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Call Me Crazy
“I’m looking out from inside the chaos. It must be a one-way mirror because no one seems to be able to see back inside to where I am. The looks on their faces, the judgment in their eyes, tells me everything I need to know. The most frustrating part about the whole messed up situation is that even though I’m the one that they stare at in shock, I am just as shocked as they are. I know no more than they do of why I lose control. What they don’t know is that I am more scared of myself than they could ever be.” ~ Tally Baker
After a devastating turn of events, seventeen year old Tally Baker is admitted to Mercy Psychiatric Facility where she is diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. She has come to a place where she honestly believes that her life is over. Her mind tells her that she will never smile or laugh again, that she will never be normal again. It is in this unlikely place that she meets two people, different in every way, yet both critical to helping her realize that she has so much more living to do. Candy, a cantankerous sixty year old Mercy Psychiatric patient, is hell bent on driving everyone as crazy as she is. Candy shows Tally that, regardless of her diagnosis, the ability to push on and live her life to the fullest is her choice and hers alone. In the midst of Tally’s oftentimes humorous, sometimes heart-wrenching, escapades with Candy, a new patient is admitted to Mercy—a Native American woman named Lolotea. Along with this new patient comes a daily visitor, her son, Trey Swift. At first glance, it is obvious to Tally that he is incredibly handsome and unbelievably caring. But what she learns through her second glance, and many thereafter, is that there is much more to Trey than he ever lets on. It is during these daily visits that Trey and Tally build a friendship far deeper than either of them truly realize. With Trey, Tally feels for the first time since being admitted that someone is looking at her as a person and not as a disease. Trey begins to make it clear that he wants more than friendship, but she knows that she can never give him more. How can she, when she won’t even give him the truth? Tally doesn’t tell Trey that she is a patient at Mercy, and she doesn’t ever plan to. Her plans go up in flames when she finds out that Trey is a new student at her school, the school where her brokenness was found out in the floor of the girl’s bathroom in a pool of her own blood.
After a devastating turn of events, seventeen year old Tally Baker is admitted to Mercy Psychiatric Facility where she is diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. She has come to a place where she honestly believes that her life is over. Her mind tells her that she will never smile or laugh again, that she will never be normal again. It is in this unlikely place that she meets two people, different in every way, yet both critical to helping her realize that she has so much more living to do. Candy, a cantankerous sixty year old Mercy Psychiatric patient, is hell bent on driving everyone as crazy as she is. Candy shows Tally that, regardless of her diagnosis, the ability to push on and live her life to the fullest is her choice and hers alone. In the midst of Tally’s oftentimes humorous, sometimes heart-wrenching, escapades with Candy, a new patient is admitted to Mercy—a Native American woman named Lolotea. Along with this new patient comes a daily visitor, her son, Trey Swift. At first glance, it is obvious to Tally that he is incredibly handsome and unbelievably caring. But what she learns through her second glance, and many thereafter, is that there is much more to Trey than he ever lets on. It is during these daily visits that Trey and Tally build a friendship far deeper than either of them truly realize. With Trey, Tally feels for the first time since being admitted that someone is looking at her as a person and not as a disease. Trey begins to make it clear that he wants more than friendship, but she knows that she can never give him more. How can she, when she won’t even give him the truth? Tally doesn’t tell Trey that she is a patient at Mercy, and she doesn’t ever plan to. Her plans go up in flames when she finds out that Trey is a new student at her school, the school where her brokenness was found out in the floor of the girl’s bathroom in a pool of her own blood.
393 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 29, 2013
50 people are currently reading
1263 people want to read
About the author
Quinn Loftis
76 books5,966 followersHello, Readers. My name is Quinn Loftis and I am lucky enough to call myself a novelist. In 2011, I self-published my first novel, Prince of Wolves with no expectations, other than my friends and family might purchase the book out of pity. Now, several years later, with 30+ novels and counting under my belt, Prince of Wolves had been downloaded over 1 million times. Though I was hesitant at the time to submit my work to the world for their scrutiny, I'm so glad I did. It made my dream of making a living by telling stories a reality.
I'm blessed to share my household my wonderful husband of more than twenty years (who also co-writes with me on occasion), three beautiful sons, a French Bulldog, and an oversized tabby cat. I love hearing from readers, so if you have any questions about the books or my journey, don't hesitate to hit the 'Contact Quinn' in the menu above. Thank you so much for taking a chance on my books.
I'm blessed to share my household my wonderful husband of more than twenty years (who also co-writes with me on occasion), three beautiful sons, a French Bulldog, and an oversized tabby cat. I love hearing from readers, so if you have any questions about the books or my journey, don't hesitate to hit the 'Contact Quinn' in the menu above. Thank you so much for taking a chance on my books.
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July 10, 2013
Call Me Crazy is a beautiful, yet heart breaking story of a young girl who has recently been diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. It is about her struggle to live and how she needs to learn how to control the disease and not let it control her.
You could say that Tally's life had been turned upside down that day in school when she completely broke down, and was found on the floor of the girls bathroom in a pool of her own blood. Tally has been admitted to a psychiatric hospital where she is diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. Tally is only 17 years old and thinks that at this point her life is over. How can she go back to school and face everyone after the incident? Her parents have, for the most part been absent ever since she has been admitted. They are having a hard time accepting that their daughter is Bipolar and instead of being there for her they become wrapped up in their own world and their jobs. Now is the time when Tally needs a support system and the only people she has is her best friend Natalie and her new friend, a 60 year old woman who has been deemed by the courts as unstable and is now living in a psychiatric hospital. Then she sees him, the boy that will change her life forever, the boy who will end up capturing her heart and help her to feel alive again. His name is Trey Swfit.
Trey is visiting his mother at the same hospital that Tally is a patient at. Trey is completely drawn to Tally when he first meets her and has every intention getting to know her and of making her HIS. When Tally is with Trey she feels alive, and safe and not so broken, but she refuses to tell him the truth. That she is a patient and not just a visitor like she lead him to believe. Tally figures that when her time at the hospital is over she can just walk away and Trey will never have to know the truth. But it's not that simple. Especially when she finds out that Trey will be attending the same school as her in the fall. Trey learns about the incident that the whole school has been talking about, he learns that Tally has Bipolar Disorder and was really a patient. But The amazing thing about Trey is that he didn't care. He loved Tally, he wanted to be there for her to help her and protect her. But regardless of the fact that Tally has feelings for Trey, she feels broken and not deserving of Trey's love. Will Tally be able to let Trey in, let him love her and find happiness?
"I will spend the rest of our lives reminding you, that you may have bipolar disorder, but it does not have you. It cannot have you because I have claimed you and I don't share." ~ Trey
Quinn Loftis did such an amazing job with the character development and connection that you feel for these characters. I felt the emotions right along with Tally. I wanted her to come out on top and fight it and most of all I wanted her to find her happiness, to realize that she can fight the disease and learn to live. I felt the pain and fear as she struggled day to day. The supporting characters were so amazing and a great support system for Tally. Candy, one of the other patients, was a sassy, feisty, witty older woman who was always there for Tally. Her best friend Natalie loved her no matter what and never treated her like she was broken or different. She wanted things to be the way they always were. Then there is Trey who I loved. He is simply amazing and I love the way he wants to take care of her and protect her. Everyone needs a Trey in their life. He has his own issues with his mom and I think in a way he needed Tally just as much as she needs him. He is willing to fight with her and for her and for that you can't help but fall in love with him.
"She is mine. She always has been, but now she has admitted it. With all the darkness and ugliness in my world, all my pain, and anger, she is my sun."
Call Me Crazy was an emotional roller coaster that was written in such a way that you felt every emotion the character went through. Tally's story was so real and raw and genuine. It is a heart wrenching story of a young girl's struggles with bi-polar disorder. Leaning how to not feel broken, how to love yourself, let others love you and to learn how to live. Tally was an amazing a strong heroine. There were moments and situations that occurred that I believe were very defining moments in Tally's struggle and watching her go through them will break your heart. But she is strong and is a fighter. This was a beautifully written story that will touch your heart. I am not sure that my words can really do this book justice, but I have to say that Call Me Crazy is a must read. Any book that can cause you to feel the emotions right along with the character, to feel that connection with them and to simply fall in love with them is an amazing book. The ending was fantastic and the last line brought tears to my eyes. Quinn Loftis you did an amazing job with Tally's story!
"I know that I am the one in control of this disease. I know that I am not in this alone."
You could say that Tally's life had been turned upside down that day in school when she completely broke down, and was found on the floor of the girls bathroom in a pool of her own blood. Tally has been admitted to a psychiatric hospital where she is diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. Tally is only 17 years old and thinks that at this point her life is over. How can she go back to school and face everyone after the incident? Her parents have, for the most part been absent ever since she has been admitted. They are having a hard time accepting that their daughter is Bipolar and instead of being there for her they become wrapped up in their own world and their jobs. Now is the time when Tally needs a support system and the only people she has is her best friend Natalie and her new friend, a 60 year old woman who has been deemed by the courts as unstable and is now living in a psychiatric hospital. Then she sees him, the boy that will change her life forever, the boy who will end up capturing her heart and help her to feel alive again. His name is Trey Swfit.
Trey is visiting his mother at the same hospital that Tally is a patient at. Trey is completely drawn to Tally when he first meets her and has every intention getting to know her and of making her HIS. When Tally is with Trey she feels alive, and safe and not so broken, but she refuses to tell him the truth. That she is a patient and not just a visitor like she lead him to believe. Tally figures that when her time at the hospital is over she can just walk away and Trey will never have to know the truth. But it's not that simple. Especially when she finds out that Trey will be attending the same school as her in the fall. Trey learns about the incident that the whole school has been talking about, he learns that Tally has Bipolar Disorder and was really a patient. But The amazing thing about Trey is that he didn't care. He loved Tally, he wanted to be there for her to help her and protect her. But regardless of the fact that Tally has feelings for Trey, she feels broken and not deserving of Trey's love. Will Tally be able to let Trey in, let him love her and find happiness?
"I will spend the rest of our lives reminding you, that you may have bipolar disorder, but it does not have you. It cannot have you because I have claimed you and I don't share." ~ Trey
Quinn Loftis did such an amazing job with the character development and connection that you feel for these characters. I felt the emotions right along with Tally. I wanted her to come out on top and fight it and most of all I wanted her to find her happiness, to realize that she can fight the disease and learn to live. I felt the pain and fear as she struggled day to day. The supporting characters were so amazing and a great support system for Tally. Candy, one of the other patients, was a sassy, feisty, witty older woman who was always there for Tally. Her best friend Natalie loved her no matter what and never treated her like she was broken or different. She wanted things to be the way they always were. Then there is Trey who I loved. He is simply amazing and I love the way he wants to take care of her and protect her. Everyone needs a Trey in their life. He has his own issues with his mom and I think in a way he needed Tally just as much as she needs him. He is willing to fight with her and for her and for that you can't help but fall in love with him.
"She is mine. She always has been, but now she has admitted it. With all the darkness and ugliness in my world, all my pain, and anger, she is my sun."
Call Me Crazy was an emotional roller coaster that was written in such a way that you felt every emotion the character went through. Tally's story was so real and raw and genuine. It is a heart wrenching story of a young girl's struggles with bi-polar disorder. Leaning how to not feel broken, how to love yourself, let others love you and to learn how to live. Tally was an amazing a strong heroine. There were moments and situations that occurred that I believe were very defining moments in Tally's struggle and watching her go through them will break your heart. But she is strong and is a fighter. This was a beautifully written story that will touch your heart. I am not sure that my words can really do this book justice, but I have to say that Call Me Crazy is a must read. Any book that can cause you to feel the emotions right along with the character, to feel that connection with them and to simply fall in love with them is an amazing book. The ending was fantastic and the last line brought tears to my eyes. Quinn Loftis you did an amazing job with Tally's story!
"I know that I am the one in control of this disease. I know that I am not in this alone."
July 4, 2013
In this review, I'm going to be honest. I never really had any concern with other disorders and medical conditions, so I started this book extremely wary. I guess I dealt as if Call Me Crazy would never match Grey Wolves in its power, sardonic and witty humor, and it's moving storyline. And let me tell ya, I missed the mark by a mile! This book was absolutely fantastic in every way I can share with words alone. Bipolar disease is not exactly well known, but extremely real. And it took this book to open my eyes to the struggle those who have it go through. I finished this book in roughly 16 hours of on and off reading time, and I've enjoyed every second of it! Thanks for heart-stopping read!
Song Choice:
Crazy Love
Michael Buble`
:D I couldn't have picked a better one for this book
Song Choice:
Crazy Love
Michael Buble`
:D I couldn't have picked a better one for this book
May 31, 2013
Phenomenal book! I learned, laughed and cried - Quinn Loftis has written a book that touched my heart from the start. This lovely story about Tally an eighteen year old who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder finds herself in a mental institution and befriends Candy who is a sixty year old with the mouth of a sailor and the spirit of a teenager. Candy is my favorite character she made me cringe with her words and laugh out loud.
Now! I present Trey; Oh my! He is a sexy, tall and muscular Native American. I must say Quinn is the queen of describing Alpha characters. Trey runs into Tally and is intrigued by her and hopes to win her trust knowing she is keeping a secret.
Tally is learning that a support system is what keeps us strong in any situation but she needs to cope with her parents behavior and hopefully allow herself to be loved. Bipolar disorder is a lifelong illness. There is no known “cure” but the support and understanding of love ones and friends such as Natalie will make the path an easier ride. Speaking of Natalie everyone needs a friend like her who took the time to read up on her best friends disorder so they can openly talk about it and she can understand her friend better. High five to all Natalie's in the world.
A touching story that stole my heart. A must read.
Now! I present Trey; Oh my! He is a sexy, tall and muscular Native American. I must say Quinn is the queen of describing Alpha characters. Trey runs into Tally and is intrigued by her and hopes to win her trust knowing she is keeping a secret.
Tally is learning that a support system is what keeps us strong in any situation but she needs to cope with her parents behavior and hopefully allow herself to be loved. Bipolar disorder is a lifelong illness. There is no known “cure” but the support and understanding of love ones and friends such as Natalie will make the path an easier ride. Speaking of Natalie everyone needs a friend like her who took the time to read up on her best friends disorder so they can openly talk about it and she can understand her friend better. High five to all Natalie's in the world.
A touching story that stole my heart. A must read.
May 16, 2013
Trapped-how would you feel if you were trapped? Would you panic, claw your way out, or cry and quit trying? Now imagine you are trapped in your own mind, how do you get yourself "out" ? People around us everyday may be struggling with this very feeling like our main character Tally. What a story! I was hesitant to read it at first because I wasn't sure what to expect or would it be depressing. Shame on me!!!! Those words could probably be what someone would say about deciding whether to befriend or even talk to someone that may be suffering from mental illness. DO NOT BE AFRAID! Tally taught me so much along with Candy (another character suffering from mental illness). You know a book is outstanding when you walk away NOT ONLY feeling entertained but you LEARN SOMETHING that honestly I think will make me a better person because of it.
Tally suffers from bipolar and you walk beside her on this painful road of coping and dealing with her illness. I found myself cheering her on, holding my breath, and feeling her struggles. That can only happen when you have awesome writing that allows you to dive in so great you wonder, "Is Tally real " and if so I want to find her and give her a big hug. Also keep in mind Tally is a teenager about to enter her Senior year. Think about that one and remember how hard it was to be a teenager? Read how other teenagers treat her, how do her own parents handle Tally, and how she puts one foot in front of the other and returns to school.
Trey, (sigh) oh my, what a guy! Ok, first I have to say that I LOVE that Quinn made him Native American. Yay! There is so much depth to him and he is such an old soul for 18 year old young man. You know how you read characters in books that take a journey and come out the other side changed (usually for the better). Well, with Trey I remember NOT WANTING him to change a bit. He loves with all his heart and what you see is what you get. He is an oak than does not waver. You have to read the book to figure out what I mean and how that relates to Tally and what Trey means to Tally.
I cannot end this review without mentioning another favorite character of "Call Me Crazy" and that is Candy! Oh my, that woman had some one liners that cracked me up! She really was hilarious but yet such a sad person struggling with her illness too. Read and enjoy the friendship between Candy and Tally and the crazy antics that Candy can come up with. One of my favorites is all the names she gives Trey because he is Native American. Hilarious!
Favorite Part-The Epilogue because it ties it all together but also the very last lines from Tally. Then go read the Authors notes at the end and see why Quinn was inspired to write this book. I cried and I am still tearing up writing about it. Quinn, I hope to someday meet you in person! That is definitely a must in my lifetime. You are the sweetest person, talented author who ALWAYS reaches out to your fans, and a inspiration to me. Thank you for this book and sharing with us a part of you! I'm so excited to be a part of your incredible books, bring on the next one! :)
P.S. Excuse me everyone but this is to Quinn. Alpha males rule! You did it again! Don't worry Quinn will understand what I mean. :)
Tally suffers from bipolar and you walk beside her on this painful road of coping and dealing with her illness. I found myself cheering her on, holding my breath, and feeling her struggles. That can only happen when you have awesome writing that allows you to dive in so great you wonder, "Is Tally real " and if so I want to find her and give her a big hug. Also keep in mind Tally is a teenager about to enter her Senior year. Think about that one and remember how hard it was to be a teenager? Read how other teenagers treat her, how do her own parents handle Tally, and how she puts one foot in front of the other and returns to school.
Trey, (sigh) oh my, what a guy! Ok, first I have to say that I LOVE that Quinn made him Native American. Yay! There is so much depth to him and he is such an old soul for 18 year old young man. You know how you read characters in books that take a journey and come out the other side changed (usually for the better). Well, with Trey I remember NOT WANTING him to change a bit. He loves with all his heart and what you see is what you get. He is an oak than does not waver. You have to read the book to figure out what I mean and how that relates to Tally and what Trey means to Tally.
I cannot end this review without mentioning another favorite character of "Call Me Crazy" and that is Candy! Oh my, that woman had some one liners that cracked me up! She really was hilarious but yet such a sad person struggling with her illness too. Read and enjoy the friendship between Candy and Tally and the crazy antics that Candy can come up with. One of my favorites is all the names she gives Trey because he is Native American. Hilarious!
Favorite Part-The Epilogue because it ties it all together but also the very last lines from Tally. Then go read the Authors notes at the end and see why Quinn was inspired to write this book. I cried and I am still tearing up writing about it. Quinn, I hope to someday meet you in person! That is definitely a must in my lifetime. You are the sweetest person, talented author who ALWAYS reaches out to your fans, and a inspiration to me. Thank you for this book and sharing with us a part of you! I'm so excited to be a part of your incredible books, bring on the next one! :)
P.S. Excuse me everyone but this is to Quinn. Alpha males rule! You did it again! Don't worry Quinn will understand what I mean. :)
May 31, 2013
Not enough stars to show how much I loved this book...
To say that this book is phenomenal still doesn't describe how wonderfully written and put together Call Me Crazy is.
Quinn Loftis has created a masterpiece and that has to mean a lot since I already consider her to be a magnificent author.
But, Call Me Crazy is a tale that when you start on that first page and begin reading Tally's story, you slowly feel the words seeping in to your veins. They travel along, overwhelming your mind and aching your heart, until you reach that last page and know that this book has consumed, captured, and latched on to the very fabrics of who you are. It is now a piece of me. Every time I think back to it, I FEEEEL it in my heart and soul. It is on the special bookshelf that you have set inside that will forever be a part of you.
So, lets meet the wonderful cast of Call Me Crazy. First up is Tally. WOW!! No matter what we see and hear in her thoughts, her actions prove the strength that she has. She is dealt such a harsh hand in life and to see her fight and and overcome those battles, I would do those victory dances right along with her. My heart ached, fluttered, and burst for her on so many levels. She is a character that I could never get enough of reading about...
Next we meet Candy...Oh goodness...was she a joy to read about. A sixty something year old woman that says what is on her mind and yet imparts so much wisdom at the same time. What she did for Tally and who she was for Tally is something special that we only hope to find in our everyday lives.
On to the hot love interest of this fabulous book...Yep...he is wonderful too!! Meet Trey...Native American, kind, hard-working, compassionate, and most of all, understanding. WHEW...he stole my heart. He was exactly the right guy for Tally. And boy was he patient...their relationship was not easy and yet it was perfect for them.
*Sighs* All I can say now is that I hope you take a chance and experience the journey of Tally in Call Me Crazy. Mind blowing, gut-wrenching, passionate, and *chuckles* downright humorous at times, Call Me Crazy is a MUST READ for 2013.
To say that this book is phenomenal still doesn't describe how wonderfully written and put together Call Me Crazy is.
Quinn Loftis has created a masterpiece and that has to mean a lot since I already consider her to be a magnificent author.
But, Call Me Crazy is a tale that when you start on that first page and begin reading Tally's story, you slowly feel the words seeping in to your veins. They travel along, overwhelming your mind and aching your heart, until you reach that last page and know that this book has consumed, captured, and latched on to the very fabrics of who you are. It is now a piece of me. Every time I think back to it, I FEEEEL it in my heart and soul. It is on the special bookshelf that you have set inside that will forever be a part of you.
So, lets meet the wonderful cast of Call Me Crazy. First up is Tally. WOW!! No matter what we see and hear in her thoughts, her actions prove the strength that she has. She is dealt such a harsh hand in life and to see her fight and and overcome those battles, I would do those victory dances right along with her. My heart ached, fluttered, and burst for her on so many levels. She is a character that I could never get enough of reading about...
Next we meet Candy...Oh goodness...was she a joy to read about. A sixty something year old woman that says what is on her mind and yet imparts so much wisdom at the same time. What she did for Tally and who she was for Tally is something special that we only hope to find in our everyday lives.
On to the hot love interest of this fabulous book...Yep...he is wonderful too!! Meet Trey...Native American, kind, hard-working, compassionate, and most of all, understanding. WHEW...he stole my heart. He was exactly the right guy for Tally. And boy was he patient...their relationship was not easy and yet it was perfect for them.
*Sighs* All I can say now is that I hope you take a chance and experience the journey of Tally in Call Me Crazy. Mind blowing, gut-wrenching, passionate, and *chuckles* downright humorous at times, Call Me Crazy is a MUST READ for 2013.
July 14, 2013
Fan-flipping-tastic! I will admit, that I was a little apprehensive of this one. Seeing as I'm a HUGE fan of the Grey Wolves series and loved Elfin, I just didn't know what to expect with a realistic fiction read from Ms. Loftis, but man oh man did she deliver!
The story is about Tally, a girl who is recently had a rough go of things and is in a psychiatric facility where they diagnose her with bipolar disorder. The reader watches as Tally comes to terms with her disease and runs into some interesting characters along the way, including Candy (who could be a crazy aunt to Jenn from Grey Wolves) who provides a lot of comic relief to a much needed tragic story. She also meets Trey Swift, whose mom has schizophrenia. Tally just wants to be seen as normal by someone so she decides to pretend she's just visiting her crazy aunt at the facility, instead of being a patient herself...you can see where this may lead to problems for Tally.
I love, love, love Tally. I wanted to just wrap her in my arms and help her get through everything. While I have not experienced bipolar disorder first hand, I have seen it up close through friends and relatives, so I could only imagine that they must have felt as Tally did at times. My heart broke for her to see her struggle, and rejoiced when she found someone to love her through it all.
Now, Trey Swift (insert long romantic sigh here)...I think he has stolen a top book boyfriend slot up there with Will Cooper, Dean Holder, Lucas Maxfield, and Travis Maddox. Break me off a piece of that Native American hotness...and his devotion is soooo freakin adorable.
That being said, as usual, Ms. Loftis does an amazing job of wrapping in some minor characters who are supportive, humorous, and wonderful. I laughed, I cried, and I sighed..it was tragic and beautiful all at the same time. So, what are you waiting for?! Read it now!
The story is about Tally, a girl who is recently had a rough go of things and is in a psychiatric facility where they diagnose her with bipolar disorder. The reader watches as Tally comes to terms with her disease and runs into some interesting characters along the way, including Candy (who could be a crazy aunt to Jenn from Grey Wolves) who provides a lot of comic relief to a much needed tragic story. She also meets Trey Swift, whose mom has schizophrenia. Tally just wants to be seen as normal by someone so she decides to pretend she's just visiting her crazy aunt at the facility, instead of being a patient herself...you can see where this may lead to problems for Tally.
I love, love, love Tally. I wanted to just wrap her in my arms and help her get through everything. While I have not experienced bipolar disorder first hand, I have seen it up close through friends and relatives, so I could only imagine that they must have felt as Tally did at times. My heart broke for her to see her struggle, and rejoiced when she found someone to love her through it all.
Now, Trey Swift (insert long romantic sigh here)...I think he has stolen a top book boyfriend slot up there with Will Cooper, Dean Holder, Lucas Maxfield, and Travis Maddox. Break me off a piece of that Native American hotness...and his devotion is soooo freakin adorable.
That being said, as usual, Ms. Loftis does an amazing job of wrapping in some minor characters who are supportive, humorous, and wonderful. I laughed, I cried, and I sighed..it was tragic and beautiful all at the same time. So, what are you waiting for?! Read it now!
July 4, 2013
"Once you go Quinn you ever go back..." that is the saying right? I am pretty sure that I am right about this. Well usually i am right about most things, sorry i do like to gloat ;). ANYWAYS! As a predominantly paranormal/fantasy/scifi slowly opening up to more comtemporary fiction, I had to read this because I mean its Quinn, come on guys, Quinn freaking Loftis (now i am mixing slangs...oops! for those who have read the Mythos Academy books) ANYWAYS! moving on...
Song choice... song choice... God i have been WAITING FOREVER TO bust this one out because it happens to be one of my most favoritest songs ever! "Wash." by Bon Iver, now if you actually look the up the lyrics you'd like what the fu....dge..... but its the tone, and movement of the song. "Drunk Again" by Reel Big Fish...and not its not about an alcoholic! "Where is my Mind?" by the Pixies, annnnnddd i am going to throw this one in there though i haven't obsessively listened to this song so i am not 100% sure if it works completely with this book "Just Give Me A Reason" by Pink (featuring the guy from Fun/the Format/Nate Ruess)
First thoughts: I thought that this was very Quinn style, that awesome mix of humor, lighthearted-ness with very serious, powerful moments. The reason it dropped a star for me though I suppose is that at times it was like i was waiting tooo long for the other shoe to drop, but honestly i blame that entirely on myself because i like things to keep moving, never stopping, just go go go go go go go go go, too many go's? mayhaps. But when the other shoe dropped, damn did it drop. But while i know just a bit about bipolar disorder, i don't actually have any friends with this disorder, nor am i close to anyone in my family that does have it that is a personal story i will keep all to myself thank you, anyways i know just a bit about it because when i started college oh i don't know three years ago i fancied myself being a psych major for two seconds, and i mean seriously, what college kid doesn't? so anyways from what i remember, from a class three years ago Quinn hit it spot on, and I really do think that for someone with limited experience with it like me that she did a really good job with it, explaining both sides of the bipolar disorder, and refraining from the stereotype that i labelled on my grandmother's cat who seriously was all happy for two seconds then wanted to claw your eyes out the next, but i think that is how all cats are... i like dogs. i am getting off topic again dammit. Alright so Quinn's research of the disorder, two thumbs up, i'd give you more but i only have to thumbs, if i was an alien i am sure i would be giving you 10 thumbs up.
Plot: So like i mentioned in my first thoughts where i started to ramble on and on and on, that there were points i was just waiting for something to happen but again that is me, i understand that there are times that there needs to be the calm. but what i did really like is that the moments with Tally who has the bipolar disorder is that its subtle done with her emotions you don't really realize that you are spiraling downwards with Tally until its too late and suddenly you are stuck in emotions that are holding you completely down. Its hard to recognize the little changes, which is one of the things that i loved about this book it was very subtle, and not so abrasive with the change of emotions like most people would assume this disorder works, now i am not going to be pretend to be an expert like i said before i don't have any friends with this disorder and i am not close to anyone in my family that does have it. So all i have is what Quinn gave me, and the little knowledge i have from a psych class i took in high school and in college. i am not a psych major so again i am not going to pretend to know more than i do. I like that this was in the POV of both Tally and Trey. I think that this gave it a better perspective on the outside, because honestly Tally is not the most reliable narrator, when i say that i mean can we truly trust everything she says or does, no because she doesn't even trust what she does. Well done Quinn, well done ;). Anyways! There are a few predictable moments but its not any less painful to experience. This is a lot to take in, and while there is humor there, and the lighthearted characters there is a lot of pain and stress too.
Characters:
Tally: Like i mentioned not the most reliable MC ever but she was very well written and very likable in the sense that you wanted to kill her. I like how she was portrayed as much as you wanted to go in and punch her in the face and be like you deserve this, why can't you see that?! while shaking her mind you. You know that its not so much her,her but her dealing with a disorder she just got diagnosed with, this isn't something she has been coping with for years and she knows how to deal, she is learning as she goes. So bare with her, she is learning just like we are. Its hard to be in her mind sometimes because you really do want to yell and scream but it won't do any good. She was written so that you can understand how her mind works not so that you can be like yeah she is totally awesome, and kickass, and nothing can touch her. Well peeps, we are all human on some basic level and we all have flaws so deal. Tally is ;)
Trey: I liked him a lot too because while he is a sex-God....what.... i didn't say that... that is totally wrong...wait no its not he is 18 he is legal! YUP he is a sex-God. bwhahaha, anyways! While he is a sex-god, and like dream man he also has his flaws. He as a bit of a tempter and my god was that sexy as hell as long as its directed at someone else. He is very protective, if you have read Quinn's Prince of Wolves series then well he would fit in perfectly with Fane, Dec, Costin (day dreams about him for about 20 minutes....) kay side-tracked again! So he is protective, kickass, and a total sweetheart. He does honest to god care about Tally and i am convinced this man isn't real, even fiction real he is almost tooo perfect ;).
Candy: While there were moments i was like are you sure your name is not Jen (Grey Wolf Series) she did differ from her as well. I really liked Candy and i thought she was an excellent supporting character and she did a lot to help Tally.
Tally parents: um hated them for the first half of the book, i was surprised her mom was the first to turn to the dark side and actually you know start playing attention to her daughter, and i am still unsure on how i feel about her father, i don't really like him to be honest.
So the ending, it was a good ending, while it was happy its not going to be the perfect happy ending where bipolar disorder has a sudden cure or anything but it was a good ending. And we will breathe, have a good day, do a victory dance and try again for the same the next day.
Kay so usually i try to be really witty and fun at this part buuuuttt i have been getting lazy about it sooooo there is this thing i do with a friend, a blog thing. where you can find my review on the last prince of wolves' book, and elfin by Quinn or many other books by other awesome indie authors, so come check us out, my friend is the one that usually does the contemporary fiction. so stop by leave us a comment if you want, or totally disregard this part and move on... oh look a link to the blog! http://theviolethourbookreviews.wordp...
Song choice... song choice... God i have been WAITING FOREVER TO bust this one out because it happens to be one of my most favoritest songs ever! "Wash." by Bon Iver, now if you actually look the up the lyrics you'd like what the fu....dge..... but its the tone, and movement of the song. "Drunk Again" by Reel Big Fish...and not its not about an alcoholic! "Where is my Mind?" by the Pixies, annnnnddd i am going to throw this one in there though i haven't obsessively listened to this song so i am not 100% sure if it works completely with this book "Just Give Me A Reason" by Pink (featuring the guy from Fun/the Format/Nate Ruess)
First thoughts: I thought that this was very Quinn style, that awesome mix of humor, lighthearted-ness with very serious, powerful moments. The reason it dropped a star for me though I suppose is that at times it was like i was waiting tooo long for the other shoe to drop, but honestly i blame that entirely on myself because i like things to keep moving, never stopping, just go go go go go go go go go, too many go's? mayhaps. But when the other shoe dropped, damn did it drop. But while i know just a bit about bipolar disorder, i don't actually have any friends with this disorder, nor am i close to anyone in my family that does have it that is a personal story i will keep all to myself thank you, anyways i know just a bit about it because when i started college oh i don't know three years ago i fancied myself being a psych major for two seconds, and i mean seriously, what college kid doesn't? so anyways from what i remember, from a class three years ago Quinn hit it spot on, and I really do think that for someone with limited experience with it like me that she did a really good job with it, explaining both sides of the bipolar disorder, and refraining from the stereotype that i labelled on my grandmother's cat who seriously was all happy for two seconds then wanted to claw your eyes out the next, but i think that is how all cats are... i like dogs. i am getting off topic again dammit. Alright so Quinn's research of the disorder, two thumbs up, i'd give you more but i only have to thumbs, if i was an alien i am sure i would be giving you 10 thumbs up.
Plot: So like i mentioned in my first thoughts where i started to ramble on and on and on, that there were points i was just waiting for something to happen but again that is me, i understand that there are times that there needs to be the calm. but what i did really like is that the moments with Tally who has the bipolar disorder is that its subtle done with her emotions you don't really realize that you are spiraling downwards with Tally until its too late and suddenly you are stuck in emotions that are holding you completely down. Its hard to recognize the little changes, which is one of the things that i loved about this book it was very subtle, and not so abrasive with the change of emotions like most people would assume this disorder works, now i am not going to be pretend to be an expert like i said before i don't have any friends with this disorder and i am not close to anyone in my family that does have it. So all i have is what Quinn gave me, and the little knowledge i have from a psych class i took in high school and in college. i am not a psych major so again i am not going to pretend to know more than i do. I like that this was in the POV of both Tally and Trey. I think that this gave it a better perspective on the outside, because honestly Tally is not the most reliable narrator, when i say that i mean can we truly trust everything she says or does, no because she doesn't even trust what she does. Well done Quinn, well done ;). Anyways! There are a few predictable moments but its not any less painful to experience. This is a lot to take in, and while there is humor there, and the lighthearted characters there is a lot of pain and stress too.
Characters:
Tally: Like i mentioned not the most reliable MC ever but she was very well written and very likable in the sense that you wanted to kill her. I like how she was portrayed as much as you wanted to go in and punch her in the face and be like you deserve this, why can't you see that?! while shaking her mind you. You know that its not so much her,her but her dealing with a disorder she just got diagnosed with, this isn't something she has been coping with for years and she knows how to deal, she is learning as she goes. So bare with her, she is learning just like we are. Its hard to be in her mind sometimes because you really do want to yell and scream but it won't do any good. She was written so that you can understand how her mind works not so that you can be like yeah she is totally awesome, and kickass, and nothing can touch her. Well peeps, we are all human on some basic level and we all have flaws so deal. Tally is ;)
Trey: I liked him a lot too because while he is a sex-God....what.... i didn't say that... that is totally wrong...wait no its not he is 18 he is legal! YUP he is a sex-God. bwhahaha, anyways! While he is a sex-god, and like dream man he also has his flaws. He as a bit of a tempter and my god was that sexy as hell as long as its directed at someone else. He is very protective, if you have read Quinn's Prince of Wolves series then well he would fit in perfectly with Fane, Dec, Costin (day dreams about him for about 20 minutes....) kay side-tracked again! So he is protective, kickass, and a total sweetheart. He does honest to god care about Tally and i am convinced this man isn't real, even fiction real he is almost tooo perfect ;).
Candy: While there were moments i was like are you sure your name is not Jen (Grey Wolf Series) she did differ from her as well. I really liked Candy and i thought she was an excellent supporting character and she did a lot to help Tally.
Tally parents: um hated them for the first half of the book, i was surprised her mom was the first to turn to the dark side and actually you know start playing attention to her daughter, and i am still unsure on how i feel about her father, i don't really like him to be honest.
So the ending, it was a good ending, while it was happy its not going to be the perfect happy ending where bipolar disorder has a sudden cure or anything but it was a good ending. And we will breathe, have a good day, do a victory dance and try again for the same the next day.
Kay so usually i try to be really witty and fun at this part buuuuttt i have been getting lazy about it sooooo there is this thing i do with a friend, a blog thing. where you can find my review on the last prince of wolves' book, and elfin by Quinn or many other books by other awesome indie authors, so come check us out, my friend is the one that usually does the contemporary fiction. so stop by leave us a comment if you want, or totally disregard this part and move on... oh look a link to the blog! http://theviolethourbookreviews.wordp...
August 2, 2013
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More reviews at Readers in Wonderland
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One of my biggest praises for this novel would be the way Tally’s Bipolar Disorder was treated. I found the representation to be very true to reality, and I really felt her frustrations with her disorder and could relate since I, myself, have anxiety issues.
Tally Baker is spending the last month of the summer before her senior year being treated for Bipolar Disorder in a mental facility. She has been recovering, but when a boy name Trey finds himself there visiting a family member, he becomes the last step in Tally’s journey to heal herself.
The romance was very cute but unfortunately it progressed very fast, with love being declared within a week. I am a fall of letting relationships develop slow and over time. There was a great twist with Trey not knowing Tally was a patient at the hospital and I enjoyed watching Tally try to dance around the truth.
The characters personalities took some major adjusting to, and I had to frequently remind myself that one was over sixty years old when she sounded more like fifteen. It was a bit off-putting, but reminded me of the way Jennifer Armentrout writes her characters: with humor and personality.
If you are a fan of fun contemporary novels with depth, check this out!
More reviews at Readers in Wonderland
_________________________________
One of my biggest praises for this novel would be the way Tally’s Bipolar Disorder was treated. I found the representation to be very true to reality, and I really felt her frustrations with her disorder and could relate since I, myself, have anxiety issues.
Tally Baker is spending the last month of the summer before her senior year being treated for Bipolar Disorder in a mental facility. She has been recovering, but when a boy name Trey finds himself there visiting a family member, he becomes the last step in Tally’s journey to heal herself.
The romance was very cute but unfortunately it progressed very fast, with love being declared within a week. I am a fall of letting relationships develop slow and over time. There was a great twist with Trey not knowing Tally was a patient at the hospital and I enjoyed watching Tally try to dance around the truth.
The characters personalities took some major adjusting to, and I had to frequently remind myself that one was over sixty years old when she sounded more like fifteen. It was a bit off-putting, but reminded me of the way Jennifer Armentrout writes her characters: with humor and personality.
If you are a fan of fun contemporary novels with depth, check this out!
July 31, 2013
Okay so I gotta say Quinn Loftis is in my top ten favorite authors, meaning I have yet to read something of hers I didn't love! This book is much diffrent from her others, being it is set in real life, but gosh it was so good! At first I wasn't sure with the main character being bipolar, how was she going to cope? Would it end up being depressing? Well it was far from depressing, it was funny, beautiful, and sweet. I give it five stars and a gallon of ice cream! Enjoy fellow book lovers!
July 10, 2013
Call Me Crazy is a beautiful, yet heart breaking story of a young girl who has recently been diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. It is about her struggle to live and how she needs to learn how to control the disease and not let it control her.
You could say that Tally's life had been turned upside down that day in school when she completely broke down, and was found on the floor of the girls bathroom in a pool of her own blood. Tally has been admitted to a psychiatric hospital where she is diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. Tally is only 17 years old and thinks that at this point her life is over. How can she go back to school and face everyone after the incident? Her parents have, for the most part been absent ever since she has been admitted. They are having a hard time accepting that their daughter is Bipolar and instead of being there for her they become wrapped up in their own world and their jobs. Now is the time when Tally needs a support system and the only people she has is her best friend Natalie and her new friend, a 60 year old woman who has been deemed by the courts as unstable and is now living in a psychiatric hospital. Then she sees him, the boy that will change her life forever, the boy who will end up capturing her heart and help her to feel alive again. His name is Trey Swfit.
Trey is visiting his mother at the same hospital that Tally is a patient at. Trey is completely drawn to Tally when he first meets her and has every intention getting to know her and of making her HIS. When Tally is with Trey she feels alive, and safe and not so broken, but she refuses to tell him the truth. That she is a patient and not just a visitor like she lead him to believe. Tally figures that when her time at the hospital is over she can just walk away and Trey will never have to know the truth. But it's not that simple. Especially when she finds out that Trey will be attending the same school as her in the fall. Trey learns about the incident that the whole school has been talking about, he learns that Tally has Bipolar Disorder and was really a patient. But The amazing thing about Trey is that he didn't care. He loved Tally, he wanted to be there for her to help her and protect her. But regardless of the fact that Tally has feelings for Trey, she feels broken and not deserving of Trey's love. Will Tally be able to let Trey in, let him love her and find happiness?
"I will spend the rest of our lives reminding you, that you may have bipolar disorder, but it does not have you. It cannot have you because I have claimed you and I don't share." ~ Trey
Quinn Loftis did such an amazing job with the character development and connection that you feel for these characters. I felt the emotions right along with Tally. I wanted her to come out on top and fight it and most of all I wanted her to find her happiness, to realize that she can fight the disease and learn to live. I felt the pain and fear as she struggled day to day. The supporting characters were so amazing and a great support system for Tally. Candy, one of the other patients, was a sassy, feisty, witty older woman who was always there for Tally. Her best friend Natalie loved her no matter what and never treated her like she was broken or different. She wanted things to be the way they always were. Then there is Trey who I loved. He is simply amazing and I love the way he wants to take care of her and protect her. Everyone needs a Trey in their life. He has his own issues with his mom and I think in a way he needed Tally just as much as she needs him. He is willing to fight with her and for her and for that you can't help but fall in love with him.
"She is mine. She always has been, but now she has admitted it. With all the darkness and ugliness in my world, all my pain, and anger, she is my sun."
Call Me Crazy was an emotional roller coaster that was written in such a way that you felt every emotion the character went through. Tally's story was so real and raw and genuine. It is a heart wrenching story of a young girl's struggles with bi-polar disorder. Leaning how to not feel broken, how to love yourself, let others love you and to learn how to live. Tally was an amazing a strong heroine. There were moments and situations that occurred that I believe were very defining moments in Tally's struggle and watching her go through them will break your heart. But she is strong and is a fighter. This was a beautifully written story that will touch your heart. I am not sure that my words can really do this book justice, but I have to say that Call Me Crazy is a must read. Any book that can cause you to feel the emotions right along with the character, to feel that connection with them and to simply fall in love with them is an amazing book. The ending was fantastic and the last line brought tears to my eyes. Quinn Loftis you did an amazing job with Tally's story!
"I know that I am the one in control of this disease. I know that I am not in this alone."
July 31, 2013
First off, I didn't know that Quinn has a Bipolar Disorder. I didn't know until I finished the book. I was left breathless because all throughout while I was reading, I felt Tally. It was such an amazing yet a painful read.
Everything that happened in Call Me Crazy felt so real. No kidding. I signed-up for this book tour since I've been wanting to read books with characters who have BPD. I was caught off guard because everything that Quinn had written was so true. Especially when Tally was having attacks. I know because I have a very close friend who has sort-of BPD and my friend wrote me letters containing almost everything that came inside her head. It sort of became a defense so that she wouldn't really burst out. And man, those letters made me cry. I felt so helpless as a friend. I know my words weren't enough to be much of comfort. She was so scared but I still did my best to convince her to seek professional help. My friend was diagnosed with mild BPD. She told me that the psychiatrist told her that her condition is just mild and still not really BPD. With therapies and meds, she'll be okay. She went to therapies and took meds. She became okay. But there were times when I know she just can't help it. She becomes paranoid all of a sudden. The worst was when she thought of actually jumping of from her condo unit which is like 16 floors high. Goodness, when she sent me a message saying how it's just easy to jump off from there and everything will go away. It's just so painful to see that someone undergo that kind of pain. It's unnerving because I can't do something to help her. Although I always do my best to ease her with words and love. Right now, she's fine. Even though I don't really know because she's in a foreign country having her internship and God, everyday I pray that she'll be fine. Please pray for her too?
Alright, back to the review. I'm sorry but I cannot just go on without talking about her. And really, there are not enough words to express how much I love Call Me Crazy. EVERYONE NEED TO READ THIS. So that everyone will have a feel of how it is to have this disorder. Even if it will not suffice to what people who have BDP really feels. So that everyone will know that is it not f***ing easy. So that everyone will know how to accept people who have this disorder and even those who have other mental illnesses. So that everyone will learn how to respect them.
Of course, people who have BPD need to read this. Not to be depressed. But to know and believe that there's hope, you know? That someone out there is willing to be with you. That's what Trey made me feel. That guy! I pray that every girl will meet her Trey. Trey really has an old soul!
Another thing that made it so real, Tally's parents and her schoolmates. God, I've never been so mad. I want to punch and kick them. Tally's classmates were obviously that naive and stupid. But I can't accept Tally's parents. They were the adults. Damn. How can they do that? They're true, you know. These people inhabit our world. May God just bless them.
Oh, I wouldn't even forget to mention Tally of course. I absolutely love Tally. She is a brave young lady. I just totally felt her. I know there are a lot of Tallys in this world. I really hope and pray that they'll see the light. I can't even remember how many times Tally made me cry. The feels I have when she was having her attacks. The pain shot through my skin up until my soul. That's a lot, I guess.
I actually agree with Quinn's answer for the 2nd-to-the-last question. Most of the mental illnesses have shown difference on the brain structure of the normal ones. I've seen some honestly. It's just so amazing in a way, not that people have disorders. I mean, like how can just a tiny little piece of this tissue or other part of the brain will be displaced or deleted then everything changes. Even the smallest things can bear the biggest change in us.
I know this isn't much of a review. It's just that, there are no words to properly review this. It's just so real. You have to read it to experience it.
Call Me Crazy is like a journal of sort. You'll get to experience a reality like no other. It will be painful, yes, but that's part of the reality. Especially the ones who have Bipolar Disorder. I really do hope that everyone will read this. Because it's an amazing book that can teach you a lot of things.
P.S. I'd like to thank Quinn Loftis for writing this. Even if I know it was hard, she did it. Congratulations, lovely lady! You are truly an inspiration to everyone out there.
Originally posted at The Bookish Confections
Everything that happened in Call Me Crazy felt so real. No kidding. I signed-up for this book tour since I've been wanting to read books with characters who have BPD. I was caught off guard because everything that Quinn had written was so true. Especially when Tally was having attacks. I know because I have a very close friend who has sort-of BPD and my friend wrote me letters containing almost everything that came inside her head. It sort of became a defense so that she wouldn't really burst out. And man, those letters made me cry. I felt so helpless as a friend. I know my words weren't enough to be much of comfort. She was so scared but I still did my best to convince her to seek professional help. My friend was diagnosed with mild BPD. She told me that the psychiatrist told her that her condition is just mild and still not really BPD. With therapies and meds, she'll be okay. She went to therapies and took meds. She became okay. But there were times when I know she just can't help it. She becomes paranoid all of a sudden. The worst was when she thought of actually jumping of from her condo unit which is like 16 floors high. Goodness, when she sent me a message saying how it's just easy to jump off from there and everything will go away. It's just so painful to see that someone undergo that kind of pain. It's unnerving because I can't do something to help her. Although I always do my best to ease her with words and love. Right now, she's fine. Even though I don't really know because she's in a foreign country having her internship and God, everyday I pray that she'll be fine. Please pray for her too?
Alright, back to the review. I'm sorry but I cannot just go on without talking about her. And really, there are not enough words to express how much I love Call Me Crazy. EVERYONE NEED TO READ THIS. So that everyone will have a feel of how it is to have this disorder. Even if it will not suffice to what people who have BDP really feels. So that everyone will know that is it not f***ing easy. So that everyone will know how to accept people who have this disorder and even those who have other mental illnesses. So that everyone will learn how to respect them.
Of course, people who have BPD need to read this. Not to be depressed. But to know and believe that there's hope, you know? That someone out there is willing to be with you. That's what Trey made me feel. That guy! I pray that every girl will meet her Trey. Trey really has an old soul!
Another thing that made it so real, Tally's parents and her schoolmates. God, I've never been so mad. I want to punch and kick them. Tally's classmates were obviously that naive and stupid. But I can't accept Tally's parents. They were the adults. Damn. How can they do that? They're true, you know. These people inhabit our world. May God just bless them.
Oh, I wouldn't even forget to mention Tally of course. I absolutely love Tally. She is a brave young lady. I just totally felt her. I know there are a lot of Tallys in this world. I really hope and pray that they'll see the light. I can't even remember how many times Tally made me cry. The feels I have when she was having her attacks. The pain shot through my skin up until my soul. That's a lot, I guess.
I actually agree with Quinn's answer for the 2nd-to-the-last question. Most of the mental illnesses have shown difference on the brain structure of the normal ones. I've seen some honestly. It's just so amazing in a way, not that people have disorders. I mean, like how can just a tiny little piece of this tissue or other part of the brain will be displaced or deleted then everything changes. Even the smallest things can bear the biggest change in us.
I know this isn't much of a review. It's just that, there are no words to properly review this. It's just so real. You have to read it to experience it.
Call Me Crazy is like a journal of sort. You'll get to experience a reality like no other. It will be painful, yes, but that's part of the reality. Especially the ones who have Bipolar Disorder. I really do hope that everyone will read this. Because it's an amazing book that can teach you a lot of things.
P.S. I'd like to thank Quinn Loftis for writing this. Even if I know it was hard, she did it. Congratulations, lovely lady! You are truly an inspiration to everyone out there.
Originally posted at The Bookish Confections
August 5, 2013
Wow! I don't know what to say about this book :)
It was great - it was everything I thought it would be.
Tally is in a dark place - she doesn't know why she feels so depressed, angry, and frustrated. but she can't help it. She doesn't want to feel this way, but it just makes her more angry when she treys to think about it too long.
It's when she's in class and her teacher starts harassing her, when she finally blows.
Now Tally is in a psych ward, and she's trying to get better. The medication starts to help and she's able to manage her moods a little better.
Especially when she's around Candy - her best friend other than Nat, but Candy's on the inside of the Psych ward, and knows how to have fun. I love Candy! She's a 60 year old woman who loves to play pranks with the crazy people - she's hilarious! and always causing trouble.
Candy knows just about everything in the place, and when a new woman is brought in, they decide to go check it out.
Trey is a Native American. He's a great guy, brought up to know how to lead, and love and protect with everything he has in him.
When his mom is brought into the new psych ward, he spends as much time with her as he can. Outside of taking care of his grandmother and working hard on a ranch, Trey has grown up earlier then he needs to.
When he goes to visit his mom on her first day there, he see's the pink streaked hair girl diving under the table, and doesn't come back up..
lol Their chemistry is instant and with Trey being so in-tuned with his spirit, he knows right away that the connection with Telly is strong and he will spend his life keeping her happy.
The only thing wrong, is Telly doesn't want Trey to know she's broken. That she'll never be whole, so when she bumps into Trey for the first time , she decided right then and there to tell him that she's visiting her crazy great Aunt Candy.
Trey can see that Candy belongs in the psych ward, but is really more interested in getting to know Telly.
They talk, and have a great time.
And when Telly is about ready to be released in order to start her senior year, she decides to break things off with Trey before he learns that she's really a big mess.
Trey doesn't take the news well and is determined to fight for Telly.
When School finally starts, and Trey learns that Telly is in the same school, and all the gossip and mean things are directed at Telly from last year's break down, and he knew right then and there that Telly was his, and he would do anything ot make sure she never felt like that again.
This story was great - I really enjoyed the reading. I learned a few things about the Disease that I didn't know before. I was really impressed with the way the story was told by Telly and Trey. You could really feel their emotions brewing. You can feel the highs and the lows.
:)
It was great - it was everything I thought it would be.
Tally is in a dark place - she doesn't know why she feels so depressed, angry, and frustrated. but she can't help it. She doesn't want to feel this way, but it just makes her more angry when she treys to think about it too long.
It's when she's in class and her teacher starts harassing her, when she finally blows.
Now Tally is in a psych ward, and she's trying to get better. The medication starts to help and she's able to manage her moods a little better.
Especially when she's around Candy - her best friend other than Nat, but Candy's on the inside of the Psych ward, and knows how to have fun. I love Candy! She's a 60 year old woman who loves to play pranks with the crazy people - she's hilarious! and always causing trouble.
Candy knows just about everything in the place, and when a new woman is brought in, they decide to go check it out.
Trey is a Native American. He's a great guy, brought up to know how to lead, and love and protect with everything he has in him.
When his mom is brought into the new psych ward, he spends as much time with her as he can. Outside of taking care of his grandmother and working hard on a ranch, Trey has grown up earlier then he needs to.
When he goes to visit his mom on her first day there, he see's the pink streaked hair girl diving under the table, and doesn't come back up..
lol Their chemistry is instant and with Trey being so in-tuned with his spirit, he knows right away that the connection with Telly is strong and he will spend his life keeping her happy.
The only thing wrong, is Telly doesn't want Trey to know she's broken. That she'll never be whole, so when she bumps into Trey for the first time , she decided right then and there to tell him that she's visiting her crazy great Aunt Candy.
Trey can see that Candy belongs in the psych ward, but is really more interested in getting to know Telly.
They talk, and have a great time.
And when Telly is about ready to be released in order to start her senior year, she decides to break things off with Trey before he learns that she's really a big mess.
Trey doesn't take the news well and is determined to fight for Telly.
When School finally starts, and Trey learns that Telly is in the same school, and all the gossip and mean things are directed at Telly from last year's break down, and he knew right then and there that Telly was his, and he would do anything ot make sure she never felt like that again.
This story was great - I really enjoyed the reading. I learned a few things about the Disease that I didn't know before. I was really impressed with the way the story was told by Telly and Trey. You could really feel their emotions brewing. You can feel the highs and the lows.
:)
July 13, 2013
Call Me Crazy by Quinn Loftis
Talley is in a mental hospital and diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She describes herself and progress during inpatient treatment with a poem:
“I am broken, but my pieces have been placed back where they belong.
I am a jumbled mess of notes, but they are slowly becoming a song.
I am a torn quilt, but the needle has been threaded to mend the frayed seam.
I am a dull piece of pottery, but the glaze is being added to create the gleam.
I am in this tired and worn body, though I thought that I was lost,
To finally begin to be repaired is good, but it wasn’t worth the cost.
I don’t want to dance too much, smile too wide, or laugh too hard.
I’ve been dealt a new hand and I’m waiting on that one bad card.”
Talley has one best friend Natalie who is loyal and sticks by her through thick and thin. Talley’s other friend is Candy, a patient at the mental hospital. Candy is “cantankerous and mischievous. She loved trouble and sought it out as often as possible. She loved to annoy those around her and lived to drive the crazies even crazier.” Candy is witty and full of words of wisdom, when she allowed herself to be serious! Candy and Natalie help Talley to see that she has hope and she is not completely broken.
While Talley is in the hospital she meets Trey. Trey’s mother is losing her battle with Schizophrenia. Talley hides the fact that she is a patient from Trey because Talley believes that since she has bipolar that she is unable to be loved. Trey unknowingly helps Talley to reach her goals to be discharged from the hospital. She is now free to finish her senior year of High School. The only problem is Talley’s secret is all over school and she becomes the target of fear and ignorance. Trey realizes that his Talley, is the target and he rushes to find her. He is determined to prove to Talley she is worthy of love, and he will stop a nothing to prove to her that he is her destiny.
I really enjoyed reading this book. I laughed, I cried, and I was reminded that mental illness is not something to be afraid of. Mental illness is not something that rules the person if they do what they need to, it is something that can be controlled with medication, therapy and mainly a positive support system!
Talley is in a mental hospital and diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She describes herself and progress during inpatient treatment with a poem:
“I am broken, but my pieces have been placed back where they belong.
I am a jumbled mess of notes, but they are slowly becoming a song.
I am a torn quilt, but the needle has been threaded to mend the frayed seam.
I am a dull piece of pottery, but the glaze is being added to create the gleam.
I am in this tired and worn body, though I thought that I was lost,
To finally begin to be repaired is good, but it wasn’t worth the cost.
I don’t want to dance too much, smile too wide, or laugh too hard.
I’ve been dealt a new hand and I’m waiting on that one bad card.”
Talley has one best friend Natalie who is loyal and sticks by her through thick and thin. Talley’s other friend is Candy, a patient at the mental hospital. Candy is “cantankerous and mischievous. She loved trouble and sought it out as often as possible. She loved to annoy those around her and lived to drive the crazies even crazier.” Candy is witty and full of words of wisdom, when she allowed herself to be serious! Candy and Natalie help Talley to see that she has hope and she is not completely broken.
While Talley is in the hospital she meets Trey. Trey’s mother is losing her battle with Schizophrenia. Talley hides the fact that she is a patient from Trey because Talley believes that since she has bipolar that she is unable to be loved. Trey unknowingly helps Talley to reach her goals to be discharged from the hospital. She is now free to finish her senior year of High School. The only problem is Talley’s secret is all over school and she becomes the target of fear and ignorance. Trey realizes that his Talley, is the target and he rushes to find her. He is determined to prove to Talley she is worthy of love, and he will stop a nothing to prove to her that he is her destiny.
I really enjoyed reading this book. I laughed, I cried, and I was reminded that mental illness is not something to be afraid of. Mental illness is not something that rules the person if they do what they need to, it is something that can be controlled with medication, therapy and mainly a positive support system!
June 1, 2013
I was not convinced when I read the blurb to this when Quinn Loftis revealed it but as a firm Quinn Loftis groupie I decided to give it a go.
I was far, far from disapointed. I began reading this in the bath and didn't get out till i'd finished. I read in one sitting, I did not want to put it down. As usual she has her sassy characters in it, me in particular loving Candy, the 60yr old resident of the institute, with her quick come backs and her I simply don't care attitude. One of the best moments for me being when they Tally, the leading lady, and Candy were commenting on how eachother looked
"Your one to talk, you look like you've been run through the washer twenty times too many and then left soaking wet to dry so you are all wrinkly and sour" in reply you get "Really? Well you look like the favorite chew toy of a St. Bernard that he happens to like to hump it all the time as well."
Honestly just one of many fantastic interactions between these two. Then you have Trey and honestly you have to just read the book to understand what I mean when I say we all need a Trey in our lives. Wow, looks and personality are brough across so well in Quinn's writing you cannot help but fall in love with him.
Then you get to Tally, a 17yr old girl who feels broken and doesn't know how to put herself back together until she meets Trey but feels like she just doesn't deserve him, all due to her recent diagnosis of bipolar disorder and the events that came before this. How Quinn writes how Tilly is feeling made m cry, laugh and many other thinks i just cannot describe.
This, for me is Quinn's best book yet, and that is by no means a small achievement. She posted recently that she had sold 503,914 books, reading this I am not suprised and am looking forward to her next books and her next 503,914 sales.
Just WOW, BUY THIS BOOK.
I was far, far from disapointed. I began reading this in the bath and didn't get out till i'd finished. I read in one sitting, I did not want to put it down. As usual she has her sassy characters in it, me in particular loving Candy, the 60yr old resident of the institute, with her quick come backs and her I simply don't care attitude. One of the best moments for me being when they Tally, the leading lady, and Candy were commenting on how eachother looked
"Your one to talk, you look like you've been run through the washer twenty times too many and then left soaking wet to dry so you are all wrinkly and sour" in reply you get "Really? Well you look like the favorite chew toy of a St. Bernard that he happens to like to hump it all the time as well."
Honestly just one of many fantastic interactions between these two. Then you have Trey and honestly you have to just read the book to understand what I mean when I say we all need a Trey in our lives. Wow, looks and personality are brough across so well in Quinn's writing you cannot help but fall in love with him.
Then you get to Tally, a 17yr old girl who feels broken and doesn't know how to put herself back together until she meets Trey but feels like she just doesn't deserve him, all due to her recent diagnosis of bipolar disorder and the events that came before this. How Quinn writes how Tilly is feeling made m cry, laugh and many other thinks i just cannot describe.
This, for me is Quinn's best book yet, and that is by no means a small achievement. She posted recently that she had sold 503,914 books, reading this I am not suprised and am looking forward to her next books and her next 503,914 sales.
Just WOW, BUY THIS BOOK.
August 12, 2013
While I liked the storyline from the beginning, when I first started reading this book I thought "Uggh. Another book where we "live" the moment and then rehash it from each character's POV." But after awhile it started to flow and I really got caught up in Tally and Trey's story.
I just wanted to wrap Tally up in a big blanket and cuddle with her, while at the same time kicking her parent's butt to get in gear and start living the role they signed up for when they had a child! She just seemed so lost - and in spite of her disease has a big heart - just a hard time trusting anyone with it.
Candy was hilarious and always had a way to make Tally smile - even when they were both having bad days. Despite her advanced age, she was Tally's best friend at Mercy. She helped Tally to learn that it was okay to have fun and to not take life so seriously. I would love to have someone in my life like Candy.
Tally's relationship with Trey starts off with a chance meeting at Mercy. He is there visiting his mom and assumes that she is visiting someone as well. They become friends and he is very open (and persistent) in letting Tally know that he is coming to care for her. At one point in the story Tally asks Trey if he is sure he is only eighteen. He is strong and compassionate beyond his years and even though his mom is in a psych unit, you can tell that he has had a solid family upbringing and some good role models.
I ended up really liking the book and the last 100 pages I did not want to put it down. I so wanted to find out how Tally and Trey's story would end. It is a good story, and even though it has it's tragedy, it is also filled with hope.
I just wanted to wrap Tally up in a big blanket and cuddle with her, while at the same time kicking her parent's butt to get in gear and start living the role they signed up for when they had a child! She just seemed so lost - and in spite of her disease has a big heart - just a hard time trusting anyone with it.
Candy was hilarious and always had a way to make Tally smile - even when they were both having bad days. Despite her advanced age, she was Tally's best friend at Mercy. She helped Tally to learn that it was okay to have fun and to not take life so seriously. I would love to have someone in my life like Candy.
Tally's relationship with Trey starts off with a chance meeting at Mercy. He is there visiting his mom and assumes that she is visiting someone as well. They become friends and he is very open (and persistent) in letting Tally know that he is coming to care for her. At one point in the story Tally asks Trey if he is sure he is only eighteen. He is strong and compassionate beyond his years and even though his mom is in a psych unit, you can tell that he has had a solid family upbringing and some good role models.
I ended up really liking the book and the last 100 pages I did not want to put it down. I so wanted to find out how Tally and Trey's story would end. It is a good story, and even though it has it's tragedy, it is also filled with hope.
July 25, 2013
I'm just going to put it out there...I LOVED this book. Loved it. Loved. It.
I've got a soft spot for mental health issues, having seen people I know and love affected by them so to see a realistic portrayal of something that doesn't necessarily guarantee a Happy Ever After. That's not to say that HEA's aren't possible -- but they aren't a quick fix. They take work and effort and faith and trust...and Call Me Crazy totally gets it.
I FELT these characters. Tally's insecurities and her frustrations. Trey's devotion. Even Candy's snark. Loftis does an amazing amazing job writing this story. She manages to find the perfect balance of angst and new love and friendship all wrapped up in a slightly frayed bow of realism -- pretty and perfect from a distance but upon closer inspection, it could start to unravel with just the slightest mishandling. Like Tally. (I hope that makes sense because it totally does in my head.)
Yes, I know Im rambling a bit -- but that's what I do when I love a book. The thoughts are bouncing around in my head and won't slow down long enough for me to form them in to pretty and concise words. But believe me when I say that I am smiling and bouncing and flailing about this book. And there were flutters. Yes, flutters. All in all, it was a very emotional read for me in all the best possible ways.
And the best part -- it introduced me to a new author. I am dying to delve into the other works by Ms. Loftis because I know I won't be disappointed.
I've got a soft spot for mental health issues, having seen people I know and love affected by them so to see a realistic portrayal of something that doesn't necessarily guarantee a Happy Ever After. That's not to say that HEA's aren't possible -- but they aren't a quick fix. They take work and effort and faith and trust...and Call Me Crazy totally gets it.
I FELT these characters. Tally's insecurities and her frustrations. Trey's devotion. Even Candy's snark. Loftis does an amazing amazing job writing this story. She manages to find the perfect balance of angst and new love and friendship all wrapped up in a slightly frayed bow of realism -- pretty and perfect from a distance but upon closer inspection, it could start to unravel with just the slightest mishandling. Like Tally. (I hope that makes sense because it totally does in my head.)
Yes, I know Im rambling a bit -- but that's what I do when I love a book. The thoughts are bouncing around in my head and won't slow down long enough for me to form them in to pretty and concise words. But believe me when I say that I am smiling and bouncing and flailing about this book. And there were flutters. Yes, flutters. All in all, it was a very emotional read for me in all the best possible ways.
And the best part -- it introduced me to a new author. I am dying to delve into the other works by Ms. Loftis because I know I won't be disappointed.
November 24, 2014
Loved. This is such a wonderful story about mental illness and bipolar disorder. It made me cry several times and I just loved it. Having personal experience with some of the problems in the story really made it so much more meaningful to me. Great read!
June 4, 2013
WOW. I just finished the book and there are tears in my eyes and i am just so happy that i read it.
August 15, 2013
I usually like to do my reviews straight from reading, when my mind is fresh from the story. I have had to sleep on this one.
I have to tell you this story is unlike anything I've ever read, it literary knocked me on my ass. I sat staring at the screen of my kindle for at least 30 minutes, I couldnt speak, think or formulate any form of anything in my mind. It blew me away.
The story starts with Tally Baker a seventeen year old girl in high school and her best friend Natalie. One day whilst in class Tally loses her temper with the teacher and storms out of class into the bathrooms, where she starts to cut herself to alivate some of the emotional pain she is going through. At this point I thought the story was going to be about a girl who has a history of cutting herself, how wrong was I.
Tally is admitted into Mercy Phyicatric facility for two months were she is diagosnosed with Bipolar Disorder.
Mental Illness: A psychological pattern or anomaly, potentially reflected in behaviour, that is generally associated with distress or disability, and which is not considered part of the normal development of a person's culture. ~ Wikipedia.
While coming to terms with her bipolar and receiving help from Dr Stacey through therapy. Tally meets 60 year old Candy who is a long term patient, who does not tell Tally why she is there. One of Tally's thoughts of Candy is
"I can't help but laugh at her. Candy, a sixty year old woman, whining like a ten year old. Shouldn't be funny, but it was"
Tally and Candy help each other through it, Candy by causing all kinds of mischief, to help Tally live, and Tally helps Candy live.
After a few weeks a new patient is brought in a native american woman Lolotea Swift, who is suffering from schizophrenia. Lolotea has a seventeen year old son Trey. When Tally firsts spots Trey she hides behind a pool table, Trey is intrigued but concerned for his mum. One of my favourite quotes is
"Hold on to what is good, even if it's a handful of earth. Hold on to what you believe, even if it's but a simple tree that stands alone. Hold on to what you must do, even if it's a long way from where you are. Hold on to your life, even if it's easier to let go. Hold on to my hand, even if someday i'll be gone away from you" ~ Native American Prayer
I love this quote, I think for me this quote is so relevent to this story.
Tally doesn't tell Trey she is a patient in Mercy, and the beauty of that is that Trey doesn't know anything about Tally so takes her for who she is aiming to be, a fresh start. Tally thinks once Trey finds out about her Mental illness he will leave and then she will really fall apart. What Tally doesn't realise as time goes on is that Trey gets her, like really gets her.
"She is mine. She always has been, but now she has admitted it. With all the darkness and ugliness in my world, all my pain, and anger, she is my sun. She shines on me and warms the coldness that has slowly seeped into my body over time. If she is my sun, then I am her storm, washing away the stains with my rain, deafening the lies with my thunder, and crushing any who would hurt her with my lightening. She is mine as she has always been. " ~ Trey
Tally's parents aren't very supportive and find it hard to accept her bipolar. Even when she comes home, nothing changes, she still is left on her own all day. And its not until Tally faces more sadness, that her parents start to come round.
Tally and Trey's story is a love story like no other. They don't meet in the circumstances like other high school students. They see the bad first in each first or is it bad? How would it feel to meet someone and they find out everything you dont want to tell them, things you hide until you know them really well no never tell them. How different would it be if they found this out first warts and all, and they still want to stick around, so after that you can start knowing that the only bits are to come are the best bits.
I love everything about this book. Quinn has a magical ability when writing, the ablilty of transporting you right into the pages, so much so that you feel like your there, you experience what the characters are feeling. Everything about this book was right, I could say the pace was right, the story line. Like i usually do. But I dont need to. Because as a whole it's right.
This book touches you in a profound way, my heart broke for Tally going through all of that on her own with no support, except from Nataile and then Trey. I wanted to be in there with her saying Ive got your back.
Mental Illness is an invisible illness that people don't understand or want to understand. It's just that person who people say acts a bit strange, who puts on an act, who needs to snap out of it, its not even an illness. This is were people are wrong. We are all a bit strange in our own way, no ones perfect. So the next time we all see someone who maybe acting a bit strange think about it, they may need a friend.
This book is different to anything Quinn has wrote before. And I loved it.
I Love Quinn Lofis. I have read all of her books. The Grey wolves series and Elfin. And I Loved all of them. As a child i was a huge Enid Blyton fan reading books about elves, fairies, gnomes and enchanted woods in stories such as The Magic Far Away Tree and The Wishing Chair. For me Quinn loftis is my adult Enid Blyton. My secret pleasure. Reading a Quinn Loftis book feels like I've come home.
I am going to leave you with another one of my favourite quotes
" Smile for me and i will know that my life has meaning. Smile for me and I will see that all is not lost. When you smile for me, I am complete; I am found. " ~ Unknown
If there is only one book you buy this month its this one
I have to tell you this story is unlike anything I've ever read, it literary knocked me on my ass. I sat staring at the screen of my kindle for at least 30 minutes, I couldnt speak, think or formulate any form of anything in my mind. It blew me away.
The story starts with Tally Baker a seventeen year old girl in high school and her best friend Natalie. One day whilst in class Tally loses her temper with the teacher and storms out of class into the bathrooms, where she starts to cut herself to alivate some of the emotional pain she is going through. At this point I thought the story was going to be about a girl who has a history of cutting herself, how wrong was I.
Tally is admitted into Mercy Phyicatric facility for two months were she is diagosnosed with Bipolar Disorder.
Mental Illness: A psychological pattern or anomaly, potentially reflected in behaviour, that is generally associated with distress or disability, and which is not considered part of the normal development of a person's culture. ~ Wikipedia.
While coming to terms with her bipolar and receiving help from Dr Stacey through therapy. Tally meets 60 year old Candy who is a long term patient, who does not tell Tally why she is there. One of Tally's thoughts of Candy is
"I can't help but laugh at her. Candy, a sixty year old woman, whining like a ten year old. Shouldn't be funny, but it was"
Tally and Candy help each other through it, Candy by causing all kinds of mischief, to help Tally live, and Tally helps Candy live.
After a few weeks a new patient is brought in a native american woman Lolotea Swift, who is suffering from schizophrenia. Lolotea has a seventeen year old son Trey. When Tally firsts spots Trey she hides behind a pool table, Trey is intrigued but concerned for his mum. One of my favourite quotes is
"Hold on to what is good, even if it's a handful of earth. Hold on to what you believe, even if it's but a simple tree that stands alone. Hold on to what you must do, even if it's a long way from where you are. Hold on to your life, even if it's easier to let go. Hold on to my hand, even if someday i'll be gone away from you" ~ Native American Prayer
I love this quote, I think for me this quote is so relevent to this story.
Tally doesn't tell Trey she is a patient in Mercy, and the beauty of that is that Trey doesn't know anything about Tally so takes her for who she is aiming to be, a fresh start. Tally thinks once Trey finds out about her Mental illness he will leave and then she will really fall apart. What Tally doesn't realise as time goes on is that Trey gets her, like really gets her.
"She is mine. She always has been, but now she has admitted it. With all the darkness and ugliness in my world, all my pain, and anger, she is my sun. She shines on me and warms the coldness that has slowly seeped into my body over time. If she is my sun, then I am her storm, washing away the stains with my rain, deafening the lies with my thunder, and crushing any who would hurt her with my lightening. She is mine as she has always been. " ~ Trey
Tally's parents aren't very supportive and find it hard to accept her bipolar. Even when she comes home, nothing changes, she still is left on her own all day. And its not until Tally faces more sadness, that her parents start to come round.
Tally and Trey's story is a love story like no other. They don't meet in the circumstances like other high school students. They see the bad first in each first or is it bad? How would it feel to meet someone and they find out everything you dont want to tell them, things you hide until you know them really well no never tell them. How different would it be if they found this out first warts and all, and they still want to stick around, so after that you can start knowing that the only bits are to come are the best bits.
I love everything about this book. Quinn has a magical ability when writing, the ablilty of transporting you right into the pages, so much so that you feel like your there, you experience what the characters are feeling. Everything about this book was right, I could say the pace was right, the story line. Like i usually do. But I dont need to. Because as a whole it's right.
This book touches you in a profound way, my heart broke for Tally going through all of that on her own with no support, except from Nataile and then Trey. I wanted to be in there with her saying Ive got your back.
Mental Illness is an invisible illness that people don't understand or want to understand. It's just that person who people say acts a bit strange, who puts on an act, who needs to snap out of it, its not even an illness. This is were people are wrong. We are all a bit strange in our own way, no ones perfect. So the next time we all see someone who maybe acting a bit strange think about it, they may need a friend.
This book is different to anything Quinn has wrote before. And I loved it.
I Love Quinn Lofis. I have read all of her books. The Grey wolves series and Elfin. And I Loved all of them. As a child i was a huge Enid Blyton fan reading books about elves, fairies, gnomes and enchanted woods in stories such as The Magic Far Away Tree and The Wishing Chair. For me Quinn loftis is my adult Enid Blyton. My secret pleasure. Reading a Quinn Loftis book feels like I've come home.
I am going to leave you with another one of my favourite quotes
" Smile for me and i will know that my life has meaning. Smile for me and I will see that all is not lost. When you smile for me, I am complete; I am found. " ~ Unknown
If there is only one book you buy this month its this one
November 13, 2017
This was an incredible journey.
You can see in the writing that this book is the author's heart and soul. It speaks of truthfulness and agony and beauty.
I really loved reading this, although I didn't give it 5 stars. It had some small issues that didn't ring for me but that is just me and I would highly recommend this book.
And Tonto was the perfect man for the job. I would love to think there are many men like him out there, real men that complete you. I have mine. I hope everybody finds theirs.
You can see in the writing that this book is the author's heart and soul. It speaks of truthfulness and agony and beauty.
I really loved reading this, although I didn't give it 5 stars. It had some small issues that didn't ring for me but that is just me and I would highly recommend this book.
And Tonto was the perfect man for the job. I would love to think there are many men like him out there, real men that complete you. I have mine. I hope everybody finds theirs.
July 10, 2018
Another success!!
I love how much I can really to this book. Personally anyone who has bipolar disorder could also relate in my opinion. So many angles and so many levels of love makes this book another best. Keep writing!!
I love how much I can really to this book. Personally anyone who has bipolar disorder could also relate in my opinion. So many angles and so many levels of love makes this book another best. Keep writing!!
July 20, 2013
Call Me Crazy is Quinn’s break into the young adult contemporary scene and it was a great debut. Quinn is not a new author so I was not surprised by how well the writing was but I was surprised by how well done the plot was and how developed the characters were.
I really liked Tally and found her to be a very likable character. She is diagnosed with bi-polar and has to spend 3 months in a mental institution in order to learn how to manage it. Her parents are a little cold and distant and that broke my heart a little because she needs a support system to get through this and they don’t want to believe that she has a mental illness. I loved her slightly snarky attitude and some of the comments she made cracked me up. However, I could see that it was a coping mechanism to help her hide the emotional pain that she was feeling inside. She is instantly attracted to Trey but she does a really great job of playing it cool and she is so easily able to banter back and forth with him. As soon as she lied to him about being a patient, I was super anxious every time they interacted because I wasn’t sure how he would react. It was a nail-biting experience.
“It’s then that I realize I’m not broken. Broken implies that I might be able to be fixed. No, I’m shattered beyond repair, beyond hope.”
Trey was a super sweet guy and I really liked him. He was an old soul and he was so mature for his age. He had to be with his mother’s illness and his father dying when he was 12. He is instantly attracted to Tally and there is something that pulls him to her. He can see that she has demons but he has no idea that she is actually a patient. I liked how protective he is of her and when he finds out the truth, it doesn’t even matter to him. I also liked that he wouldn’t give up when Tally tried to push him away and he fought his way back into her life.
“As I’m driving home, flashes of that kiss, of her lips, the way she felt, keep popping up in my mind and I resign myself to the fact that I’m going to have to take another shower before I go to bed, cold would be good, frigid would be better.”
This book also had some really great side characters including Tally’s best friend, Nat, and Candy, her elderly mental patient friend. Nat was super supportive of Tally and never judged her. I loved how caring and protective she was. She wasn’t put off by Tally’s illness and she made sure that Tally knew she supported her. Candy was freaking hilarious and I loved her spirit. She helped Tally make it through her time in the institute and she brought light into a dim situation. Her comments to Trey were so hilarious and I couldn’t help but laugh. She was the comic relief in an intense and emotional plot.
“Did you finally come to your senses and realize that there is something to be said for playing with a cougar?”
Bi-p0lar is a mental illness that I think is more common than most people know because people who suffer from it can still live normal lives as long as they manage it. I have read a few books where a main character suffered from the illness and both characters were the male lead. I liked the change up with this book where the female lead was the character suffering and the male lead was the one who helped her get through it. Trey felt this connection with Tally and fell in love with her as he got to know her. When he found out the truth about her, he never swayed or even questioned being with her. He wanted to be with her and help her find happiness and manage her illness. Tally wanted to let Trey in because he made her happy and she felt normal with him. However, she was so worried about what her illness would do to him that she pushed him away. However, Trey never gave up and he showed Tally that he wasn’t going anywhere and that it was okay to be happy. Amongst all of the anguish and tragedy, they were both able to help each other cope. My only complaint would be that I felt like Trey moved a little too fast and professed his undying love a little too quickly. He was thinking forever after 3 days of knowing her and I am not a fan of insta-love so I didn’t really get on board with that part.
“Sometimes it takes falling to rock bottom, enduring utter devastation in order for us to realize just what we need, what we can’t live without. And the best part about rock bottom is you can only go up from there.”
Overall, I really enjoyed Call Me Crazy and loved the way it could make me laugh one moment and tear up the next. It was very heart felt and real. Tally’s struggle was emotional and hard to watch but it was also endearing to watch her fight to get her life back under control. I think Quinn made a great break into the young adult contemporary genre and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.
I really liked Tally and found her to be a very likable character. She is diagnosed with bi-polar and has to spend 3 months in a mental institution in order to learn how to manage it. Her parents are a little cold and distant and that broke my heart a little because she needs a support system to get through this and they don’t want to believe that she has a mental illness. I loved her slightly snarky attitude and some of the comments she made cracked me up. However, I could see that it was a coping mechanism to help her hide the emotional pain that she was feeling inside. She is instantly attracted to Trey but she does a really great job of playing it cool and she is so easily able to banter back and forth with him. As soon as she lied to him about being a patient, I was super anxious every time they interacted because I wasn’t sure how he would react. It was a nail-biting experience.
“It’s then that I realize I’m not broken. Broken implies that I might be able to be fixed. No, I’m shattered beyond repair, beyond hope.”
Trey was a super sweet guy and I really liked him. He was an old soul and he was so mature for his age. He had to be with his mother’s illness and his father dying when he was 12. He is instantly attracted to Tally and there is something that pulls him to her. He can see that she has demons but he has no idea that she is actually a patient. I liked how protective he is of her and when he finds out the truth, it doesn’t even matter to him. I also liked that he wouldn’t give up when Tally tried to push him away and he fought his way back into her life.
“As I’m driving home, flashes of that kiss, of her lips, the way she felt, keep popping up in my mind and I resign myself to the fact that I’m going to have to take another shower before I go to bed, cold would be good, frigid would be better.”
This book also had some really great side characters including Tally’s best friend, Nat, and Candy, her elderly mental patient friend. Nat was super supportive of Tally and never judged her. I loved how caring and protective she was. She wasn’t put off by Tally’s illness and she made sure that Tally knew she supported her. Candy was freaking hilarious and I loved her spirit. She helped Tally make it through her time in the institute and she brought light into a dim situation. Her comments to Trey were so hilarious and I couldn’t help but laugh. She was the comic relief in an intense and emotional plot.
“Did you finally come to your senses and realize that there is something to be said for playing with a cougar?”
Bi-p0lar is a mental illness that I think is more common than most people know because people who suffer from it can still live normal lives as long as they manage it. I have read a few books where a main character suffered from the illness and both characters were the male lead. I liked the change up with this book where the female lead was the character suffering and the male lead was the one who helped her get through it. Trey felt this connection with Tally and fell in love with her as he got to know her. When he found out the truth about her, he never swayed or even questioned being with her. He wanted to be with her and help her find happiness and manage her illness. Tally wanted to let Trey in because he made her happy and she felt normal with him. However, she was so worried about what her illness would do to him that she pushed him away. However, Trey never gave up and he showed Tally that he wasn’t going anywhere and that it was okay to be happy. Amongst all of the anguish and tragedy, they were both able to help each other cope. My only complaint would be that I felt like Trey moved a little too fast and professed his undying love a little too quickly. He was thinking forever after 3 days of knowing her and I am not a fan of insta-love so I didn’t really get on board with that part.
“Sometimes it takes falling to rock bottom, enduring utter devastation in order for us to realize just what we need, what we can’t live without. And the best part about rock bottom is you can only go up from there.”
Overall, I really enjoyed Call Me Crazy and loved the way it could make me laugh one moment and tear up the next. It was very heart felt and real. Tally’s struggle was emotional and hard to watch but it was also endearing to watch her fight to get her life back under control. I think Quinn made a great break into the young adult contemporary genre and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.
July 23, 2013
I've always loved anything that was written by Quinn Loftis, I'm an avid Grey Wolves fan. There is something about the way she writes that always gets me going, whether it's something serious or funny it's always to the utmost extreme and you feel like you are on a roller coaster experience that you just haven't gotten enough of, that is why I keep coming back for more of her books. Call Me Crazy was an intensely beautiful, heart whelming book that pulled at all the right strings at all the right time.
We meet Tally who is spending time with Candy at the mental institution because she has been recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and she's to spend the summer there before her senior year after an episode. Candy is also in the institution for similar reasons and despite this they get along fabulously. I think Candy by far is one of my favorite characters because she will come out with the most out on left field saying and you can't help but laugh or at least put a smile on your face. Their friendship is what keeps them stronger, especially Tally. One day there is a new patient though, and it's not the new patient that catches her interest but the son of that patient, Trey. He's tall and gorgeous and seems absolutely perfect for Tally.
They talk here and there and even though she hasn't told him that she is a patient there, the relationship seems to blossom. yes there are some very hard times, and in the beginning a lot of secrets being kept, but despite all that, Trey still wants to be with Tally. They really do belong together. When the summer is over and Tally is to return to school she didn't give Trey a second thought thinking she wasn't going to see him again, but yes you've guessed it low and behold they are both seniors and in every class together. This just brings them closer, because Trey is a very determined young man to keep what is his and he believes that is Tally. It's very romantic the way he does it of course, but again there are some hard times and some angry parts in this book that make it very intense.
This book highlighted very well different disorders that can occur in people but I think it highlighted that in the end really you have to be strong and live the life you deserve to live even if you don't think you deserve it, you really do. Especially when you have a really good support group. The characters in this book were amazing and there were parts that bought me to tears and there are parts that bought me to laugh out loud. This book had a little bit of everything in it and it made me love it that much more. Yeah Trey was a very old soul, and even I know there isn't anyone that perfect, but in Tally's world he was perfect for her and they fit together like a puzzle.
I really don't know how much more praise to give this book, you should definitely read it because you will fall in love with everyone, faults and all. I'm really glad they didn't go with the cover that is on Goodreads, because I like the one pictured above much better. The bench is perfect because that's where they met and it's where the story begins for the two main characters. Love this book!!
We meet Tally who is spending time with Candy at the mental institution because she has been recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and she's to spend the summer there before her senior year after an episode. Candy is also in the institution for similar reasons and despite this they get along fabulously. I think Candy by far is one of my favorite characters because she will come out with the most out on left field saying and you can't help but laugh or at least put a smile on your face. Their friendship is what keeps them stronger, especially Tally. One day there is a new patient though, and it's not the new patient that catches her interest but the son of that patient, Trey. He's tall and gorgeous and seems absolutely perfect for Tally.
They talk here and there and even though she hasn't told him that she is a patient there, the relationship seems to blossom. yes there are some very hard times, and in the beginning a lot of secrets being kept, but despite all that, Trey still wants to be with Tally. They really do belong together. When the summer is over and Tally is to return to school she didn't give Trey a second thought thinking she wasn't going to see him again, but yes you've guessed it low and behold they are both seniors and in every class together. This just brings them closer, because Trey is a very determined young man to keep what is his and he believes that is Tally. It's very romantic the way he does it of course, but again there are some hard times and some angry parts in this book that make it very intense.
This book highlighted very well different disorders that can occur in people but I think it highlighted that in the end really you have to be strong and live the life you deserve to live even if you don't think you deserve it, you really do. Especially when you have a really good support group. The characters in this book were amazing and there were parts that bought me to tears and there are parts that bought me to laugh out loud. This book had a little bit of everything in it and it made me love it that much more. Yeah Trey was a very old soul, and even I know there isn't anyone that perfect, but in Tally's world he was perfect for her and they fit together like a puzzle.
I really don't know how much more praise to give this book, you should definitely read it because you will fall in love with everyone, faults and all. I'm really glad they didn't go with the cover that is on Goodreads, because I like the one pictured above much better. The bench is perfect because that's where they met and it's where the story begins for the two main characters. Love this book!!
August 11, 2013
Chock full of emotion, Call Me Crazy is one that is going to yank on your heartstrings the whole way through. Tally feels like she is damaged goods, thanks to her bipolar disorder. The pain that she feels as she is in the throes of her depression radiates through the pages. I could feel her despair, almost as if it were my own. I was inwardly yelling at her to snap out of it and to pay attention to the good that is around her. But that isn't how bipolar disorder works. And she needed to come to the realization on her own that she was still a good person. Meds and therapy were helping, but a lot still depended on her.
Candy is a great character. We never really find out exactly why she is a patient at Mercy, but she is hilarious. One of my favorite early jokes poked fun at how their situation was like something out of 'Girl, Interrupted,' which honestly was one of my first thoughts when I started the book. (I actually liked this better than 'Girl, Interrupted,' and yes, it is different.) I found myself wanting to write down a lot of her quips, to use as ammo in future verbal battles with people. She has a wickedly naughty streak in her, but actually does more good than harm.
Trey is good for Tally, because they seem to complement each other well. She needs someone to believe in her. He has a big heart and sees her for who she is, instead of focusing on her mental illness like so many other people in her life. It does worry me a bit that they feel like they can't breathe when they are not together. He is very forceful in some ways, but she needs that extra shove to help her get her life back together. I don't like his hot temper, though. I know that he would never hurt Tally, but he does some pretty nasty things to those who do. It rubs me the wrong way.
Tally's best friend Natalie is great. Everyone needs a best friend like her - someone who understands that sometimes you are not in control of yourself, but loves you anyway. She will do anything she can to help Tally. She is forgiving when Tally can't do the same for her, because she knows that at some point, it will be reciprocated.
Tally's parents just need to be smacked. That is often the case in stories like this. I hate that some kids have to go through parents not understanding when they have such problems in their lives. It's not right.
Trey's grandmother is a beautiful person, with whom I would love to converse in person. She has that innate native wisdom that has been passed down for generations in their tribe. She doles it out on an as-needed basis and is always right. Trey's mother is also just as beautiful, though a tragic soul.
I saw a lot of growth in the characters during this book. They all still have a long journey ahead of them, but I think they will be okay. I also liked the personal message at the end, from author Quinn Loftis. She is quite open that she also has bipolar disorder, and leaves a message of hope for others in the same boat. Tally's story should also provide readers with that same hope.
I received an ecopy of this book in exchange for my honest review (originally published on Andi's Young Adult Books).
Candy is a great character. We never really find out exactly why she is a patient at Mercy, but she is hilarious. One of my favorite early jokes poked fun at how their situation was like something out of 'Girl, Interrupted,' which honestly was one of my first thoughts when I started the book. (I actually liked this better than 'Girl, Interrupted,' and yes, it is different.) I found myself wanting to write down a lot of her quips, to use as ammo in future verbal battles with people. She has a wickedly naughty streak in her, but actually does more good than harm.
Trey is good for Tally, because they seem to complement each other well. She needs someone to believe in her. He has a big heart and sees her for who she is, instead of focusing on her mental illness like so many other people in her life. It does worry me a bit that they feel like they can't breathe when they are not together. He is very forceful in some ways, but she needs that extra shove to help her get her life back together. I don't like his hot temper, though. I know that he would never hurt Tally, but he does some pretty nasty things to those who do. It rubs me the wrong way.
Tally's best friend Natalie is great. Everyone needs a best friend like her - someone who understands that sometimes you are not in control of yourself, but loves you anyway. She will do anything she can to help Tally. She is forgiving when Tally can't do the same for her, because she knows that at some point, it will be reciprocated.
Tally's parents just need to be smacked. That is often the case in stories like this. I hate that some kids have to go through parents not understanding when they have such problems in their lives. It's not right.
Trey's grandmother is a beautiful person, with whom I would love to converse in person. She has that innate native wisdom that has been passed down for generations in their tribe. She doles it out on an as-needed basis and is always right. Trey's mother is also just as beautiful, though a tragic soul.
I saw a lot of growth in the characters during this book. They all still have a long journey ahead of them, but I think they will be okay. I also liked the personal message at the end, from author Quinn Loftis. She is quite open that she also has bipolar disorder, and leaves a message of hope for others in the same boat. Tally's story should also provide readers with that same hope.
I received an ecopy of this book in exchange for my honest review (originally published on Andi's Young Adult Books).
August 5, 2013
Just seconds ago I finished Call Me Crazy and I am an emotional wreck. Quinn Loftis has poured her soul into this book and has ripped mine to shreds. I am literally sobbing like a person who’s just experienced a deep loss.
Call Me Crazy is not about just one person and how she goes from rock bottom up, but also about those around her who are also dealing with her and their own mental states. I wasn’t sure how the story was going to go from the way Tally met Trey and I really can’t go into it without giving away spoilers but I can say that it was done with grace and dignity that the characters deserved. As I was reading there were times that I could flashback to a good friend and her family because her mother also dealt with mental illness and had spent times in the hospital.
Mental illness and in this novel, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia and another unspoken disease, are still to this day treated like a dirty secret. Instead of trying to understand what is going on with people who have these diseases, many seem to find it easier to make fun of them, judge them, bully them and make their lives even harder than it already is. This is a book that should be on the required reading list of every high school in the world. The author has taken the dirty secret, given it an identity you can’t deny and taken it to the level that makes it all more understandable and provided these diseases and the people they affect with the compassion needed. Too many people think it’s a phase, but as the author points out, mental illness is treatable but not curable and it doesn’t’ t follow a straight line but curves, swipes back , round-abouts and cycles in a way that until a person is given the tools they need to fight it they will endure some of the worst affects possible.
I can say that I learned a lot from this novel. A lot about human nature, development, and how we all need a solid support system. How true love will not run from you at the first sign, second sign, and neon glaring sign of problems. It reminds me of the poem, forgive me if I get this wrong, If you love something set it free and if it comes back to you it’s yours. And if it doesn’t, it wasn’t meant to be. Trey let Tally go when she thought it was to be that way, and he knew exactly the way it should be.
Now that I’ve quit blubbering, snotting and sniffling I want to thank the author for providing her book to me, through the tour group, for an honest review. As much as I loved this book I did notice some word usage that was a bit off and distracted me here and there but not enough for me to subtract any points from my review because this book took me to the edge, pushed me right over and sprung me right back up like a bungee cord. I recommend this to all readers 12+. As a parent I will be recommending to my own children to read this so hopefully they will understand mental illness at least a little bit better.
Call Me Crazy is not about just one person and how she goes from rock bottom up, but also about those around her who are also dealing with her and their own mental states. I wasn’t sure how the story was going to go from the way Tally met Trey and I really can’t go into it without giving away spoilers but I can say that it was done with grace and dignity that the characters deserved. As I was reading there were times that I could flashback to a good friend and her family because her mother also dealt with mental illness and had spent times in the hospital.
Mental illness and in this novel, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia and another unspoken disease, are still to this day treated like a dirty secret. Instead of trying to understand what is going on with people who have these diseases, many seem to find it easier to make fun of them, judge them, bully them and make their lives even harder than it already is. This is a book that should be on the required reading list of every high school in the world. The author has taken the dirty secret, given it an identity you can’t deny and taken it to the level that makes it all more understandable and provided these diseases and the people they affect with the compassion needed. Too many people think it’s a phase, but as the author points out, mental illness is treatable but not curable and it doesn’t’ t follow a straight line but curves, swipes back , round-abouts and cycles in a way that until a person is given the tools they need to fight it they will endure some of the worst affects possible.
I can say that I learned a lot from this novel. A lot about human nature, development, and how we all need a solid support system. How true love will not run from you at the first sign, second sign, and neon glaring sign of problems. It reminds me of the poem, forgive me if I get this wrong, If you love something set it free and if it comes back to you it’s yours. And if it doesn’t, it wasn’t meant to be. Trey let Tally go when she thought it was to be that way, and he knew exactly the way it should be.
Now that I’ve quit blubbering, snotting and sniffling I want to thank the author for providing her book to me, through the tour group, for an honest review. As much as I loved this book I did notice some word usage that was a bit off and distracted me here and there but not enough for me to subtract any points from my review because this book took me to the edge, pushed me right over and sprung me right back up like a bungee cord. I recommend this to all readers 12+. As a parent I will be recommending to my own children to read this so hopefully they will understand mental illness at least a little bit better.
July 14, 2013
I purchased this book for my Kindle Fire back on May 30th. But kept putting it off because of the reviews saying how sad and needing a kleenex when you read it and so on. I finally sat down around the 5th of July and read it. Now, even though this story is a little on the emotional side, it is ab-so-lutely AMAZING!! I know a couple of people that have mental illnesses and for YEARS, I struggled dealing with these people that were in my life and that have bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. I know that sounds harsh, but hear me out.
In this story, Quinn Loftis does an incredible job of telling a story about a young girl who struggles with bipolar disorder. She falls for a young man who comes to the Mental Hospital to see his mother and they become close. She tries to hide who she really is with this illness and in turn ends up causing herself more problems. This story is about her illness and of course about the young man who embraces her and his struggles as well. There is quite a bit of laughter in this story because we have the great pleasure of meeting a character that has schizophrenia and she is a HOOT! I won't give too much away because I refuse to ruin it for all you readers who really should take a chance on this story! I actually learned a couple of things by reading this story and it has changed not only my outlook on this particular disorder, but other things within myself as well.
Now I mentioned earlier that I struggled with a couple of people in my life that have mental illness and schizophrenia, but not in a mean, rude or derogatory way. I just had a hard time of trusting them into my life because of the games they would play with me and our family. Therefore, I would stop associating with them. After reading this story, I can FINALLY let that garbage go, forgive them and move on. However, because they refuse to get the help they need, they will never get better and will still cause pollution to those around them. BUT, I have a better understanding of these disorders and that is because Quinn gave that to me. (US!) I thank you Quinn for doing that and for being an incredibly strong beautiful woman that I feel you are. God Bless you and keep on writing. Your stories are not only entertaining but educational as well.
I know I went off track a little bit, but really, I stayed on the fact that this story is one that I "highly" recommend and truly believe that readers out there should grab it up as fast as you can and sit back and have your heart fill with compassion, love, laughter and more.
In this story, Quinn Loftis does an incredible job of telling a story about a young girl who struggles with bipolar disorder. She falls for a young man who comes to the Mental Hospital to see his mother and they become close. She tries to hide who she really is with this illness and in turn ends up causing herself more problems. This story is about her illness and of course about the young man who embraces her and his struggles as well. There is quite a bit of laughter in this story because we have the great pleasure of meeting a character that has schizophrenia and she is a HOOT! I won't give too much away because I refuse to ruin it for all you readers who really should take a chance on this story! I actually learned a couple of things by reading this story and it has changed not only my outlook on this particular disorder, but other things within myself as well.
Now I mentioned earlier that I struggled with a couple of people in my life that have mental illness and schizophrenia, but not in a mean, rude or derogatory way. I just had a hard time of trusting them into my life because of the games they would play with me and our family. Therefore, I would stop associating with them. After reading this story, I can FINALLY let that garbage go, forgive them and move on. However, because they refuse to get the help they need, they will never get better and will still cause pollution to those around them. BUT, I have a better understanding of these disorders and that is because Quinn gave that to me. (US!) I thank you Quinn for doing that and for being an incredibly strong beautiful woman that I feel you are. God Bless you and keep on writing. Your stories are not only entertaining but educational as well.
I know I went off track a little bit, but really, I stayed on the fact that this story is one that I "highly" recommend and truly believe that readers out there should grab it up as fast as you can and sit back and have your heart fill with compassion, love, laughter and more.
May 26, 2013
I got a copy in exchange for an honest review.
I was so glad I got an ARC of this book. I have read the first 4 books of the Grey Wolves series by this author, but this book is so different. This isn't a book about the supernatural, but about a girl who has Bipolar Disorder. Also the writing style is different and I think I might even like it more than the Grey Wolves series. I started this book this afternoon and almost did nothing else till I finished this book.
This book was really good and as soon as I started I wanted to keep reading. It is such a good book and it is also a very emotional book. The story is really good and it is fast paced, although the blurb sounds like this is going to be a depressing and sad book, it wasn't like that at all. There where also lots of happy moments and small victories. This book also reminded me of that difficult period of being a young adult and struggling with all those emotions.
There are two scenes at the end that I didnt like, but besides that this was a very enjoyable and emotional book. I really enjoyed reading it. It adresses some painfull and difficult subject, but there are also happy moments. This book is certainly worth the read.
The characters are very real and likeable. Tally is a great character and I loved her strenght. Also she also has her weak moments and needs the help of others. Candy is one of my favourite characters of this book, she is an old lady who loves doing misschievous things and tries to make everyone even more crazy. She really is a great characters and I loved all her weird quirks, like calling everyone with a nickname. Trey also is an awesome character, he is strong and caring. Although I did think he had too much of a temper and there is one instance when he uses violence to solve something, which was a scene I didn't like. But beside that scene I really liked him and he is so good for Tally. Tally also has a friend called Natalie, but I would've liked getting to know her more. She was very understanding, but lots of times I was wondering how she dealt with things and I would've liked getting to know her better.
To conclude: I really liked this book, although there were two scenes towards the end that I didn't like. The characters are great, especially Tally, Trey and Candy.I finished this book mostly in one sitting and it really has that keep-reading-feel. This really is a great book!
I was so glad I got an ARC of this book. I have read the first 4 books of the Grey Wolves series by this author, but this book is so different. This isn't a book about the supernatural, but about a girl who has Bipolar Disorder. Also the writing style is different and I think I might even like it more than the Grey Wolves series. I started this book this afternoon and almost did nothing else till I finished this book.
This book was really good and as soon as I started I wanted to keep reading. It is such a good book and it is also a very emotional book. The story is really good and it is fast paced, although the blurb sounds like this is going to be a depressing and sad book, it wasn't like that at all. There where also lots of happy moments and small victories. This book also reminded me of that difficult period of being a young adult and struggling with all those emotions.
There are two scenes at the end that I didnt like, but besides that this was a very enjoyable and emotional book. I really enjoyed reading it. It adresses some painfull and difficult subject, but there are also happy moments. This book is certainly worth the read.
The characters are very real and likeable. Tally is a great character and I loved her strenght. Also she also has her weak moments and needs the help of others. Candy is one of my favourite characters of this book, she is an old lady who loves doing misschievous things and tries to make everyone even more crazy. She really is a great characters and I loved all her weird quirks, like calling everyone with a nickname. Trey also is an awesome character, he is strong and caring. Although I did think he had too much of a temper and there is one instance when he uses violence to solve something, which was a scene I didn't like. But beside that scene I really liked him and he is so good for Tally. Tally also has a friend called Natalie, but I would've liked getting to know her more. She was very understanding, but lots of times I was wondering how she dealt with things and I would've liked getting to know her better.
To conclude: I really liked this book, although there were two scenes towards the end that I didn't like. The characters are great, especially Tally, Trey and Candy.I finished this book mostly in one sitting and it really has that keep-reading-feel. This really is a great book!
July 20, 2013
I received a copy of Call Me Crazy in exchange for an honest review.
Call Me Crazy is a wonderfully intriguing and heart-breaking story, which will have you engrossed from the start.
The book begins with American teenager Tally Baker living in a mental hospital after suffering a breakdown (at school). Tally has since been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Tally meets Trey when he is visiting his mother at the hospital and they form an instant connection. The big problem is that Trey doesn't know Tally is a patient - cue some awkward and hilarious scenes.
Whilst living in the hospital Tally befriends enigmatic, fellow patient Candy Bush (yep great name), who I have to say was my favourite character. Candy is a great source of comfort for Tally (think of a kind of dirty cougar aunt). She also provides some brilliant comic moments which lighten the story as well as some really sad and poignant ones.
Trey is that rare creation: a mature teenage boy. He cares deeply for his family and Tally and goes to great lengths to help her. At times I was right up there with Tally in thinking he was too good to be true.
Call Me Crazy is an extremely emotional story and I felt like I was right there experiencing everything with Tally and Trey. Several scenes made me so angry I nearly threw my Kindle at the wall and others had me in floods of tears. You need to experience this story first-hand for it to have the full impact, but I will say that kids can be so mean!!
Loftis does a wonderful job in telling a difficult story and educating her readers on issues surrounding mental illness. I think we should highlight bipolar disorder more and make sure sufferers receive the help and understanding they need. If you're anything like me Call Me Crazy will make you laugh, cry and question yourself and the world around you. It's a great story which will stay with you and even though it's a YA book and some of the dialogue is teen focused, readers of all ages will enjoy it!
My fav non-spoilery quotes:
•"Your maiden name is Bush. I don't think it gets much worse than Candy Bush."
•I wonder if I will ever be comfortable just being who I am, will I ever stop wanting to be someone else?
•"All I'm saying is that if you were ever going to experiment and explore your feminine wiles, he is the piece of meat you should gnaw on."
4 Stars in my Sky!
June 8, 2013
ARC REVIEW
Call Me Crazy. This book is a perfect example of Quinn Loftis' brilliance skills as a writer. The characters in this new story will become very dear as you journey through a tale that is worth reading (& I do say WILL and not CAN because I know once you begin reading you will not be able to put it down or react anyway but amazed). Quinn invites you in to a world most run from or do not understand (I don't mean the fictional or fantasy type either). This world comes in the form of a young girl named Tally who happens to have bipolar disorder. This experience come to us through her point of view as she attempts to lIve in a life filed with disease. As readers we also get to experience another point of view. Quinn introduces us to a tall, dark, and handsome Trey. Why or who is he? What role will he play in Tally's life? Or will he be apart of it at all? Become a reader and find out the answers to these questions, while also having a sense of fight, sorrow, happiness, and hope as Tally struggles through the life she was dealt. Along the way you will meet amazing characters and truly wish you could have them at your side. So hurry...Tally is waiting to share her story with you!
I was supposed to post this review some time ago, but I just couldn't put onto words how great, wonderful, and at the eye opening this book is. Quinn Loftis has really out done herself with Call Me Crazy! It plays on your emotions and draws you in so severely that you will not be able to stop reading once you begin. I HIGHLY recommend this book!! More importantly I HIGHLY recommend the author!!! She has yet to disappoint or even show signs is getting close to letting her readers down. She is a fantastic author and this new book of hers will become one of your cherish and hold dear!...so...What are you waiting for?
GO GET YOUR COPY OF CALL ME CRAZY TODAY!
Call Me Crazy. This book is a perfect example of Quinn Loftis' brilliance skills as a writer. The characters in this new story will become very dear as you journey through a tale that is worth reading (& I do say WILL and not CAN because I know once you begin reading you will not be able to put it down or react anyway but amazed). Quinn invites you in to a world most run from or do not understand (I don't mean the fictional or fantasy type either). This world comes in the form of a young girl named Tally who happens to have bipolar disorder. This experience come to us through her point of view as she attempts to lIve in a life filed with disease. As readers we also get to experience another point of view. Quinn introduces us to a tall, dark, and handsome Trey. Why or who is he? What role will he play in Tally's life? Or will he be apart of it at all? Become a reader and find out the answers to these questions, while also having a sense of fight, sorrow, happiness, and hope as Tally struggles through the life she was dealt. Along the way you will meet amazing characters and truly wish you could have them at your side. So hurry...Tally is waiting to share her story with you!
I was supposed to post this review some time ago, but I just couldn't put onto words how great, wonderful, and at the eye opening this book is. Quinn Loftis has really out done herself with Call Me Crazy! It plays on your emotions and draws you in so severely that you will not be able to stop reading once you begin. I HIGHLY recommend this book!! More importantly I HIGHLY recommend the author!!! She has yet to disappoint or even show signs is getting close to letting her readers down. She is a fantastic author and this new book of hers will become one of your cherish and hold dear!...so...What are you waiting for?
GO GET YOUR COPY OF CALL ME CRAZY TODAY!
May 27, 2013
ARC REVIEW:
This is one of the most powerful, awe inspiring, life lessons disguised as a story I have ever read. Seventeen year old Tally Baker, finds herself stoically standing in the middle of a hurricane that has become her life. After a shocking & very public episode, Tally is admitted to Mercy Psychiatric Facility where she is diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. Feeling broken, forgotten & alone Tally floats through her days fearing she'll never be whole or a normal member of society again. Quinn balances the devastating effects of mental health issues with heavy doses of sarcasm & laughter many in the form of Candy. She becomes an unlikely teacher of strength & self reliance when Tally needs it most. The day a new patent is admitted to the hospital is the day Tally's life is forever changed. The patent has a daily visiter, her son Trey Swift *swoon & sigh*. He finds himself unabashed fully drawn to Tally & makes his intentions clear.........she will be HIS. Can Tally trust her feelings for Trey & begin to heal? Or will she always see herself as broken?
Where do I even begin??!! There are so many beautiful lessons tucked away in this story. Tally had no idea just how strong she was until she was cracked open, venerable, raw & forced to see just what she could loose if she didn't begin to put herself together again. Candy, although kookie, ornery & well.......plain crazy was an exquisite soul just trying to find her "place" through all her annoying pranks. AND Trey *sigh*..........wait what was I saying??! Oh yes Trey *sigh* the epitope of Alpha male. Protective, unyielding & sexy as HELL!!!!! His enduring love for Tally was the glue that held them together. What am I taking with me & keeping close to my heart? "Live Tally, live for all of us who can't." ~Candy
This is one of the most powerful, awe inspiring, life lessons disguised as a story I have ever read. Seventeen year old Tally Baker, finds herself stoically standing in the middle of a hurricane that has become her life. After a shocking & very public episode, Tally is admitted to Mercy Psychiatric Facility where she is diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. Feeling broken, forgotten & alone Tally floats through her days fearing she'll never be whole or a normal member of society again. Quinn balances the devastating effects of mental health issues with heavy doses of sarcasm & laughter many in the form of Candy. She becomes an unlikely teacher of strength & self reliance when Tally needs it most. The day a new patent is admitted to the hospital is the day Tally's life is forever changed. The patent has a daily visiter, her son Trey Swift *swoon & sigh*. He finds himself unabashed fully drawn to Tally & makes his intentions clear.........she will be HIS. Can Tally trust her feelings for Trey & begin to heal? Or will she always see herself as broken?
Where do I even begin??!! There are so many beautiful lessons tucked away in this story. Tally had no idea just how strong she was until she was cracked open, venerable, raw & forced to see just what she could loose if she didn't begin to put herself together again. Candy, although kookie, ornery & well.......plain crazy was an exquisite soul just trying to find her "place" through all her annoying pranks. AND Trey *sigh*..........wait what was I saying??! Oh yes Trey *sigh* the epitope of Alpha male. Protective, unyielding & sexy as HELL!!!!! His enduring love for Tally was the glue that held them together. What am I taking with me & keeping close to my heart? "Live Tally, live for all of us who can't." ~Candy
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