Review: Normal by Danielle Pearl

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Something More #1
Release: August 11, 2014
Length: 390 pages

It's the kind of situation most people would dread. Starting at a new high school, in the middle of my senior year, in a new town, in a new state. I know no one. No one knows me. That's what I'm counting on.

A year ago, Aurora "Rory" Pine was just a normal teenage girl - just as sweet and naive as the fairy tale princess she was named after.

But this isn't a year ago.

Rory is broken, and now suffering from a debilitating anxiety disorder, wrought with precarious triggers, she moves across the country to escape the source of her troubles. Her plan is anonymity, but that's easier said than achieved for the new girl having a panic episode outside of calculus. The worst part? There's a witness - and a gorgeous one at that.

Sam is a walking trigger for Rory. Incredibly handsome, built like the star athlete he obviously is, and undoubtedly popular, Sam outwardly represents everything Rory despises about high school. But as the fates keep throwing them together, a connection sparks that neither ever expected, and certainly couldn't ignore.

But Sam has issues too, and Rory's past won't just stay in the damned past. When friendship evolves into something deeper, can a girl utterly destroyed by the worst kind of betrayal and a boy battling demons of his own ever have a normal relationship? Is that even what they want? Find out in NORMAL, a gritty story of trust and abuse, heartbreak and salvation, and if they're lucky - love. This is not a flowery romance - not for the faint of heart.

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My Review

First of all, this author is extremely talented. My goodness!! I was immediately absorbed in this story and COULD NOT put it down for the life of me. The writing, the pacing, the character development, the plot, the meat, all of it was just sooooooo amazing!!

This was a very hard read for me because... trigger! But I was still able to enjoy it while cringing (a lot). I was instantly sympathetic with Rory and eagerly awaited her champion. And her saviour came in such a delightful package. Sam looked like what she knew (arrogant, gorgeous, intelligent), but he was so much more. This boy was such a man! I loved loved loved Sam. He had so much in common with Cam (which was bittersweet for sure) and I wonder if the author rhymed their names intentionally.

I docked a star simply because Rory, at times, too many times, lacked logic. There were instances where I wondered if she had no access to electronics, but then remembered that she had a cell and there was mention of her deleting all of her social media accounts, so that would mean that yes, she did have access to electronics. So how, in this day and age, did she allow herself to make the kinds of choices she did??? Especially whenever she turned on Sam. OMG I just wanted to throttle her ass!

So anyhoo... great story and I can't wait to see what is planned for Robin's comeuppance.

XO