Under Rose-Tainted Skies by Louise Gornall
Genre: YA Realistic Fiction
Blurb (on back of book):
At seventeen, Norah has accepted that the four walls of her house delineate her life. She knows that fearing everything from inland tsunamis to odd numbers is irrational, but her mind insists the world outside is too big, too dangerous. So she stays safe inside, watching others’ lives through her windows and social media feed.
But when Luke arrives on her doorstep, he doesn’t see a girl defined by medical terms and mental health. Instead, he sees a girl who is funny, smart, and brave. And Norah likes what he sees.
Their friendship turns deeper, but Norah knows Luke deserves a normal girl. One who can walk beneath the open sky. One who is unafraid of kissing. One who isn’t so screwed up. Can she let him go for his own good—or can Norah learn to see herself through Luke’s eyes?
MY OPINION: ****
This was a very well-written, accurate depiction of mental health and the baggage that comes along with it.
It's short, it's relatively simple, and
it's real. It was important to see how Norah copes with her OCD and agoraphobia in a way that makes it seem like somebody else could relate to her problems. The writing is so simple yet profound and it really strikes readers in a heartfelt way.
It slightly reminded me of
Everything, Everything but honestly hit closer to what I wanted in a book like this. Norah is this girl who can't leave the house, has a doting mother, and starts up an impossible relationship with her next-door neighbor-hottie-awkward-dude. We also receive a rather alarming plot twist that was definitely not expected out of such a sweet book that seemed to really be going places with its integrity and overall fluffiness.
Luke was the awkward/charming boy next door that I think every girl dreams about. Of course, he's gotta be a looker because this is Young Adult romance. He's SO nice and I can't help but scoff at his character in general because despite his flawlessness,
he's not real. Norah, with her snarkiness and sarcastic comments, her problems, and the whirlwind of thoughts, was real. Luke, on the other hand, was more like Prince Charming, but in a more awkward, slightly less real way. However, we can't help but love him because we all love a perfect boy.
The romance in this book didn't feel forced like I thought it would, judging from some reviews I've read. It didn't feel amazingly perfect either and there were definitely a lot of things that Norah and Luke had to get through for them to work. But overall, it was written nicely and I'll admit, there were some parts that made my heart ache.
The ending was definitely surprising and honestly felt like a solution to get Norah and Luke together more than anything.
I did feel like that Helping Hands dude was a little sketchy... However, we got our fairy-tale ending (ish) and it all worked out in the end. And hey, I'm not opposed to a little drama.
Overall, this book had a lot going for it and it exceeded my expectations. I would recommend this book to readers looking for a strong female protagonist, a romance, and all the problems you would expect in between.
Main Character: Norah
Sidekick(s): Luke, etc
Villain(s): <spoiler>That Helping Hands dude</spoiler>, OCD, agoraphobia, self-harm, "being different", etc
Realistic Fiction Elements: This book was all very real to life.
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