Review: Any Man by Amber Tamblyn

Any Man by Amber Tamblyn

Expected Publication: June 26, 2018

Publisher: Harper Perennial

Format: via Edelweiss

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis

A violent serial rapist is on the loose, who goes by the name Maude. She hunts for men at bars, online, at home— the place doesn’t matter, neither does the man. Her victims then must live the aftermath of their assault in the form of doubt from the police, feelings of shame alienation from their friends and family and the haunting of a horrible woman who becomes the phantom on which society projects its greatest fears, fascinations and even misogyny. All the while the police are without leads and the media hound the victims, publicly dissecting the details of their attack.

What is extraordinary is how as years pass these men learn to heal, by banding together and finding a space to raise their voices. Told in alternating viewpoints signature to each voice and experience of the victim, these pages crackle with emotion, ranging from horror to breathtaking empathy.

As bold as it is timely, Any Man paints a searing portrait of survival and is a tribute to those who have lived through the nightmare of sexual assault.

My Thoughts

Any Man is like no novel I have ever read. In this read, we met men victims who are left assaulted by a female they named Maude. We get to know each victim and we hear of the assault that they dealt with by Maude. Some cases are worse than others but nevertheless, each one is gruesome and we are left to wonder why did she do this? Did she do this as revenge, was it personal, or was this just some sick and twisted individual who did this for kicks.

This novel really brings up some great questions, it shows us that sexual assaults towards men happen more than we realize. Due to the stigma, they are even more unaccounted for because of the shame of it. People tend to think how can a woman overpower a man like that and rape him. He must have wanted it and enjoyed it. Society can't begin to understand and comprehend that a man could possibly be a victim.

I cant begin to shine enough praise on this read. It opened by eyes to what goes on, this isn’t a pretty read its raw, uncomfortable and at times hard to read but its one we all need to read. We have to open up our eyes to whats going on and know there are more victims that hide in shadows and we must let them know that they shouldn’t be afraid to report these crimes.

Maude has to be the most diabolical character I have ever read. Even though we don’t really get to know her until the end and at that, it’s a small insight into her she is pure evil in my eyes. The things she does and how she gets her victims is just… I honestly don’t have the words to express it. I do know though she is so complex that she is intriguing at the same time. Amber Tamblyn gives us a novel that is so on point for this moment in time but with a twist that makes us see things differently. This is one read that while is a hard subject is one that we all need to learn more of and understand. This is a topic that definitely needs more discussion and this novel can be the thing to get the ball rolling.

Review: It Happens all the Time by Amy Hatvany

It Happens All the Time by Amy Hatvany

Published: March 28, 2017

Publisher: Atria Books

Format: via NetGalley

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis

I want to rewind the clock, take back the night when the world shattered. I want to erase everything that went wrong.

Amber Bryant and Tyler Hicks have been best friends since they were teenagers—trusting and depending on each other through some of the darkest periods of their young lives. And while Amber has always felt that their relationship is strictly platonic, Tyler has long harbored the secret desire that they might one day become more than friends.

Returning home for the summer after her college graduation, Amber begins spending more time with Tyler than she has in years. Despite the fact that Amber is engaged to her college sweetheart, a flirtation begins to grow between them. One night, fueled by alcohol and concerns about whether she’s getting married too young, Amber kisses Tyler.

What happens next will change them forever.

In alternating points of view, It Happens All the Time examines the complexity of sexual dynamics between men and women and offers an incisive exploration of gender roles, expectations, and the ever-timely issue of consent.

My Thoughts

Amy Hatvany books always give you feelings that linger long after the last page is turned, and in This Happens All the Time she does an even bigger job by bringing women's issues to the for front. Told in alternating views we see how Amber and Tyler childhood friends end up somewhere they never thought possible.

Tyler has always loved Amber but to her, he was always just a friend, until one night after drinking she kisses Tyler and that one action sets Tyler off to actions he can never take back. I loved how Hatvany uses the alternating chapters to show us how each of the characters sees their actions. Like the saying goes there are 3 sides to the story yours, theirs and the truth. We see how they both viewed things in completely different lights.

When one hears “rape” we usually think of it as done by the hands of a stranger but most of the time it is done by someone we know, so when it came to this storyline we see Amber dealing with the fact that it was someone she grew up with leaving her with questions why? Amber’s pain will rock you to your core leaving you wanting justice. I won't make a case for Tyler what he did was beyond words but seeing his side lets you into his mind and how he saw things.

This is a book that demands to be read. It’s a hard topic to read but for that reason it must be read. We tend not to talk about issues that we aren’t comfortable with but we have to get over it in order to learn. While this isn’t a light read by any means it is one that you will learn from and sometimes those are the greatest ones we will remember.