ARC Review: Black Iris by Leah Raeder

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The next dark and sexy romantic suspense novel from the USA Today best selling author of Unteachable.

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. 

Head spinning, hear racing and really confused. Also a bit stabby. And a bit . . . how do I put this . . . entranced? Black Iris left me all of this, but also really happy. And a bit mad. Do you see where I’m going with being confused? Because I sure as hell don’t. I read this and a week after my head was still spinning. Let me just get this out of the way before I go on a rant though: Leah Raeder is insanely brilliant her writing is freaking gorgeous. Her ability to dive into the mind of those who are classified as clinically insane are fan-freaking-tastic. My problem? (And let me just say, it really isn’t an actual problem. Or complaint even) I couldn’t connect with any of the characters. And I don’t want to. That left me super confused. YOU KNOW WHAT? THIS ENTIRE BOOK LEFT ME QUESTIONING LIFE? Is that a good thing? *throws hands into air* I DON’T EVEN KNOW ANYMORE. I REALLY DON’T

Sorry. I had to let a bit of that out. This book stresses me out a bit BECAUSE I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT MY THOUGHTS ARE. *takes a calming deep breath* Fingers to the keyboard. I’ve never read a summary for a book that fit the book it was describing as absolutely perfectly as this one did. “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.” And show them all she does. She really does. Laney is ruthless. She’s a liar. She’s been lied to. She broke herself. She’s been broken. She’s a cheater. And a lover. She’s a fighter. She’s a revenger seeker, blood boiler and fire starter. Sweet lord, does she start fires. And she watches them all burn.

I bloomed into the dark thing she made me. I am a creature with a vast capacity for patience, and for violence. For watching. For waiting.(ARC)

This book touches on sexuality, mental disorders, and identity. This book touches on those concepts in a way I am not used to and, in all honesty, kind of terrified me. It terrified me because the emotions and thoughts and words were completely raw, even if not all of them were real. This book surprised me. Left me speechless. I wanted to put it down but I couldn’t stop reading it. What has a book ever done that? Holy crap this book scared me. Not like ‘boo I’m the monster under your bed’ but more like ‘surprise I’m the monster inside of your head.’ The scariest stuff is the stuff that is real. And holy crap this book is real.

I can’t really tell you anything about it without giving major stuff away. So I’ll just say this: if you want a book that is completely not like the rest, this one is totally for you.