Normal is a new adult novel by Danielle Pearl. It is the first book in the Something More series and I put it on my Kindle a few months ago. The thing that piqued my interest at first was the cover; inviting but mysterious at the same time. When I started reading, I soon found myself thinking the same thing about the story – what a great read this book is!
I’ve done nothing over the last nine months but cry, read, cry, listen to music, and cry. Oh, and have panic attacks.
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? – goodreads.com
I know from experience that some wounds, they’re permanent. That even if they heal, they scar so profoundly that you are never, ever okay again.
A big compliment to the author Danielle Pearl – she managed to make me cry when reading this book. As a real book lover, you’d think this would happen often. But no, I’m not one to cry over a book or movie as easily as some people do. Danielle has managed to ease me into this story, Rory’s world, and make it as if I was there, like I really knew the characters. I really liked the way you slowly learned more about what happened in their past, how more facts were revealed towards the end. And towards the ending, well, let’s say that was when I needed tissues.
I’ve read more than one story about a character with a horrifying past, suffering from anxiety, starting over and things like that. But this one, it felt different. I have to admit, at times I was a bit annoyed with Rory – her actions and the way of she thinks did not always make sense to me, sometimes I just wanted to tell her what the hell she was thinking. And the ending… I was a bit worked up about the ending. Why? Why would she do something like that? I was getting even more annoyed with Rory, her getting her life back together and throwing it all away? But I guess that is another compliment to the author, writing a story that really makes the reader feel for what is happening to the characters. All I can say is: I really want to read the second book in this series!
I would really recommend this book if you are looking for a book that is easy to ease into, has plenty of depth to the story and have a few hours to just sit down and read – because once you start reading this book, you probably won’t be able to put it down anytime soon.
4 out of 5 stars
