Book Review: Normal

Title: Normal

Author: Danielle Pearl

Genre: NA Fiction

Reviewer: Aly

Book Blurb:

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

Review: 

I do admit that I loved the narration used during Normal. It was almost as if the main character was talking with you as you read the book. It drew readers farther into the book, and gave it an interesting twist, as you would hear these comments that normally wouldn’t be included in the narration at that point but it is and it makes for some even better situations most of the times. Mostly because you’re hearing her thoughts and the comments she’s making and many times, Rory’s voice has a bit of a witty tone to it, and sarcasm. It just drew me farther into the book and into Rory’s head as well as becoming attached to Rory even more.

Then there was Rory. She was just a character that you could get behind, feel proud of and she felt as real as my own best friend. You felt for her even if you hadn’t experienced what she had gone through and it was just amazing to me that she thinks she’s not strong or that she’s damaged in someway. She’s stronger than a lot of people I know, including myself. I truly enjoyed this book because of Rory.

I did enjoy many of the other characters, including Sam, but Rory was my favorite by far.

I’m going to say now that this book does have some triggers, such as rape, and abuse. So if you don’t feel that that’s something you can read about than it might be best not to start this book.

The fact that we get small bits of Rory’s past while being involved in her present, it makes things a bit easier to take. I’m not saying that it’s easy to read at all. In fact, sometimes it was difficult to read all about these things. But the small doses of her past and seeing how well she’s doing even if she feels she’s not doing well at all makes things a bit easier to take.

And that ending. It had me in tears, wanting the world to leave me alone and never come back. I will tell you that if you can handle rape and abuse in your books that this is a book that you will enjoy.

Rating: