Book Review:​ Lake Effect by Nicole Tone

Synopsis: After the death of her fiance, Sophie Daniels is struggling to keep herself together. Painting is the only way she’s able to clear her head and stay grounded. For her art isn’t a hobby—it’s her religion. With a semester away from finishing graduate school, she knows that, despite her loss, things are going to get better. In fact, her thesis advisor has even taken a special interest in her. Sophie’s convinced that she’s found the mentor that she’s been looking for. When he shows he’s interested in her in more than just a student/teacher way, she obliges him. Until his wife leaves him.
Sophie learns the hard way what happens when a man cannot take responsibility for his own actions.
Now she’s back to square one in pulling herself back together. She hasn’t just lost her fiancé anymore: she’s lost parts of herself she’s not sure she’ll ever get back.

Like her ability to create.

Lake Effect is a raw exploration of human emotion and what it takes to save your own life.

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Review: Before reading the review,I want to give some CONTENT WARNINGS . Although, ​by providing content warnings, I will spoil the book so *SPOILER ALERT* as well.

CONTENT WARNING : The book contains mentions information about sexual assault,self-harm and/or violence which may be triggering to survivors.

Sophia Daniels is a graduate student who studies Art and is in her last year of getting her degree. Early in the book, Sophia is seen as depressed after her fiance dies in a reckless accident.

Sophia loves creating art because she is lacking creativity and the only place she seems to get creative is in the hands of her professor. At this point, I was uncomfortable reading this because she carried on her affair knowing that the professor was married and his wife was​ pregnant.​.

Still, ​I carried on because I wanted to understand Sophia because in her intimate moments with the professor, she doesn’t express anything but sadness. A few days later, all hell breaks loose.

Sophia encounters the professor’s wife who tells her that Sophia isn’t special and there was a girl before. Sophia listens and feels sadder than before because now she has a face to put in place of the professor’s wife.

Determined to put this affair in her backseat and out of her life ​,Sophia arrives at her apartment ignorant of the fact that someone was already waiting inside for her.

At this point, the reader and Sophia already know what is going to happen next. The Professor rapes her brutally in her apartment. The days pass by with Sophia neither divulging the incident with her friend or seeking professional help. Eventually, she tries to kill herself but soon picks up her strength to finally call for help.

This is a story of a survivor. This is a story about men who do not take responsibility for their infidelities orcrimes,​, and about strong women who have the power to take charge of their life no matter how hard it tries to break them down.
Let’s talk about the things I loved and didn’t :

• There was a trigger warning and underneath it a couple of words : “You matter. Your story matters.”
• I loved the fact that the author included mentions of male sexual assault survivors besides female voices.
• I loved the authors’s writing because I could feel Sophie’s pain through the words.

​\\\ I received an advanced readers copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Verdict: 5 stars out of 5

Author: Nicole Tone has always had a passion for writing. She has a BA in Creative Writing and Literature, and an MFA in Writing. When she isn’t writing, she likes to dabble in photography, sketching, dressage, and traveling. She has a deep love for herbal tea, craft beer, and good coffee. Nicole lives in Buffalo, NY, with her husband, two cats, and two very large dogs.

• Publisher: Pen Name Publishing
• Publication Date: September 25th 2018
• Paperback: 297 Pages

//Affiliate link :

Buy Lake Effect on Amazon or on BookDepository.

If you /or anyone you know start having thoughts of self-harm , or just need someone to talk to , ​please reach out / reach out to them respectively. Remember that there will always be someone who is willing to listen to you.

 

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