Cam Girl Kindle Edition

I can't quite put into words the beauty, heartbreak, emotions and sensuality of this book. Of course, Leah Raeder has a gift with words, that was evident from Unteachable and Black Iris. But Cam Girl took so many twists and turns that my head (and my heart) were left reeling.A book about love, acceptance, sexuality and I think also friendship and loyalty, Cam Girl is one of my favorite books of the year. There is a rawness to Ms. Raeder's writing that is addictive and very real and very challenging. Vada and Ellis kept me constantly guessing, constantly on edge and ultimately, left me with a much deeper understanding of the human condition.Vada is an artist who has become unable to draw like she had in the past. She is forced to drop out of grad school. But she never stops thinking like an artist and seeing the world through a artist's eyes."Art is an imperfect impression of the world. As the self is an imperfect impression of the soul."This story is about losing love, finding love and learning to love yourself. I highlighted so many parts of this book, that I can't possibly pick out my favorite quotes! Vada and Ellis' journey was suspenseful, sexy and breathtaking, and I'm not revealing more of the plot other than to say read the blurb, and then dive right into this fabulous, sexy and beautifully written book. Ms. Raeder's prose is lyrical and her words come alive on the page."My love is savage and rapacious. It isn't content to the touch. It wants to be inside, crawl into the marrow, caress each vein until the cells are all mixed up and there is no you and me anymore, no secrets or shadows sliding between our skin."Be prepared to be challenged. Cam Girl is not your everyday story. It is filled with unforgettable characters and a story I won't soon forget. Another must-read from Leah Raeder.

Leah Reader / Elliot Wake proves again that it's okay to take risks. All of this author's stories are to be savored, from the language to the plot to the realism of the deeply flawed characters. All of that careens you along on a ride of a story that is half dark romance and half Dragon Tattoo-like thriller, while at its core are characters that are struggling with their gender identity / questions of sexual orientation that are also major plot points. I also think that this story is possibly the closest anyone who's not genderfluid will ever come to truly understanding what it means to the people who are. I personally love reading stories about people who are "different" and "flawed" and coming to understand them through the struggles and growth throughout.My only criticism, and it is a relatively minor one given the masterpiece the story otherwise is, is that I believe in service of forwarding the plot some character reactions don't fit their personalities. But again, that is minor for what is otherwise yet another great work by a great author. I look forward to more from this author.

I have many problems with the story in this book. To be honest, I'm not even sure why I bought it or how long it has been in my library. As fate would have it, I finally began reading it the day before the mass shooting at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. Jung's beloved synchronicity drives some of the worst nightmares in my life and this past few days has been no exception. However, my personal responses to this book are irrelevant."Cam Girl", by Leah Raeder is a masterpiece of artistic modern realism. It is built on a foundation of self-loathing finding redemption through self-acceptance guided by artistic thinking. Color is key to everything in the book. The metaphors, the foreshadowing, the inner life of the main character, all of it is wrapped up in a constantly shifting kaleidoscope of color. For someone who is not accustomed to artistic thinking, this is going to be a very confusing read, while anyone whose life is immersed in color and form will find depths and layers here that are extremely difficult to find in modern writing. That does not mean they will like what they find.The story opens with a car accident described in time-lapse perfection. It unfolds in eerie, haunting precision moment by moment with each tiny detail wrapped in colors that at first seem unrealistically lurid and flamboyant. Each of these colors gains greater depth and meaning as the story itself opens up in the reader's mind. Vada, the main character, is an artist. As a result of this accident she loses her ability to draw and paint. The inability to express herself creates a huge reservoir of self-loathing that drives her down one self-destructive path after another. Her redemption finally arrives in "Blue", a client of her life as a cam girl that showers her with praise, guides her in self-examination, and releases her from the isolation created by the loss of her art. Along the way there is a colorful cast of wacky characters, all of them bent, broken, tortured souls cast adrift on the ocean of life and left to sink or swim on their own volition. No one helps anyone and yet everyone helps everyone, but the key to this story is the relationship between Vada and Blue.This book is a technical and artistic masterpiece. That is why I have given it five stars. The story itself is not one that resonates in my life. However, I can see how many people in today's world, both those who are gender-fluid and those who are trying to support someone who is gender-fluid, will gain a deeper understand of themselves and their relationships through reading this book.Some of us have to learn everything the hard way. Those are the people who will read this book over and over again for the comfort it brings them.

I was lead to this book by another reviewer (in a review of another book) absolutely raving about it. I have to say I'm a little torn as I write this in knowing quite what to say and how to say it to get my points across; but I'll give it a go!Where this book really delivered was in the quality of the writing (Vada's artistic skill is mirrored in the writing - it's extremely lyrical) and in the interest in the story. There were several deep and suitably shocking secrets only very slowly revealed that kept me avidly reading.My only frustration really was with the main character, Vada, who spends an inordinate amount of time (in my view anyway) accepting the bleeding obvious! I'll not say more as to do so would be too much of a spoiler, but if you read this (and it's well worth the read) you might get what I mean when you get to the end. Go on, give it a try...

If you like dark, twisty, sexy fiction then you need to put Elliot Wake's books on your TBR list. This book is hard to categorise; at times it is a romance, at times a suspenseful thriller and at times just a beautifully written story of trying to come to terms with disability, identity and sexual orientation.Vada is an artist, but when she gets into a car accident with her best friend Ellis, she damages her drawing arm and ends up losing everything she loves. At rock bottom, she takes a job as a cam girl and strikes up a relationship with a mysterious man, Blue, who wants him all to herself.At times this book had me literally catching my breath; there are so many secrets and reveals. I absolutely devoured this book, wanting to know the truth about everything. The writing is beautiful and vivid, and every time I finish one of Wake's books, I'm left wanting more of his work.

First off let me just state that I was in no way ready to feel what i felt after reading this book. I fell in love with Leah's words straight away, just like Id done with the previous books, and found myself so caught up in the storyline that I was scared to put my kindle down and miss a second of uncovering the truth. But I have to be honest. As much as I loved this story- and I doubt that I could feel anything but love for one of Reader's books- it was the acknowledgements that truly opened my eyes and brought the tears. I'm so thankful that Leah shared that piece with us and is actively bringing awareness to social issues that don't get much coverage at all. Waiting for a reader story is like waiting for a breath of fresh air!