Crazies R Us Book Blog: LOYDA'S REVIEW~JEZEBEL by L. Larsen

5***~Nothing is what it seems ~Stars

Type:Contemporary Romance/Mystery/Suspense

Series: Standalone

POV: Third Person

“Now she had an inkling she’s been in bed with the devil.” Celeste

Annabelle Fortin, an 18 year old brat teenager, trying to revel against her parents Gavin and Monica Fortin. She wanted their attention and since she didn’t get it she used drugs, sex, and other extra activities in hope that her family would be the same; happy and full of love that they once were. Instead, she ends up getting in more trouble by drinking and driving and now she has to serve a six months probation of community service at an assisted living facility called “Glenview”. She was not trilled at the idea of having to be at a place where it smelled like old people and not only that her parents had more rules of their own; she was not allowed to have friends come over, or go out at all other than school and the assisting living. Her phone and electronics were taken away from her as well. She literally thought her life was over and felt completely lost.

Her first day at “Glenview” sucked, she hated being in the kitchen smelling ridiculous, she couldn’t wait for those six months to be over. She was close to graduating high school and her goal was to go away to college and away from her sad family who didn’t acknowledge her presence whatsoever. She basically lived as a ghost at her house, no one would talk to each other, her mother and father stopped talking to each other ever since her brother was killed in a hit and run accident eight years ago. I felt so bad for Annabelle; I cried so much reading this book, because of her sadness and how lonely and miserable her life had become. The loss of her brother became the loss of her family; it left her and her family broken.

On her second visit at “Glenview” she meets Jezebel. A beautiful woman suffering from dementia, she decides to stay with her for that day instead of heading to the kitchen. There was something about Jezebel that intrigued Annabelle, she liked her and she wanted to know her more. On that first day with her, she asked Jezebel to tell her story. However, Jezebel told her she didn’t have a story to tell but her friend Celeste?! oh boy her story was one she didn’t want to miss.

”Remember kid, the devil is in the details”. Jezebel

For six months Annabelle visited Jezebel once a week to fulfilled her probation. Soon she realized that spending time with Jezebel wasn’t so bad, in fact she looked forward to chatting with her each week. Jezebel told a story of her friend Celeste; that story she said was worth listening to. I had to agree, Annabelle was so intrigued, upset, anxious and waiting for more of this story. I was basically flying through the pages to know what will happen to the girl on Jezebel’s story. This was such a different kind of book for me, it was narrated by a third person; it told the story of Annabelle and thru Jezebel’s eyes it told the story of her young friend Celeste in Paris. She explained Celeste’s first love, her first kiss, her many years of love and then lot of mystery and angst. I was completely immerse on this story, it was like I was reading two books in one going back in time and in the present, it was amazing.

Annabelle’shome life was hell; her mother left her and her father. She abandoned them and she just couldn’t understand why they couldn’t love her; she was still alive and needed them too. I was so broken for this girl. She would write to her brother on her diary; something Jezebel had advised her to do and since she didn’t have anything else to keep her busy or anyone else to talk to; well so she wrote.

“Brant, I hate you right now, too. I hate you for leaving me here alone to deal with this. I hate…””Her family living under the same roof but existing in two different worlds…”Annabelle

I was so upset and sad again. Her parents never even showed up to her graduation or even acknowledged it. Jezebel and Annabelle’s relationship was wonderful I loved it. Belle will use Jez advised and started to make her sad home life different; better, much happier.

“Dear, what defines a person is how well they rise after falling down.”…“Be the noise, be the light. Be the laughter. It’s contagious…A smile is the best make-up you can wear.” Jezebel

She started to learn how to be happy and grow on her own with her friends and she even met a boy she liked and started dating; her life was finally where she wanted it to be. She was heading off to college and had to see Jezebel one last time because she had to know how her friend’s story ended. I wanted to know too, I was going mad and out of my mind wondering how this was going to end. The story of Jezebel’s friend Celeste kept getting better and better on each visit, there was so much more to it. It was full of secrets, suspense, and mystery. The super happy sweet love story that Jez had pictured at the beginning wasn’t as happy as it seemed. I was so intrigued in this suspense, romantic story just as Annabelle was and the suspense was basically killing me. Annabelle goes to see Jezebel one last time and finds out the way the story ends. She was so disappointed and so was I, I just couldn’t believe it. Then the author goes and twists the final pages into an “EPIC” finale that I was totally not prepared for. I mean I was looking for the“WTF” “MIND FUCK” part of the book, as much as I tried to guess I just couldn’t and never had seen it coming. My mind was blow away; I think I am still shocked at what happened. If you want to know what the mystery of this ending is you just have to read it. I am telling you it was well worth it.

***Side note: Be sure to have the short 88 pages novella ready to read right after you finish this book, trust me you will NEED IT, or you will go cray cray...just saying hehe lol***