Review: Cam Girl by Leah Raeder

Cam Girl

By Leah Raeder

Release Date : November 3, 2015

Synopsis

Vada Bergen is broke, the black sheep of her family, and moving a thousand miles away from home for grad school, but she’s got the two things she loves most: her art, and her best friend and soulmate, Ellis Carraway. Elle and Vada have a friendship so consuming it’s hard to tell where one girl ends and the other begins. It’s intense. It’s a little codependent. And nothing can tear them apart.

Until an accident on an icy winter road changes everything.

Vada is left deeply scarred, both emotionally and physically. Her once-promising art career is cut short. And Ellis pulls away, unwilling to talk about that night. Everything Vada loved is gone.

She’s got nothing left to lose.

So when she meets a smooth-talking lothario who offers to set her up as a cam girl, she can’t say no. All Vada has to do is spend a couple hours each night taking off her clothes on webcam, and the “tips” come pouring in.

It’s all just kinky fun till a client gets serious. “Blue” is mysterious, alluring, and more interested in Vada’s life than her body. Online, they open up to each other intimately. Blue helps her heal. And he pays well, but he wants her all to himself. No more cam shows. She agrees, because she’s starting to fall for him. And when he asks to meet, she says yes. Because she’s dying to know the real man behind the keyboard.

Even if one of his conditions is to bring Ellis. The girl who wants nothing to do with her anymore.

Now Vada must confront the past she’s been running from. A past full of devastating secrets—those of others, and those she’s been keeping from herself.

Buy Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

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Robin’s Review

Cam Girl is the third contemporary new adult novel written by author Leah Raeder. Cam Girl is a standalone novel about two women, best friends, lovers who struggle to continue with their relationship in the wake of a tragic, deadly car wreck. Physical and emotional pain as a result of the accident are obvious, but there are deeper issues at play between Vada and Elle. Cam Girl focuses on the very real struggle individuals can face concerning gender identity. It’s something that can affect both persons in a relationship. Of course, Cam Girl is about so much more, so please be sure to read the book synopsis.

Most people don’t take the time to consider what gender identity is, but it’s an important topic which I feel needs to be brought to the attention of society. I have nothing but respect for Leah Raeder for tackling this topic in her writing. Gender identity is not always black and white. There are gray areas. It’s not easy for individuals who are bisexual, who don’t identify as either gay or straight. Imagine how difficult it can be for a woman who has always identified as a man on the inside, while her physical body indicates that she’s a woman. Many folks are afraid of being labeled outside of the norm. Many individuals self-harm, even commit suicide, as a result of the emotional pain and extreme depression which they experience. Please consider showing kindness and compassion to people who are different – male, female, heterosexual, gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender – even if you don’t agree with their individual preferences.

There are many aspects of Cam Girl that I enjoyed. Leah Raeder has her own unique writing style, and there are passages in Cam Girl where Raeder absolutely shines. Her artistic description of a car wreck in the prologue took my breath. I actually took a few minutes to fully appreciate the prologue after I finished reading it. Raeder also includes brilliant colors in her descriptions – a unique quality to her writing which I truly enjoy. She is excellent at writing a mystery, weaving clues and hints of what’s to come into her storyline. Cam Girl felt like a puzzle to me, and this is how Raeder won my attention. Leah Raeder has the uncanny ability of perking my curiosity, making me crave answers, causing me to continue turning the pages, even when I find I’m not connecting with the main characters or enjoying their relationship.

That was my problem with Cam Girl. It’s not because Cam Girl is about a female/female relationship. I just didn’t connect with Vada and Elle in Cam Girl. Vada and Elle are codependent. They have a very toxic relationship – one based on lies and deception. This is not a healthy relationship for two people who are supposed to be in love with each other. There are moments between Vada and Elle that are incredibly sweet, but even with the lure of mystery, Cam Girl was difficult for me to finish. I’m giving Cam Girl a 3-star rating – the positive and negative aspects each balancing the other out to rate this novel mid-grade. I’m not sure if the darkness in Raeder’s writing is a trend that will continue, but I hope she might consider writing novels with a brighter mood in the future. I truly enjoy her talent for writing a mystery and her artistic style.

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Author Bio:

LEAH RAEDER is a writer and unabashed nerd. Aside from reading her brains out, she enjoys graphic design, video games, fine whiskey, and the art of self-deprecation. She lives with her very own manic pixie dream boy in Chicago.