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karreaderwriter 's review for:
A Novel Obsession
by Caitlin Barasch
Can you say fixation much?
Naomi Ackerman is a 24-year-old New York native and bookseller. She struggles to write her own novel and her real-life is kinda a mess. Then she meets a guy, Caleb. Naomi starts to believe that maybe love is possible. That maybe she is worth loving. Flashbacks to relationships in the past - some tough experiences involving men - including rape, and unprotected sex, haunt her in her present life. I wanted to scream at her! Stop! Don't get in that car! Don't do it! These men from the past influence her insecurities about love and self-worth.
After dating Caleb for a while, Naomi finds out that Caleb came to America following an ex-girlfriend, Rosemary, and she starts checking in to this mystery ex.
Naomi begins investigating Rosemary on social media. Even going as far as creating a fake account to follow her. Rosemary is an editor at a publishing house and Naomi's job working at a bookstore seems like the perfect link to connect them in real life. Rosemary shares images and locations on Twitter and Instagram while unbeknownst to her she is a sitting target for cray-cray Naomi.
When stalking Rosemary online is not enough Naomi begins following Rosemary. She justifies "accidentally" bumping into Rosemary as research for her book. Naomi - being somewhat of a Rosemary expert - starts injecting herself into the book editor's life forming a friendship.
Naomi lies to Caleb and her best friend, and her obsession with Rosemary drives her path of self-destruction into overdrive. Naomi begins keeping a journal about stalking Rosemary, even letting Rosemary read some pages (names changed) to get feedback from her editor's viewpoint.
I knew at some point this whole charade was going to end up blowing up in Naomi's face in a big way. And it does! Naomi needs to decide how her fiction story will end without ending her real-life fixation. She talks herself into believing that she is only doing this for the fiction, but her obsession has bled into her life with Caleb, and she doesn't want her friendship with Rosemary to end.
This intriguing debut gave me a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach at many points. It also reminded me that no one is safe online when sharing even the most minute things. What an obsessive and possessive stalker novel.
Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Randomhouse for a copy to review for my honest opinion.
Naomi Ackerman is a 24-year-old New York native and bookseller. She struggles to write her own novel and her real-life is kinda a mess. Then she meets a guy, Caleb. Naomi starts to believe that maybe love is possible. That maybe she is worth loving. Flashbacks to relationships in the past - some tough experiences involving men - including rape, and unprotected sex, haunt her in her present life. I wanted to scream at her! Stop! Don't get in that car! Don't do it! These men from the past influence her insecurities about love and self-worth.
After dating Caleb for a while, Naomi finds out that Caleb came to America following an ex-girlfriend, Rosemary, and she starts checking in to this mystery ex.
Naomi begins investigating Rosemary on social media. Even going as far as creating a fake account to follow her. Rosemary is an editor at a publishing house and Naomi's job working at a bookstore seems like the perfect link to connect them in real life. Rosemary shares images and locations on Twitter and Instagram while unbeknownst to her she is a sitting target for cray-cray Naomi.
When stalking Rosemary online is not enough Naomi begins following Rosemary. She justifies "accidentally" bumping into Rosemary as research for her book. Naomi - being somewhat of a Rosemary expert - starts injecting herself into the book editor's life forming a friendship.
Naomi lies to Caleb and her best friend, and her obsession with Rosemary drives her path of self-destruction into overdrive. Naomi begins keeping a journal about stalking Rosemary, even letting Rosemary read some pages (names changed) to get feedback from her editor's viewpoint.
I knew at some point this whole charade was going to end up blowing up in Naomi's face in a big way. And it does! Naomi needs to decide how her fiction story will end without ending her real-life fixation. She talks herself into believing that she is only doing this for the fiction, but her obsession has bled into her life with Caleb, and she doesn't want her friendship with Rosemary to end.
This intriguing debut gave me a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach at many points. It also reminded me that no one is safe online when sharing even the most minute things. What an obsessive and possessive stalker novel.
Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Randomhouse for a copy to review for my honest opinion.