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wrathofglasses's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting plot—had me engaged pretty much the entire time (I read it in a day and a half), but it's hard to root for a relationship that is so toxic.
zoefranka's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
bmg20's review
4.0
‘We fell apart. Broke each other’s hearts and screwed up our friendship. Now I’m adrift, unmoored without her. I keep treading water, looking for land. All I can see is endless blue.’
After Vada Bergen and her best friend Ellis Carraway are in a car accident, Vada slips into a depression after being injured and left with the inability to do the art which gave her life. Vada and Ellis aren’t just best friends, their relationship goes beyond that, but Vada has always struggled to accept her feelings of love towards Ellis. Even so, their bond still can’t withstand the after effects of the crash either and they drift apart. Unable to go back to school since her injury will barely allow her to hold a pencil, Vada chances upon meeting a couple that introduces her to the world of being a cam-girl; performing sexual acts on camera for anonymous strangers for money. She renames herself Morgan and becomes the companies highest earner with her signature move: a silk tie wrapped around her neck.
Morgan performs for strangers with an unwavering emotional detachment, but then one of her clients begins asking for personal one-on-one chats and then finally to meet in real-life. Ellis comes back into her life as well only jumbling her thoughts and feelings further. Vada has to make the decision to take the chance on a man she knows nothing about, or to re-attempt to accept her perplexing feelings for Ellis.
‘This world is so thick with ghosts it’s a wonder anyone can breathe.’
Leah Raeder continues to amaze me with her powerful novels that tackle those difficult subjects that are too often just easier to ignore. In [b:Cam Girl|23430483|Cam Girl|Leah Raeder|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1441208688s/23430483.jpg|42991007], she tackles depression, gender-identity, same-sex relationships, and she tackles the sex trade. At first glance, you would probably say that that’s likely to be a bit overwhelming, and you wouldn’t be wrong. Raeder manages to handle these various different topics and their multiple facets with ease though. Her lyrical writing style is once again present in all its glory, transforming an ugly subject matter into something beautiful.
The focus on not just same-sex relationships but the confusion Vada felt due to her mother’s insistence she wasn’t really feeling what she knew she was feeling was a tough pill to swallow. Also, the way the sex trade was presented is definitely a hot topic for conversation. It may be because I just read [b:Tricks|5510384|Tricks (Tricks, #1)|Ellen Hopkins|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347236052s/5510384.jpg|5625827] and [b:Traffick|23015872|Traffick (Tricks, #2)|Ellen Hopkins|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1427845566s/23015872.jpg|42581882] so I struggle to see the sex trade in anything but a negative light, but Vada used her role as a cam girl as a way to regain her confidence in life. It can be argued that this is healthy or not, but I appreciated having a new spin on that topic.
For those who have yet to experience one of Raeder’s books, you should know they get quite dark and extremely graphic. Her characters all possess their own unique darkness which they spill across the pages for you to experience. It doesn’t make her novels easy to read, but they are honest, full of passion, and brings to light those dormant topics that we should all be discussing.
‘This is what they don’t tell you about losing someone: It doesn’t happen once. It happens every day, every moment they’re missing from. You lose them a hundred times between waking and sleep, and even sleep is no respite, because you lose them in your dreams, too.’
I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
After Vada Bergen and her best friend Ellis Carraway are in a car accident, Vada slips into a depression after being injured and left with the inability to do the art which gave her life. Vada and Ellis aren’t just best friends, their relationship goes beyond that, but Vada has always struggled to accept her feelings of love towards Ellis. Even so, their bond still can’t withstand the after effects of the crash either and they drift apart. Unable to go back to school since her injury will barely allow her to hold a pencil, Vada chances upon meeting a couple that introduces her to the world of being a cam-girl; performing sexual acts on camera for anonymous strangers for money. She renames herself Morgan and becomes the companies highest earner with her signature move: a silk tie wrapped around her neck.
Morgan performs for strangers with an unwavering emotional detachment, but then one of her clients begins asking for personal one-on-one chats and then finally to meet in real-life. Ellis comes back into her life as well only jumbling her thoughts and feelings further. Vada has to make the decision to take the chance on a man she knows nothing about, or to re-attempt to accept her perplexing feelings for Ellis.
‘This world is so thick with ghosts it’s a wonder anyone can breathe.’
Leah Raeder continues to amaze me with her powerful novels that tackle those difficult subjects that are too often just easier to ignore. In [b:Cam Girl|23430483|Cam Girl|Leah Raeder|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1441208688s/23430483.jpg|42991007], she tackles depression, gender-identity, same-sex relationships, and she tackles the sex trade. At first glance, you would probably say that that’s likely to be a bit overwhelming, and you wouldn’t be wrong. Raeder manages to handle these various different topics and their multiple facets with ease though. Her lyrical writing style is once again present in all its glory, transforming an ugly subject matter into something beautiful.
The focus on not just same-sex relationships but the confusion Vada felt due to her mother’s insistence she wasn’t really feeling what she knew she was feeling was a tough pill to swallow. Also, the way the sex trade was presented is definitely a hot topic for conversation. It may be because I just read [b:Tricks|5510384|Tricks (Tricks, #1)|Ellen Hopkins|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347236052s/5510384.jpg|5625827] and [b:Traffick|23015872|Traffick (Tricks, #2)|Ellen Hopkins|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1427845566s/23015872.jpg|42581882] so I struggle to see the sex trade in anything but a negative light, but Vada used her role as a cam girl as a way to regain her confidence in life. It can be argued that this is healthy or not, but I appreciated having a new spin on that topic.
For those who have yet to experience one of Raeder’s books, you should know they get quite dark and extremely graphic. Her characters all possess their own unique darkness which they spill across the pages for you to experience. It doesn’t make her novels easy to read, but they are honest, full of passion, and brings to light those dormant topics that we should all be discussing.
‘This is what they don’t tell you about losing someone: It doesn’t happen once. It happens every day, every moment they’re missing from. You lose them a hundred times between waking and sleep, and even sleep is no respite, because you lose them in your dreams, too.’
I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
noolna's review
3.0
Actual rating, 3.5 stars.
I really enjoyed it up until the end. The "twist" at the end had me banging my head against the wall, because of how obvious it was and I was just like but whyyyyyy. And then the outcome following the "twist" made me feel meh about everything.
I really enjoyed it up until the end. The "twist" at the end had me banging my head against the wall, because of how obvious it was and I was just like but whyyyyyy. And then the outcome following the "twist" made me feel meh about everything.
hitbooksnotgirlz's review
5.0
I really enjoyed this novel. It was sexual, raw, and real. Incredibly well written - Leah Raeder has quickly become one of my favourite authors.
ida_the_vision's review
3.0
A fatal car crash kills the other driver and leaves Vada's arm permanently damaged. The same accident causes an argument between her and her more-than-just-friends best friend Ellis. Broke, alone, disabled and no longer able to attend art school or work as a barista, Vada starts camming for money. But there's something she's not telling about what happened on the night of the accident. And then one of her clients get a little closer than the others...
I think this book started really, really strong. But then it lost focus. There were several story lines that didn't intertwine well; the plot felt scattered. And I was not impressed with the plot twist; it felt a bit forced.
I do really love the way Ryder writes. It is so intense; they manage to perfectly capture the feeling of infatuation, lust and love. That being said, the romance in this book is my least favourite from Raeder. I just couldn't find it in me to root for Vada and Ellis.
Overall an enjoyable read, but not quite as good as what I have come to expect from the author. 3 stars
I think this book started really, really strong. But then it lost focus. There were several story lines that didn't intertwine well; the plot felt scattered. And I was not impressed with the plot twist; it felt a bit forced.
I do really love the way Ryder writes. It is so intense; they manage to perfectly capture the feeling of infatuation, lust and love. That being said, the romance in this book is my least favourite from Raeder. I just couldn't find it in me to root for Vada and Ellis.
Overall an enjoyable read, but not quite as good as what I have come to expect from the author. 3 stars
golden_lily's review
4.0
I'm so conflicted! I want to give this a five because I devoured it and it's well written and Vada is so complex and difficult but I felt like a lot didn't go together and her and Ellis' relationship is SO dysfunctional and not adequately condemned, like choking your best friend is wrong? I think maybe there was just too much good? Like there's like 3 five star plot lines in a 2 plot space.
daffz's review against another edition
4.0
Cam Girl is very different from the books I usually read. Most of my 'Read' shelf consists of YA fantasy of some kind. While I've been moving to reading more contemporary books, they are often YA and lighthearted. Cam Girl is neither, but I still really liked it. The story of Vada and Ellis wasn't an easy one to read about, and often I wanted to shake them both because they could be very frustrating. But the bad decisions they make never feel disingenuous or forced, so it was never too frustrating to read about as you could understand why the characters made the choices they did. The mystery of the book kept me interested, though I'm still not sure if I'm happy with how it turned out to be. And while it was expected from a book with a premise like this, I did feel like for me personally there was a little too much sex in the book. But that's a personal thing, and I just skimmed the scenes when I felt like it became too much. Though I did like how positive this book was about the subject. Still, it definitely isn't the only focus of the story, it has many different layers that I really enjoyed reading about. It helps that the writing is really beautiful as well, it's very captivating.