The Voice by Jennifer Anne Davis
Lands Atlantic Publishing © 2013
Kindle Edition
Urban Fiction
Reviewed by Leah
I have never truly hated going to work before. Then I began reading this book and anything/everything that interfered with my reading time was Public Enemy #1.
Summary:
Audrey is a kidnap and assault survivor with no will to live and a 'victim' label firmly plastered on her forehead. As far as she is concerned, that's the only thing people will see when they look at her. For the rest of her life, she will be that girl. The rape-victim. It's a label she doesn't plan on living with for long.
Wheedling a golden ticket of a permission slip from her therapist, Audrey gets the okay to go and stay with her Aunt Kate in San Diego--clear across the country from her smothering family and the man who hurt her. Her intentions are not pure, however. Suicide is the only escape she has from this living hell.
Just when she's about to go through with it, however, a voice talks her out of it. And this isn't just any voice; it's the voice. The one that came to her in her darkest hours. The one that talked to her through it all and whom she'd come to think of as a friend. It was also the same voice that no longer spoke to her from the moment she was found. And the only one she wanted most to hear.
Desirous of keeping a closer eye on her after this incident, Audrey's Aunt Kate has decided to enroll her at the High School where she teaches--with the neighbor's twin sons, Caleb and Justin, acting as bodyguards and chaperones.
Under an alias, Audrey finds herself in the one place where she least expected to be: High School. With Caleb's buoyant personality pushing her to start living again, and Justin's antisocial behavior just pushing her away, Audrey has no choice but to submit to the fact that life does go on. For better or worse.
And worse certainly decides to poke its nose in just when she's finally beginning to heal. An old threat and a new one are now tormenting her … and even the voice can't help her this time.
Unless it belongs to someone closer to her than she suspected.
Initial Thoughts:
I … I didn't even mean to start reading this yet. Here I was, scrolling through my Kindle Mac library, and here was this novel that oddly doesn't have a cover. (Kindle apparently got the title and the novel right, but screwed up in the author and cover department. Oh well, no harm done.) So, I open it for a quick glance to see about reading later.
Yeah. Later. Uh-huh.
An hour and some two or three ignored FB messages later, I was already 25% deep. You do not know the struggle of having to go help my boyfriend decide on tile designs versus staying home and finishing the book. Then to have to go to work the following day… Life is a cruel mistress sometimes.
Alas, I have finished this novel with much squeeing and many happy feels. (God, I hate saying 'feels'. They're 'feelings' okay! But dammit, this novel calls for a deviation from the norm.)
Characters:
Audrey is an intelligent, goal-oriented, seventeen year old young woman whose life has turned into a never-ending nightmare. She has survived the worst treatment a woman ever has to endure. Kidnapping. Malnourishment. Sexual abuse and physical assault. For two months, she was alone and in pain. The only thing to comfort her was the voice--which may or may not have been a result of her conscience just trying to protect her and keep her from slipping further into insanity. Audrey is terrified in ways many of us are lucky enough to never experience. And she is one of the strongest, most realistic females I've ever read about.
There are very few heroines in any paranormal fiction (despite the obvious telepathy, I keep forgetting this is actually considered paranormal) that are capable of displaying common sense and presenting the reader with a realistic situation.
Audrey was abused. Her uncle has been arrested. The police are involved during EVERYTHING that happens. I was so grateful for this, because it showcased the realness behind these kinds of attacks. And Audrey displays both her pain and her insecurities in ways I know to be very realistic. I admire this character so much and feel for her in so many ways.
Caleb embodies the classic surfer-boy jock ensemble. He is charismatic and popular. Beloved by all. He is bold and outgoing. Fun and idiotic at times. And he is determined more than anyone to make sure that that period of Audrey's life is not the one she is defined by. His entire mission is to remind her that there are still memories to make and a full life to be lived. Whether she agrees or not.
Justin is moody, antisocial, and clings to his iPod like a life preserver. For much of the book, Justin seems to anticipate Audrey's needs, but he never brings himself to actually get close to her. (Spoiler Alert, turn back now: Probably because he's already as close as you can be, what with being in her head and all.) And I immediately fell in love with Justin. To me, his reasons were obvious and it only made me love him more. Honestly, a more compassionate, loyal, caring partner would be hard to find. And he's just the man that Audrey needs in her life.
Kate hasn't had it easy. What with a missing niece and a cheating ex-fiance, things were looking pretty dark for Kate for a little bit. But nothing soothes a girl's ego quite like splurging on a joint credit card in order to remake her niece into a total stranger. Doing what she can to help, Kate gives Audrey a mask to hide behind and a little push back into the land of the living. This woman is awesome. She's supportive and protective when it calls for it, but she backs off to let Audrey heal as she needs it. And it is Kate who first teaches Audrey to trust again. She is a wonderful human being and I quite adore her.
Plot & Setting:
I'll be honest, I know nothing about San Diego. I've never been to California. So I don't really know if it's still eighty degrees in October. If so: who wants a roommate and when can I move in? (Just kidding, the idea of living in earthquake zone kinda makes me think it's unsafe and I'm not bothering with it.)
The setting felt real enough to me since this is a contemporary and I've barely left my home state. If it feels real to a Californian, that would be the real test, but I can't say as I'd care. Moving on…
Is it scary that the main point of the plot is so realistic that the book even felt the need to drop in the statistic that 1 in 4 girls will be sexually assaulted before they reach the age of 17? I think so. I find it terribly frightening and I feel so relieved and blessed that I was one of the lucky ones to have slipped by without this happening to me. I know so many who haven't…
I emphasis that this is a point of the story--and a pretty valid one--because this is not the entirety of the plot. The main plot actually encompasses a lot of these points. Such as: healing after a traumatic experience; learning to trust and love those who are in your life all over again; not blaming yourself or those around you for things beyond your/their control; learning to accept what has happened, and deciding that it will not control your life. All of these are very powerful messages. Some could have been clearer, sure; but for the length of this novel and the fact that it's a standalone, it's done pretty damn well at highlighting at least the basics of some, and going far into depth for others.
The actual plot centers around Audrey relearning how to act 'normally' in society--while constantly fearing for her life. There is a threat to her, and it is close. However, between her aunt's protectiveness and the aid of the twins, she's learning how to function again without this one experience tainting everything in her life.
Writing Style:
I didn't even want to read the book yet! "Jennifer made me do it!" will probably be my automatic response every time I get lost in one of this woman's books from now on. I remember the same pull every time I read The Key, and especially its successors. The writing style here is marvelous and it flows so smoothly and well, there are almost no complaints.
Unfortunately, I feel like I'm tainting a glowing review by pointing out some things I didn't like, but I feel like this could be a reference point, so here goes:
There was one conflict between Justin and Audrey concerning a support group at about roughly 90% into the book that I felt was unnecessary. In other words, almost everything that had to do with the character Bree. It didn't seem like it fit and Audrey's reaction was a little over the top. In my opinion.
Also, I really hated Hannah's character. Not because she was the mean, stuck-up cheerleader who feared the new girl was going to take her boyfriend. I hated her because she was portrayed that way. That many of the girls were hung up on Caleb and portrayed to show that they were catty or mean, or boy-hungry.
Even towards the end (Another Spoiler Alert, Avert Attention Now) where they realize who Audrey is and Hannah tells her, "If I had known who you were, I would have been nicer," all I could think was, "Seriously? It takes a girl being victimized and abused before you decide you should be nicer to her? Are you fucking kidding me right now?"
To be very honest, the 'mean girl' character pisses me off to a royal extent and I was very glad that Hannah's involvement was very limited in this. I'm just hoping more and more books come out that completely eliminate this character archetype for good.
And, lastly, there was the entire 'threat' of the plot that seemed a little unrealistic. I understand why it needed to be in the story, but it didn't feel entirely… Almost as if it didn't quite live up to its potential. I don't really know how to explain it… Just that the villain was more of a prop than he was a tangible threat.
Other than those minor points, I felt everything else was well-done. And I loved the romance that came about, and I loved how clear it was to understand Justin's motives. Ah, Justin…
Sorry, where were we?
Oh, yes…
Overall Opinion:
I loved this book. I truly loved it. Even after examining the finer details and picking a little at its flaws, I still truly love this book.
Not because of the plot, either. The characters carried this one. Audrey and Justin, Caleb and Kate. They were so perfectly rounded out, that I feel like I could know them in real life. For that, please accept my very glowing review and very heartfelt recommendation for The Voice.
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