Review: Crazy Love You by Lisa Unger

Title: Crazy Love You   

Author: Lisa Unger        

Published: February 2015, Touchstone  

Format: ARC Paperback, 352 pages    

Source: Author  

Love hurts … Sometimes it even kills.

Darkness
has a way of creeping up when Ian is with Priss. Even when they were
kids, playing in the woods of their small Upstate New York town, he
could feel it. Still, Priss was his best friend, his salvation from the
bullies who called him “loser” and “fatboy”…and from his family’s deadly
secrets.

Now that they’ve both escaped to New York City, Ian no
longer inhabits the tortured shell of his childhood. He is a talented
and successful graphic novelist, and Priss…Priss is still trouble. The
booze, the drugs, the sex—Ian is growing tired of late nights together
trying to keep the past at bay. Especially now that he’s met sweet,
beautiful Megan, whose love makes him want to change for the better. But
Priss doesn’t like change. Change makes her angry. And when Priss is
angry, terrible things begin to happen…

My thoughts: Lisa Unger is without a doubt one of my favorite authors and this book just proves why. She is the master of twisted, dark tales. I’ve read quite a few of her books and seem to fall in love with her writing even more with each book.

This is such a complex, complicated story. It takes us back to The Hollows – the setting of quite a few of Lisa Unger’s previous books, but it is also set in Manhattan. Not only does the time shift from the present to the past as we learn about Ian, but it also takes us in and out of reality from the pages of Ian’s graphic novels to his actual life. At times, it’s hard to distinguish what’s really real and what’s make belief. 

Ian himself is a complicated character and his relationship with Priss just seems to add a whole new layer to that. Ian just wants someone to notice him and Priss fulfills that need, but at what cost? And, at what point do the lines become blurred between friendship and a romantic infatuation? Because that innocent friendship that Ian and Priss have as children grows to more as they mature. And what happens when Ian meets and falls in love with Megan? How does Priss handle that?

There are so many questions that race through your mind as you read this book. Luckily, it’s a fast-paced tale that will have you ripping through the pages of the book to find out just what is real and what is part of the imagination and creation of Ian and his graphic novels. One piece of advice I would give you before picking this book up is to read Lisa Unger’s The Whispers trilogy first. They are short, quick
reads, but will provide a little background to part of the storyline of
this book. It’s not critical, but might enhance your enjoyment just a
little more. The novellas are The Whispers, The Burning Girl and The Three Sisters. [The links are to my reviews.]

I cannot wait to see what this talented author has in store for us next. In the meantime, I will be going back and rereading the books I’ve yet to read of hers. I only wish she was coming on tour near me…how I would love to hear her talk about her writing and her books…maybe some day!!!