Review: Gifted by author for an honest review
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 13, 2014
In talking with Monica about her new book, she admitted she may be pushing a few comfort zones with the content. Yes, she did. We're still thanking her for that.If you're looking for yet one more book, with a boat load of sex scenes, so much so that you're no longer sure if there's a plot... this might not be for you. If, however, you are looking for substance in an original genuine story, meat and grit in a female character, a connection with the main characters, and if you don't mind squirming over what many would consider a potential worse case scenario... well then prepare yourself. This is Something Like Normal.Mia, the main character, is probably just like one of those emo girls you knew in high school; dark hair, a bit unkempt, smudgy dark makeup around the eyes that won't look at you, streaks of red in the hair, and not the most fashionable of clothes. At the time, you justified their appearance and behavior by thinking those girls are silently screaming to be seen and to be noticed. Monica James has shed light on what is actually the opposite. They want to be unidentifiable. They want to fade away and not be noticed. Lord knows, Mia has her reasons.I grew up in a very middle class suburban family, in the Midwest, with loads of love and support and it couldn't feel more vanilla. Still does. Reading, Something Like Normal, I could still easily identify and empathize for the main characters. All of them. Monica has done a lovely job of putting you in their shoes and letting you see their world from their own subjective point of view. I'd venture to guess Monica James has a bit of psychology background in her somewhere, because the book gives you better understanding of how any of us could have found ourselves in their shoes. What would you do? Who do you know currently that are like Mia and her new "family"? You may surprise yourself.Oh yes, there are some steamy and aggressive sex scenes, but I promise, you won't forget the plot.I walked away from this first in the series of Normal books, wanting to talk about it with others. I'm impatient for the next book due out in October of this year. When you read Something Like Normal, come back on to our page. We'd love to discuss this with you. Ask for Alexis.