have their own insecurities to deal with. Maise and Evan also have to try to keep their interest a secret, but that's nearly impossible.
Leah Raeder did an amazing job writing about such a tabboo topic. Unteachable had me hooked from the beginning.
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