“Take Me With You” By: Nina G. Jones – Book Review
Holy. Freaking. Cow... This book was intense. This is my first Nina G. Jones book and it most definitely will not be my last. This was a dark read for sure. There are warnings on a lot of books, but this one was needed. I don't really have triggers. I can handle anything for the most part, but if you aren't like that, you may not want to go through with this one. I really enjoyed the writing style and the dual POV. Both characters were interesting to read, and I can honestly say I didn't prefer one over the other.
Right out of the hat, we meet Sam. I still have extremely mixed feelings for Sam... He stalks his victims, taking things from their homes and leaving his own mementos. He feels as if he becomes a part of their lives, like he can be like them. He's an outcast and he hates them for it. Sam is complicated and I feel for the guy. There are clearly some mental issues going on, but at the same time, I felt that he needed to have some remorse and take responsibility for the things he's done.
You're not like other people.
These people don't know pain. They don't know loneliness. They might know fleeting discomfort, but they don't know the persistent agony of being an outsider. People like them have made me who I am.
When he first lays eyes on Vesper (I love her name so much), he's instantly intrigued with not only how she looks, but also the way she is with the little boy she's with. She's kind and gentle and patient and caring. She instantly becomes his next victim.
Vesper is a really sweet girl. She's in nursing school and takes care of her brother who has cerebral palsy. Her mother is as self-absorbed as they come and is always out of town with her new husband, too busy for her children. Vesper's boyfriend, Carter is studying to be a doctor and is an all around sweetheart. While she loves him, she finds herself fantasizing about the pair of eyes she saw at the library. She thinks about the owner of those eyes as she's with her boyfriend and she feels guilty about it.
I liked dirty thoughts, forbidden thoughts, The more forbidden, the more aroused I became, but I could never tell Carter that. I didn't want him to feel inadequate. Besides, fantasies are private. They live in your head, not to be made real.
One night, when Carter is staying the night, Sam watches them together and chooses that night to terrorize them. He breaks in and does what he always does, until because of her little brother, things go haywire and he loses control. Vesper is is terrified for her brother and Carter and asks Sam to take her and to leave them alone. He's never kidnapped anyone before, but she's becoming an obsession, so he agrees. He keeps her as his captive and is cruel and violent. He doesn't know exactly what he's doing, but he likes having her there to use as he pleases.
Girls like her don't want the beast. They want the idea of one. They want to be safe and still revel in the thrill. But there's no safety with a monster. Because monsters consume. They take your body, your soul, and your innocence.
Over time he takes better care of her. He spends more time with her and they begin to form a bit of a bond. His kindness doesn't always last long so she tries to be complacent and obedient, but he does things that mess with her head and she begins to get confused in her emotions while it's nearly impossible for him to trust anyone.
I wish I didn't think you were so beautiful. “ she mutters. “It makes me think I'm crazy.”
I know exactly what you mean
But the tenderness wears off when the voices, which have been quieter as of late, begin their reminders.
She's playing you.
You're a freak.
She's just saying that to get what she wants.
I grab her hand firmly and pull it away from my face, shaking my head no.
“Sam.” It throws me off for a second, my name coming out of her lips. “It's true.:”
I come to my feet, frustrated by her insistence at trying to get to me. She's making me weak. So I do the only thing I know to get my strength back. I listen to the urges. I cut the bullshit with the higher functioning and listen to my body.
I slam her up against the wall. The record skips and gets stuck on the same verse. It's jarring and unsettling.
“There is no beauty here,” I whisper through tight lips, pushing her down to her knees.
There was so much stuff that happened in this book that had me going back and forth with how I felt, kind of like Vesper was. I still have really mixed emotions about some things and for me, that makes for a fantastic story. It wasn't a cookie cutter book in my opinion. I just loved it. Absolutely not for everyone, but if you enjoy the captive/captor type stories, you should definitely give this a read.
Genre: Dark Romance
Stars: 5
*** Did you enjoy this review? I would love to hear from you.
-Charity B.
Book Link: https://www.amazon.com/Take-Me-You-Nina-Jones/dp/1539534731/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&s
