Book Review: Drowning Instinct by Ilsa J Bick

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publication Date: February 2012
Publisher: Lerner Publishing / Carolrhoda Books
Pages: 352
Series: no
Acquisition: NetGalley

Summary:

There are stories where the girl gets her prince, and they live happily ever after. (This is not one of those stories.)

Jenna Lord's first sixteen years were not exactly a fairytale. Her father is a controlling psycho and her mother is a drunk. She used to count on her older brother—until he shipped off to Afghanistan. And then, of course, there was the time she almost died in a fire.

There are stories where the monster gets the girl, and we all shed tears for his innocent victim. (This is not one of those stories either.)

Mitch Anderson is many things: A dedicated teacher and coach. A caring husband. A man with a certain...magnetism.

And there are stories where it's hard to be sure who's a prince and who's a monster, who is a victim and who should live happily ever after. (These are the most interesting stories of all.)

Drowning Instinct is a novel of pain, deception, desperation, and love against the odds—and the rules. (from Goodreads)

I was: draw into the telling of a relationship that needed to be told. Taboo or not, Drowning Instinct will leave you breathless.

My thoughts:
My heart is in my throat! I just finished this book and I can't believe what I read. God it was so good! And that ending! I cannot find the words to describe how I feel right now. Holy crap! There is no way my words could do this book justice. Truly a fantastic read for me. Extremely hard to put down!

I love the way in which this story is told. Our MC Jenna is sitting in a hospital room talking into a digital recorder that her friendly neighborhood police detective just handed her. She proceeds to tell Officer Bob her story. She tells US her story and wow - it really feels like she is talking right to you as you read.

And her story? It's not for the faint of heart. Her actions are questionable. The people she is suppose to trust aren't the best role models. The things she does in for the people she cares about don't really show her at her best. And, these people? Not the best types to have in your life.

Jenna sounds like a mess, doesn't she? Well, she is. But she's also very real. Do I agree with what she did? Maybe not, but I understand how it could happen. I understand that people are capable of so many different things and even when you think you have it all figured out, one act, one word and your world can fall apart.

Final verdict:
To say that I loved this book would be an understatement. Drowning Instinct will get under your skin and it won't leave you alone. You'll carry around these characters with you for a very long time.

My first Ilsa Bick book and surely not my last!

Overall Rating:

5 / 5 Stars

Linkage Love:
Author's website
Goodreads
IndieBound