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Fairfax #2

Unhinge

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In Calia Read’s electrifying sequel to her steamy, psychological suspense novel Unravel, a visit from a handsome stranger shatters a beautiful young woman’s vision of her picture-perfect past.

Victoria can’t recall much of her life before she came to Fairfax Hospital, but she prefers it that way. She holds her beautiful baby daughter, Evelyn, every day and that’s enough…isn’t it? But when Evelyn is taken from her, Victoria’s world begins to fray at the seams. It becomes apparent to her that the hospital walls aren’t the only obstacles standing between her and the outside world—Victoria has constructed a hall of mirrors deep inside, every false image a distraction from the trauma of her past life. A white picket fence, a family on the way…yet something feels amiss in her memories of a happy marriage. When a handsome stranger begins visiting Victoria, pressing her to remember her past, she struggles to separate real memories from refracted images she has created, knowing at last that only the truth can set her free.

240 pages, ebook

First published January 12, 2016

97 people are currently reading
4153 people want to read

About the author

Calia Read

15 books2,932 followers
Calia Read is the author of the Belgrave Dynasty, The Surviving Time Series, and several other works. She lives in the Midwest and is hard at work on the fourth book in the Belgrave Dynasty.


You can find her constantly on Facebook and Instagram:

http://www.facebook.com/CaliaRead

IG: https://www.instagram.com/ailacread/

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 288 reviews
Profile Image for Jennifer Kyle.
2,610 reviews5,400 followers
December 7, 2015
3.5 ~ 3.75 STARS

”The truth can do one of three things:
free you, break up, or complete you.”


description

This book can in fact be read as a standalone, however if you have read Unravel then you are familiar with the setting (Fairfax) and the heroine referred to as “Mommy Dearest”, Victoria Aldridge. She is the patient who carries around an old baby doll insisting that it’s her daughter, Evelyn.

The story is told from the present as Victoria has decided not to take her medication and find out the reasons she is hospitalized and hopes to leave with her infant daughter, Evelyn.

description

Through an assortment of photos that her doctor presents during her sessions, Victoria's memories slowly start to reveal the events of her past that led her to Fairfax. Her marriage to Wes Donovan, prominent attorney, his sporadic behavior and the loss and found of the pieces of herself that she had lost during her marriage and regained in the arms of another man.

As the story progresses, so do her memories of Sinclair Montgomery. Sinclair finally gets in to see her and not only is she being visited by her dead husband, Wes but what appears to be the love of her life, Sinclair.

”If you never remember us, that’s okay; I’ll remember for the both of us.”

description

Not until almost the end of the story do you finally reach the time period that landed Victoria in Fairfax. The journey itself is twisted and trippy.

”Instead of looking at me,” he says, “perhaps you should consider looking at yourself. Maybe you’re the villain in the story of us. After all, you’re the one who’s locked away. Not me.”

description

Victoria finds out the truth of all the past events and the status of relationships with both Wes and Sinclair. The story was well written, exciting, but I didn’t love the final connections and reveals.

description

The reveals sadly hindered my four star fill for the story and the three-ish cut for final product. I’m hoping the author isn’t finished with the patients of Fairfax because I would love to get my hands on Reagan’s story!

”Just stop while you’re ahead,” he says. “Nothing good can come out of you turning around and staring at your past.”

*ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
Profile Image for Brandi.
691 reviews1,473 followers
December 8, 2015
description

Honestly, my feelings are mixed in regards to this story. I read this one quickly, it was well-written and kept my interest. The build up, the anticipation of finding the truth was structured perfectly, I found myself highly invested in Victoria and learning the events that have led her to becoming the woman introduced in Unravel, the Fairfax patient known as 'Mommy Dearest'.

This is how crazy begins. It creeps up on you very slowly, tapping your shoulder. It makes you turn around in fear. And then, when you think you're in the clear, it attacks. It grabs a hold of you and drags you down, down, down...

Victoria is missing 3 years. In her desire to understand how she has come reside in Fairfax, Victoria has stopped taking her medication, and through a collection of photographs, slowly begins to piece together the pieces. She uncovers the truth about her marriage, the handsome stranger who has started visiting her, and the circumstances surrounding the moment her sanity began to slip.

You may forget the story of us, but I'll always remember."

Unfortunately as the truths are revealed, I found myself, disappointed. I felt like the reveals were OTT, somewhat random, and left me with a lot of questions...That said, as I've spend time contemplating everything that happened, I can still say, I enjoyed the journey. I apologize for the vagueness, but I don't want to give away the story, because overall, I enjoyed this one.

*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
Profile Image for NiCoLeTa E. {Addicted To Books}.
1,554 reviews82 followers
January 17, 2016
***4,5 "Heartbeat" stars***



"There’s no air here.
We breathe in madness.
We exhale insanity."


Wow!!! Just wow!!! I would never imagine that this story could impress me so much!!!!
Seriously, fellows!!! That book was amazing!!!
It was like i was standing in the eye of a tornado and everything around me were twisting like crazy!!!
So many emotions, so many doubts, so many twists!!!

This story made me question everything, even my own sanity!!!
And made me realize that it doesn't need much to snap a mind... To lock down because it can not handle the ugly reality around it!!!

Just like Victoria's!!!

"Doubt is starting to creep into my brain. It wants to take up residency. It wants to build a little town and invite all its friends: fear, paranoia, sadness, pain. I start to hum loudly.
This is how crazy begins. It creeps up on you very slowly, tapping your shoulder. It makes you turn around in fear. And then, when you think you’re in the clear, it attacks. It grabs ahold of you and drags you down, down, down…."


Victoria was a patient in the Fairfax mental centre...
She was wandering around with her baby girl in her arms and her reality was different of the most people!!! She was seeing the things differently than the rest of the patients in there...
But what actually was real??? And what was a lie???

There were also two men that they were visiting her and the both of them were saying different things!!! Who was lying??? And why???

"The balance of my world is tipping. Thoughts and memories are sliding this way and that and I don’t know what to think or believe."

One of them, she couldn't remember him but his presence was snapped something inside of her.

Because of him, she wants to find out the truth...
She had to remember!!!
She didn't remember the last three years of her life and it was important to remember them in order to get out of Fairfax!!!
But is she strong enough to handle what her mind was keeping from her???


"Time may have dulled the pain and covered the wounds, but now I have been cutting them back open, forced to feel the pain tethered to my heart. I’m reminded that my heart doesn’t beat. It lives through words.
It’s bruised and fractured and sometimes I think it’s going to fall apart, but it’s alive, saying:
I ache.
I ache.
I ache.

But no matter the pain, I know I have to find out. I’ve gone this far. I can’t turn back now…right?"


I won't tell you more...
This is a story that you have to go blind in there, that you have to experience it by yourselfs!!!
This story made me have so many doubts...

I couldn't wrap my head around all the facts and when i thought that i finally did understand, something new was coming to light and made me question everything from the beginning!!!
This story was full of angst, suspence and twists!!!
The crazy thing is that when Victoria started to get her memories back, i wasn't seeing why she snapped like that... I thought that it was an ordinary story, but i was so wrong!!!
And that end??? Damn, I wasn't expecting it at all!!!! My mouth was hanging open in awe!!!


I would like to tell that i really liked Victoria...
To me, she was sounding totally sane and i think that when i was questioning her, i did it because of all the others around her!!!
The last three years of her life was full of unexpected twists and her mind just broke down in some point!!!

I was feeling so sad for her and at the same time, so protective of her!!!
I wanted so badly to soothe her broken spirit!!!

"I’m so tired of looking like the crazy one.
I’m so tired of looking like a liar."


As for the two men??? No, i won't reveal you their names!!!
I only will say that i love them both in the beginning, but as the story was developing i continue to love only one of them and that i had bad feelings for the other...

And yep, in some point i felt and some guilts about my thoughts, but it's not my fault!!!
But i admired the one that i loved!!! I admired how he was standing beside Victoria even though that she could not see it!!!


“How can you love someone like me? I’m in a prison for crazy people. I have no freedom and I can’t remember pieces of my past. How can you love me?”
“You think you’re not worthy of love and you expect me to believe the same thing, but I can’t. You’re a different work of art, Victoria. The seams of your soul are uneven, and fraying at the edges. But you were created that way and I think it’s the most beautiful thing I’ll ever see.”


That's it!!! I can't tell more!!!
I will only say that this story was really intriguing, interesting and captivating...
"Unhinge" will make you question everything, even your own sanity!!!


***ARC kindly provided via NetGalley for the exchange of an honest review***
Profile Image for Lana ❇✾DG Romance❇✾.
2,313 reviews13.7k followers
January 14, 2016
3.5 Stars

I'm beginning to see the truth has its price.
It's your sanity it wants and craves more than anything.


I was craving a romance that was different and preferably a little bit of a mind fuck and when I read the synopsis for Unhinge, I knew I found myself a winner. It was a book that I read in practically one sitting not only because it read quickly and the writing grabbed me, but because the mystery of what was going on was driving me almost as crazy as Victoria was. Unhinge was exactly the kind of different I wanted.
This is how crazy begins. It creeps up on you very slowly, tapping your shoulder. It makes you turn around in fear. And then, when you think you're in the clear, it attacks. It grabs a hold of you and drags you down, down, down...


Victoria has no recollection of her life before Fairfax Hospital, where she believes she's been for the past three years when it's really been six months. She knows two things; she loves her baby daughter, Evelyn, that's in the institution with her and that she's told that her beloved husband, Wes, is dead after a tragic accident. The details of how, why, and when are blurred within the shadows of her own mind. Determined that the hospital doesn't hold her answers, she stops taking her pills. But there's another two things that she knows; She sees her supposedly dead husband every day when he visits her in her room and a mysterious stranger that visits her is tugging not only at her memories but her heart. Her mind is frayed, but she's convinced her husband is alive. So then why is everyone telling her he's dead?
If you never remember us, that's okay; I'll remember for the both of us.

The story is told in alternating flashes of past and present, but what I enjoyed is the past plays out like Victoria's memory so the reader experiences it right along with her. With ever puzzle piece that she unravels, you get it along with her. Having it told solely in Victoria's POV just solidifies the experience.

Little by little Victoria begins to unravel the mystery of her past through the pictures that her therapist shows her. She begins to remember the man she loved and the details of the events that led them down the path of her ending up where she is...
I would die for him. Kill for him. I loved him more than life. I couldn't let him go. I'd found a man who could undress me with just one look. He spoke and I was undone. His actions unraveled me.

The writing was captivating and I was sucked in more and more with each page I read. I was salivating for every new detail and eager to put all the puzzle pieces together.

I think this could have easily been a solid four or five star read for me up until the ending. Unfortunately, I found it to be convoluted, OTT and quite honestly it ruined the effect the entire book had for me quite a bit. I don't want to say much since I don't want to give it away, but while it was meant to wrap things up, it left me with more questions than answers about the hows of it. I certainly didn't see it coming, so I suppose the twist of it worked in that respect.

While the ending left a little something to be desired for me, I still enjoyed the book and definitely recommend it for readers that are looking for something a little different with a dash of suspense. I loved Calia's writing style and I'm hooked on the series. I love the Girl Interrupted vibe of it all so I'm definitely looking forward to the next installment which I'm hoping will be Reagan.
Every single day. Every fucking hour. Every second you're on my mind.


ARC courtesy of publisher in exchange for an honest review

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Profile Image for Aestas Book Blog.
1,059 reviews75.1k followers
Want to read
February 27, 2015
This sounds AMAZING!!

"They say my name is Victoria.
They say I'm twenty-seven.
They say I've been in this psych ward for over a year.
They say my husband is dead, and that my daughter is too.
But. Wes visits me almost every night,
and I hold my daughter every day.
They say, they say, they say...
I say, it's time to untangle the past, and uncover the truth."

[Can be read as a standalone. Coming Aug 4, 2015]
Profile Image for Hulya Kara Yuksel.
1,095 reviews1,305 followers
May 28, 2018
Wow this book was so damn good... 👏👏👏

And that's me right now!
Profile Image for Elyse Walters.
4,010 reviews11.9k followers
December 28, 2015
"Every second you're on my mind." His tongue skimmed the curve of my neck.
I tilted my head back. Instinctively, my eyes closed."
"You don't know how much I want this," he whispered.
"I pushed back. Even in the dark I could feel his heated gaze on me."
"So show me", I said."

It kills me to have to write a review of......
...........extreme degree of badness......'nuff said!



Thank You Random House, Netgalley, and Calia Read......(I'm sorry.... I 'did' think the prologue was intriguing)... but things felt too silly to me once the story got rolling).
Profile Image for Merve •Kitaptelvesi•.
141 reviews
November 29, 2020
Her gün akıl hastahanesinde uyanan Victoria için hayat çok zor. Kimse ona inanmasa da eşi sürekli kızı ve kendisini ziyaret ediyor. Victoria’nın bu yerden acilen kurtulması lazım. Kaybettiği geçmişini hatırlaması ve gerçeklerin ortaya çıkması onun için çok önemli. Peki bu gerçekler kurtuluşunun anahtarı olabilecek mi?

Çok ciddiyim bu yazar insanı çıldırtır. İyi anlamda tabii. Bayılıyorum böyle tutturamadığım karanlık kitaplara.🥲 Son 100 sayfayı deli gibi okudum. Bakmayın bana normalde çok iyi tahmin yaparım. Nokta atışı da tutturum. O yüzden bu tür kitaplar benim için değerli. Aşağı yukarı 3/4 yazar var ne yazsa okurum dediğim o da bunlardan biri. Çok beğendim.🥺 Ne yalan okurken aklıma Kayıp Kız filan geldi ama yok yani alakası bile yok.
Bitirmeme rağmen aklımda sorular yok mu?
Tabii ki var. Fakat bu gizemi bozuyor mu?
Asla. Yani okumaya değer mi?
...
Hala soruyor musun?
Profile Image for Seda.
568 reviews183 followers
May 15, 2019

📚”Bana hatırlayamadığım bir şey anlat,” dedim alçak bir sesle.
Sinclair gözlerini gözlerime dikti. “Seni ilk öptüğüm an ruhunun tadını almıştım. Ben de olmayan her şeydi. Karanlığıma bir ışık, kaygılarıma mutluluktu. O an hayatımın sonuna kadar benimle olacak. Sen bizi unutabilirsin ama ben hep hatırlayacağım.”




📚”Benim gibi birisini nasıl sevebilirsin? Akıl hastaları için yapılmış bir hapishanedeyim. Hiçbir özgürlüğüm yok ve geçmişimin bir kısmını hatırlamıyorum. Beni nasıl sevebilirsin?”
“Sevilmeye lâyık olmadığını düşünüyorsun ve benim de aynı şeye inanmamı bekliyorsun ama bunu yapamam. Sen farklı bir sanat eserisin Victoria. Ruhunun dikişleri eğri büğrü ve kenarları yıpranmış. Ama sen böyle yaratılmışsın ve bence bu, şimdiye dek gördüğüm en güzel şey.”😍😍




📚”Tanrı her varlığa gerçekle huzur arasında seçim yapma şansı sunar. Hangisini istersen onu seç; ikisine birden sahip olamazsın.”

Serinin ilk kitabı Kördüğüm’ü hem sevmiş, hem sevmemiştim. Çok güzel bir kurguyu, zaman atlamaları ve cevapsız kalan sorularla biraz harcamıştı yazar. Bu yüzden Yüzleşme’yi okumayı uzun zamandır erteliyordum.

Yüzleşme’de, Fairfax isimli bir akıl hastanesinde tedavi gören Victoria’nın hem günümüzde, hem de 3 yıl öncesinden günümüze kadar olan zamanda başına gelenler anlatılmıştı. Victoria, son yıllarda yaşadıklarını pek hatırlamıyor, neden orada olduğuna anlam veremiyordu. O hatırladıkça, geçmişte yaşadıkları ve akıl hastanesine düşme sebeplerini okurken, bazı yerlerde çok gerildim. Victoria’yı çok sevdim, korkularını, çelişkilerini, hayal kırıklığını çok güzel hissettirdi.

Sinclair’e bayıldım dememe gerek yok bence.😍Kitabı okuyup da Sinclair’e aşık olmayan da kalbim var demesin.😁 Victoria, özellikle günümüzdeki olaylara dayanma gücünü ondan aldıkça, ben onun adına mutlu oldum. Sinclair gibi bir karakter kitabın gerilim dozunu biraz azaltmış, renk katmıştı.♥️♥️




Yüzleşme, Kördüğüm’den daha iyi bir kitaptı bence. En azından bazı şeylerin zemini daha iyi hazırlanmıştı. Çok akıcıydı, ne zaman başladım ne zaman bitti anlamadım. Kitabı okumadım, âdeta yedim. Yarım günde 400 sayfayı bitirdim, elimden bırakmak istemedim. Kitabın bu kadar akıcı olmasının en büyük etkenlerinden birisi de muhteşem çeviriydi. Arzu Hanım’a bu güzel çeviri için kendi adıma teşekkür ederim.🥰♥️

Bana göre yazarın en büyük sorunu, ‘ters köşe yapacağım, çok şaşırtacağım’ derken, tatmin edici, açıklayıcı bir zemin yazmayı unutmasıydı. Bu kadar karışık ve akıl oyunu oynayan bir kurgu yazılıyorsa, kitap bittiğinde her şey en ince detayına kadar açıklanmalı ve yapbozun bütün parçaları boşluk kalmamacasına yerine oturmalıydı. Böyle şaşırtıcı, ters köşe sonları yazmadaki ustalık detaylarda gizlidir. Ve ne yazık ki yazar, detay vermek yerine, 2 kitapta da bazı şeyleri okuyucunun hayal gücü bırakmayı tercih etmişti. Geriye dönüp bazı yerleri tekrar okuduğumda, bir şeyleri daha iyi anladım, olaylar yerlerine oturdu. Buna rağmen kafamda bazı cevapsız sorular kaldı.

Sonu şaşırtıcı mıydı?
Evet.
Ama tatmin edici miydi?
Benim için, Hayır!

Yine de Sinclair😍😍 gibi bir karakter yazarak bir parça da olsa gönlümü almış olabilir. Adam mükemmel bir detaydı. Keşke daha fazla, çok daha fazla olsaydı.

Bir de ‘Allah aşkına EPİLOG yaz be kadın’ diye bağırmak istiyorum yazara.😫😫 Kördüğüm’de de, Yüzleşme’de de 5-6 sayfa epiloğu okuyucuya çok görmüştü. Bu kadar cefayı çeken karakterlerin, birazcık da sefasını okumak istiyorum. Çok mu zor?😒😒

Bazı eksik yanlarına rağmen çok severek okuduğum bir kitap oldu. Şaşırtmacalı sürpriz sonları, ters köşeleri, aşk üstü hafif gizemli gerilimi sevenlere; klişelerden sıkılıp değişik bir konu arayanlara; duyanlara duymayanlara🙊 tavsiye ederim.
Profile Image for Chelsea .
637 reviews99 followers
January 14, 2016
2.5 Stars!!


Major spoiler alert!!! - Don't worry though, everything is in spoiler tab

An intriguing read about Victoria and how she came you stay at Fairfax. Everything went slowly but I'm good since it is required in order to build the characters. However, the time jumps is making me dizzy. I had to do backtracking A LOT because I cannot remember which of them comes first especially since the time jumps only covers 2 years and it's parted in months.

To be honest, I've read the prologue a couple of times because I was trying decrypt some possible code behind it. I even come up with a possible ending. As a matter of fact, I'm equally as eager as Victoria in unraveling the hidden truth about the past. To my disappointment, it didn't even count at all.

I was so happy once I've reached the revelation because I could finally understand the mystery behind everything. Sadly, it didn't work out the way I thought it would be. In fact, it makes everything more confusing. Because instead of getting answers, I was left with more questions. Since it totally came out of nowhere. No offense but it felt like

description

Everything went down the hill from that moment on. Again, I back read to try and understand. But mostly, I couldn't figure out

Questions and more questions bombarded me after reading this, I don't know if I'm just plain stupid and wasn't able to gather every stone that was threw in.



I know this an unproofed and unedited copy, hopefully the with final copy, everything will fall into place.


ARC provided by Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Nazanin.
1,281 reviews839 followers
April 4, 2017
3.5 Stars
"I’m beginning to see that truth has its price. It’s your sanity it wants and craves more than anything. It lures you in under the stipulation that it can make you free, but if you look at the fine print you’ll finally see that it will leave you alone with your doubts and fears until it makes you feel like you’re going crazy."

This book is about the other one of Fairfax’s patients, Victoria. If you read the first book so you familiar with her as "Mommy Dearest". She is in there because some thing bad happened to her and she doesn’t remember anything. So once in awhile, her doctor shows her some of her old pictures and then she slowly remembers her memories. I really enjoyed the story and wanted to rate it 4 Stars until I read the ending! Surely the ending was surprise but somehow it didn’t work out for me. I mean first of all, when she thinks and discharged her! The second, when Nathan confessed every thing my mind was full of questions like but I don’t want to stop reading this series and I want to know more about Reagan so I will continue this series!
Profile Image for Lala BooksandLala.
584 reviews75.5k followers
January 29, 2016
Really enjoyed this. That ending was fucked. I don't want to give ANY plot points away.
ps: Reagan better be getting her own book. Keep the Fairfax series going please!
Profile Image for XxTainaxX Curvy and Nerdy.
1,563 reviews507 followers
January 10, 2016
The story was interesting. The mystery really hits you towards the end. I really like the fact that Victoria isn't perfect. She is just as broken as the rest of us. The writer doesn't even try to fix her. I respect that. Sinclair. He loves her. Like REALLY loves her. The "I don't care if you're not all there" kind of love. The plot was intriguing. It keeps you wondering. There were some minor grammar things but it didn't detract from the story.

ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Brit.
Author 10 books157 followers
December 20, 2015
Advance Readers Copy (ARC) provided for my blog for an honest review from the Random House publisher.

Title Unhinge
Series: Fairfax #2: Standalone
Author: Calia Read
Pages:240
Genre: Suspense
Age Group: New Adult
Characters: Victoria, Wes, Sinclair
Point of View: First
Happily Ever After:
Release Date: January 12th, 2016
Date Read: December 18th, 2015
Overall Rating: 6+ Stars

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Epic. Tragic. Beautiful.
Unhinge is an emotional and heartbreaking extraordinary story. A stunning work of art that captivated me so completely.

I have waited so long for this story. Well since the author mentioned it. I seriously had my eye out almost every month than got frustrated when it got pushed back three times. And each time it got pushed back a piece of my heart would break. But as soon as I had this book in my hands I devoured it, I fell in love with the words.

"We breathe in madness. We exhale insanity. And the people around me? They seem okay with it."

I read this very quickly just like I did Unravel, I enjoyed the twist and turns that this book had to offer. This novel had me in tears at some parts of the story, seriously I was bawling because you get to connect to the heroine and feel the same feelings that you know shes feeling at that very second while your reading. I also didn't miss that this novel was so well written it just blew me away.

"I loved you then and I love you now."

This book was so had to put down that I tried several times but each time was a fail.
Liked the first novel it rips into my skin and embedded it's self into me. I can't even put into words how I loved this book and this authors writing. I need more, I crave more.
Profile Image for Mandy.
1,559 reviews234 followers
January 10, 2016
3.5

This book messed with my head. There were twists and turns I didn't see coming and I'm kind of speechless after finishing this book. I'm not even sure how I feel about the ending. I'm just kind of stunned by what happened and the story itself.
Profile Image for Esrafurkanyigit.
154 reviews26 followers
April 17, 2017
Beynim yandı! Kördüğümden bin kat daha iyiydi hemde çok iyiydi. Son sayfalar bana tokat attıııı
Profile Image for Pamela .
1,438 reviews77 followers
June 3, 2016


"Electrifying and steamy novel of psychological suspense." Really? Where? What's so electrifying and suspenseful? Nothing as far as I'm concerned. In fact, if anything, the novel should be titled "Nothing Makes Sense" because nothing did.

Like the synopsis reads, "At first Fairfax Mental Health Institute seems like a safe place for Victoria to heal with her baby, Evelyn, and to hide from Wes, presumed dead by everyone except Victoria." Heal? Heal like in getting better? Really? I don't see it as it looks like everyone around her is trying to keep her at Fairfax, thereby letting her get worse and worse. There were so many aspects of this novel that didn't make any sense to me at all. Like is Victoria taking "a colorful array of meds? You would think the doctor would tell her why she's taking them or at least let the reader in on it. If nothing else, does her doctor not notice her behaviour to be different since she stopped taking them a month ago (without permission)? What has the doctor done in the six months she's been in her care? It would've been nice if we were told exactly what she was suffering from but I guess that's part of the mystery. Why wouldn't the doctor help her when she first arrived? It's not like she's suffering from schizophrenia. Then there's Wes who torments her every night. Has no one even seen him once in all the months he's been dropping by secretly each night? Has no one ever heard him talking to her? Seen him walk the grounds? How is it possible that Sinclair hasn't been able to see her in months? It's Sinclair's sister Renea (her best friend) who took her to the hospital. I would think she would tell them who they are and their connection to her, that they should be allowed to visit her. Instead, Victoria's mother places Sinclair and Renea on the list of those who cannot visit her. Renea was the one who admitted her to the hospital. Secondly, and this is huge, Sinclair's the father of her child. Since her mind has broken from reality, she doesn't recognize faces or names. You would think that to help her recollect what happened, family, her friends, and at least the doctor, would tell her the truth, but no. Instead her mother lies and tells her "I know this man is nothing but bad news." WTF?! This makes absolutely no sense.

"All the progress that you have made at Fairfax will disappear if you continue to see him" "He was and is your trigger point. The root of all your problems."

Excuse me? What fucking progress? She wants her daughter to get better yet she feeds her lies after lies? But it's okay that she was excited about the baby Victoria and Sinclair were going to have. Instead of blaming the real culprit (Victoria's husband who stabbed her), she blames Sinclair.

I do and I don't understand exactly why Victoria broke from reality. I get that she didn't want to deal with the loss of her baby; however, and this is big - the baby survived. What's unbelievable is that no one told her.

"I pulled down my blankets to my hips and pulled up my hospital gown and saw a hideous scar on my abdomen."
"And then I knew the truth."
"My baby. The one good thing in my life was gone."
"I'm so sorry…." The doctor patted my arm. I felt numb. "I really am."
"My mother wiped away my tears."


Gee, is it any wonder she thought she lost the baby and started to lose her grip on reality? Perhaps during her four day stay at the hospital someone like the nurse, the doctor, her mother, Sinclair or Renea would tell her that her baby was very much alive which in turn would help her get better instead of instead of worse. The actions of her doctor and nurse are deplorable. Weeks go by and still she thinks her baby is gone. Not even when they visit her at home, where she's holding a doll and treating it like her baby, do they tell her the truth. Seriously, WTF!? Perhaps when her mother wiped her eyes she could've mentioned how beautiful the baby was. Did she not hear the baby cry when she was born? Am I missing something here?? This isn't something that doesn't make sense. This is what I'm reading is , asinine, ridiculous and stupid, very stupid. Why her therapist didn't tell her the truth even when she was getting better is something I don't get. So much of the story made no sense, and worse, it was so predictable. Even with the twist thrown in at the end (which was so stupid), you could already see the direction the story was going. By the way, the ending sucked the big one. The whole I love my wife but would rather work and let my twin (Nathan) step into my shoes was absolutely pathetic. It reads like a really bad soap opera. The fact that Nathan set the stage to make it look like that Victoria killed him and then turned the knife around and stabbed her in the stomach (with baby) was ridiculous and did not make sense. Not only that, Melanie, the girl Nathan was having an affair with, was found alive the night Victoria went to the hospital. I don't know about you but I would think Melanie would've told the police what happened; how a twin killed his own brother, took his place and then tried to kill her. Yet we're supposed to believe that Victoria is visited by her husband every night. This isn't a simple case of lack of communication, it's a case of nothing makes sense!!! This story is riddled with so many holes. Why authors think that their readers will accept whatever they write and stay blind to the inadequacies is not only insulting, it's disrespectful.

Other questions I have is why did Nathan slit cuts into his forearm? He took her shoes. Why? Well I guess everyone in the story is an idiot and we should believe the cops are too. No one told her she never killed her husband like she believed she did. No wonder this woman jumped off the deep end. No one is telling her anything. It's like everyone wants her to get worse, not better. By the way, it's hinted that perhaps she may have killed her husband but we know she didn't. If the author was trying to create some mystery and suspense, it didn't work (at least not for me).

What also doesn't make sense is that Nathan grew up at Fairfax as his mother has worked there as a nurse and still does. Everyone knew him from a young boy to an adult. You'd think someone would've seen him sneaking around; or perhaps someone would probably have heard or read about Wes' death in the news and converse with his mother, Alice, "hey, this dead guy looks like your son."

This novel did nothing for me except piss me off to no end. I've never read so many convoluted scenarios like the ones found here. Without a doubt, I have no plans to read any other works by her Callia Read in the future. For me, this was a complete waste of time and money.  
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Celesha Carillo.
284 reviews76 followers
January 12, 2016
   

How do I start this review? I actually have no clue. I do know I think I need to check myself into FairFax and send my bill to Calia Read. She has completely fucked my mind over. I'm still going through all the events that took place. And I can't wrap my head around anything, I'm actually starting to think...

Am I crazy? 

   
I've never been so entranced by a book that didn't have a clear picture since I read Unravel, I have SO much to say but at the same time I don't want to give anything away, it's such a beautiful written story that is a well crafted plot, I just loved it. Calia Read takes you on a ride of your life, the way she has weaved the story into your mind is incredible. I didn't know what was up or what was down, I just spiralled down a black whole with Victora and I honestly didn't think I'd see the light again. 

   
I took this journey with Victora that I will remember for the rest of my life. I cried with her, I smiled with her, and I just loved her. I never thought she was crazy, I wanted her to find her truth, and boy when she did I was completely mind blown, I had to close the book and stare at the wall for a full minute, I never expected things to go the way they did, I'm like what the hell have I just read. Did that all really happen? I think it will be a while before this book fully sinks in. My mind is in a tiz. 

   
This book has completely consumed my mind, heart and soul. Calia demands you to just sit and read, she brings you into a world of crazy, and you can't seem to climb back out into the real world. Her mind is a master piece, her writing is stunning. I'm so thankful I was given the opportunity to read this captivating book. I'll hold Victoria close to my heart for a life time.    

   
Profile Image for Münevver.
383 reviews86 followers
May 31, 2017
Bu seride ne mi yapıyoruz; Fairfax sakinlerinden birini alıyoruz, şimdi ve geçmiş arasında gidip gelerek hikayesini öğreniyoruz ve onu bu akıl hastanesinden taburcu ediyoruz...

İlk kitap olan Kördüğüm'e sevgim çok büyük, tahmin edilebilir olması ya da soru işaretleri bırakmış olması sorun değil, o kitap gerçekten çok güzeldi!

Ama Yüzleşme Kördüğüm'e kıyasla teknik olarak daha iyi bir kitaptı. Yine tahminlerinizi tutturduğunuz bir kaç detay var ama son bölümü kimsenin ama hiç kimsenin tahmin edebileceğini zannetmiyorum! O neydi be?!!!

"Burada hava yoktu.
Deliliği soluyorduk.
Cinneti soluyorduk."

"Sevilmeye layık olmadığını düşünüyorsun ve benim de aynı şeye inanmamı bekliyorsun ama bunu yapamam. Sen farklı bir sanat eserisin Victoria.
Ruhunun dikişleri eğri büğrü ve kenarları yıpranmış. Ama sen böyle yaratılmışsın ve bence bu, şimdiye dek gördüğüm en güzel şey."

"Fairfax bebeğe uygun bir yer değil..."

p.s: bu👆 alıntı kitabın temelini oluşturuyor... ah bu alıntı...
Profile Image for Christine (Shh Moms Reading).
1,453 reviews568 followers
January 30, 2016
I wanted to love this book. I adore this author and Unravel was one of my top reads of 2014. And while returning to Fairfax was haunting and the twists and turns exciting, Unhinge fell a little short for me.

Calia is a must read author for me. Her writing style gripping and exciting.

Often times while reading Unhinge, I felt that the twists were forced. While Unravel was so unique, I felt that the author was trying to mimic and recreate the OMG feelings that readers had in the prior book, but it just didn't work as well for me this time around.

Victoria acted older for her age than a young twenty something year old would act and her relationship with both her husband and Sinclair felt aloof, almost disconnected. As a reader, I didn't feel any kind of attraction or connection and I wanted that push and pull chemistry that was lacking.

When the twists were finally revealed, I was missing that OMG feeling and just felt stuck in limbo with how I should feel about it all.

Calia's writing as an author continues to grow with each book she writes and I will continue reading her books. Unhinge has received a bunch of great reviews, so it could just be me.

Readers who like psychological thrillers that make you think should read the Fairfax books by Calia.
Profile Image for Maviucurum.
109 reviews14 followers
October 15, 2016
Aslında kitabın sonuna yaklaşana dek kendi kendime dedimki; ilk kitap ne kadar güzeldi bu neden bukadar durağan diyerek okudum. Evet çok akıcıydı ama bir olay bir heyecan yok derken kitabın sonu komple olay, komple heyecandı. Read kitaplarında hafif bir Fisher havası seziyorum. Onun kadar psikopat değil ama ona yaklaşmış durumda.
Victoria'nın yaşadıkları hiç kolay değil ve kitap bittiğinde durup bu oyun bana oynansa ne yapardım diye düşünmeden edemedim.
Profile Image for Anna's Herding Cats.
1,274 reviews319 followers
February 26, 2016


Reviewed for herding cats & burning soup.

Well, now. There was a bit of a mind-fuck. Unhinge was an...interesting read as the fragile mind of Victoria--who is in a psyche ward--is pieced back together memory by memory and a devastating mystery is unraveled. Read had me completely fascinated with this curiously twisted tale.

The quick of it is that Victoria can't remember anything that happened before she found herself on the psych ward with her baby daughter. Everyone's telling her her husband is dead...but he still visits her every day. And so does a strange man she feels a connection with but just can't seem to place. She's desperate to get out of the ward but the only way to do that is to remember the past which will likely destroy her all over again.

So. This one is a little bit of a head messer and hard to review without spoiling anything. Gah! I enjoyed it, though. It's an interesting look into the life of someone who has cracked. Utterly and completely. Seeing sessions with her doctor, life in the ward, and flashbacks to all of the things that led up to her arrival at the hospital. Moments of not knowing if Victoria was truly insane or if the thoughts and memories about the past that were bubbling to the surface were fact. Seeing the people in her life and not knowing if they were on the up and up or part of what landed her there.

One surprising thing was that there was actually some romance! It was light and for a while had me a bit on edge but it worked and in the end was incredibly sweet. There wasn't much on the heat factor--a couple present day kisses and then things happening in flashbacks. My only real complaint was that there was a LOT of crazy in this book and I would have loved just a little more at the end with the romance once things were figured out.

All in all, Unhinge was an intriguingly disturbing and twisted tale that had me enthralled from page one. Read pulled me along and had me utterly fascinated as truth and fiction blended and the past was revealed.
~~~~~
Well a psych ward. You don't see that TOO often. It's interesting so far. I'm thinking I have it figured out but we shall see. It's curious at least.
Profile Image for Öznur (kendimizeaitbiroda).
395 reviews52 followers
August 26, 2018
”Delilik böyle başlar. Arkanızdan sinsice yaklaşır ve omzunuza dokunur. Korku içinde dönmenize neden olur. Ve sonra tehlikeden uzak olduğunuzu düşündü­ ğünüz anda saldırır. Sizi sımsıkı yakalayıp gitgide daha dibe çeker.”
Bu neydi böyle???
Aklım karmakarışık şuan. Asla ama asla böyle bir son beklemiyordum.
Kitaba nasıl başladım, nasıl bitirdim bilmiyorum. Akıntıya kapılıp gittim.
Kördüğüm’ü bitirdiğimde de fazlasıyla etkilenmiş, zorlanmış bir haldeydim. Ama Yüzleşme... Çok daha ağır, çok daha beklenmedikti. Son sayfalarda patlayan olayı hala atlatamadım.
Bence okumadıysanız kesinlikle acele etmelisiniz. Ve umarım diğer Fairfax kitaplarını arayı çok açmadan okuyabiliriz.

"Benim gibi birisini nasıl sevebilirsin? Akıl hastaları için yapılmış bir hapishanedeyim. Hiçbir özgürlüğüm yok ve geçmişimin bir kısmını hatırlamıyorum. Beni na­sıl sevebilirsin?"
"Sevilmeye lâyık olmadığını düşünüyorsun ve benim de aynı şeye inanmamı bekliyorsun ama bunu yapamam. Sen farklı bir sanat eserisin Victoria. Ruhunun dikişleri eğri büğrü ve kenarları yıpranmış. Ama sen böyle yara­tılmışsın ve bence bu, şimdiye dek gördüğüm en güzel şey."
Profile Image for SimplyƝì₭.
601 reviews302 followers
February 5, 2016
My first Calia read but it won't be my last. I was captivated by this story. I could not live horror story. I would find ways out. This journey is just... crazy. If you like dark sinister reads this may be for you. It's not erotic, it's more of a mind twist. The taboo tag again is not due to sexual themes more of the type of themes dealt with in the book.

Overall very interesting and compelling.
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