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Diluted Reality
Synopsis:
Villains aren’t born, they are made. They emerge from the dark recesses of the human experience: abuse, trauma, neglect, and unhealed wounds that fester over time. For Xavier, these scars, hidden beneath the surface, twisted and distorted a once-innocent heart.
Xavier has always known he was a mistake. Born to a promiscuous, drug-addicted mother, his hellish childhood in a radically religious and abusive household drove him in and out of institutions, until he finally escaped at the age of 16.
Isolated in a world where betrayal was the only constant, Xavier's only refuge is in his music and art…until he meets Avry. In him, Xavier finds something he’s never found in anyone else: acceptance. With a bond forged in shared pain and tragedy, the two runaways embark on an adventure across the country, seeking freedom and solace in each other’s company, causing chaos every step of the way.
But everything changes in New Orleans when Xavier meets Delia, whose past included things of the macabre, laced with heroin. Together Delia and Xavier begin a vicious drug and sex-induced downward spiral, awakening the demons that had long resided in his soul.
Can he summon the strength to fight back the darkness and torment that haunt him, or will he forever be consumed by their relentless grip?
Trigger Warnings: Child abuse, self harm, sexual assault, domestic assault, suicide, drug abuse, violent imagery
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Reviews:
A great, addicting read!
A great, addicting read! At no point was I ever prepared for what was going to come next but I enjoyed every bit of the rollercoaster. The slingshotting between my emotions kept me invested and turning pages as quick as I could. I recommend giving this book a read! (I will note to proceed with caution if you're easily triggered by...well, anything. There's a lot that you unpack throughout this book and I know not everyone has the same threshold for darkness) - Amazon customer
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5.0 out of 5 stars
A MUST READ!!!
Reviewed in the United States on October 20, 2016
I absolutely LOVED this book. The characters were extremely complex and dark. I was pleasantly surprised by the ending; it was not at all what I expected. This story was a breath of fresh air. I recommend this to anyone who is bored of reading books that are predictable and safe.- Samantha (Amazon)
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A Goodreads Win
Diluted Reality by Jessica Spinelli . A very Powerful Read. This is a very compelling dark tragic tale of a young, cocky, arrogant man, abandoned by his drug addict parents & brought up by a highly religious grandmother who resented having him, he was blamed & punished & bullied, he escapes his tortured childhood & adolescence & makes a life for himself, drug's, music & sex.
This is cleverly written, from the prospective of the villain, it's shows his humanity & how he justifies the monstrous things he does & he believes everyone else is too blamed for his mistakes. what does it take for a violent drug addict to finally realise that he needs to take control of himself!!!!
From the moment I started reading I was fascinated & quickly hooked & found myself not wanting to put the book down or stop reading. It has given me a lot of unpleasant things to think about. Well deserved the 5 star rating.
⦁ Tiger Lily (Goodreads)
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“I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway and must say, I didn't know what I was in for!
This book is messed up, from start to finish. Messed up enough that I would never recommend it to a friend as a good book because I'd be worried they would think differently of me. It's a great literary piece. But horrifying on so many levels.
It leaves you devoid of any hope or happiness. It almost seems like it will be a warm fuzzy ending. But then the author gets you again. Leaving you slightly sick and wondering what would possess to continue reading it long enough to reach the end in the first place.
I don't recommend this book. But if you think you can handle it, power to you.
⦁ Christie (Goodreads)
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5.0 out of 5 stars
I never saw it coming.
This book is compelling from beginning to end. Spinelli’s writing has an easy rhythm that drags you by the heart through every brain stormed conflict Xavier encounters. He’s no doubt had it rough from childhood but seems the fates just keep the hits on coming. It’s hard not to root for him but when his demons get larger and more demented you want so very badly to shake him back to reality. Sex, drugs, rock-n-roll – yeah, this book has it all and then some! I never saw it coming.
An advanced reader’s copy of this book was provided for an honest review.
⦁ Amazon Customer
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A book received through Goodreads Giveaways.
While it is still very early in the year, I suspect that this book will rank as one of my favourites of 2017.
Particularly impressive is the development of the main character of Xavier. The authored has created a character which the reader both loathes and roots for at the same time.
The book is gritty, raw and almost impossible to put down after the first few pages.
⦁ Steve (Goodreads)