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The beginning of Big Sky hooked me from the first page. It begins lighter than Kitty Thomas' usual novels. Knowing Kitty's writing, I was prepared for it to turn into something dark and twisted and I wasn't disappointed.
I realize that from the beginning it wasn't hearts and flowers, but I'm a bit jaded. Even as Ronnie was abducted by the Cowboy from Vermont, I had a shit-eating grin on my face. I chuckled a few times and even I wanted to smack Ronnie. But who I'd actually be smacking is myself. Ronnie and I share a few attributes- feminism being one of them. I'm not a man-hating feminist, but after how my teenage years and my early adulthood played-out, I have a few triggers to contend with. So Luke and I agreed on a few things that we wanted to do to Ronnie (myself).
Now Luke was awesome in a creepy kind of way for a large part of the book. Now the above mentioned triggers of mine reared their ugly head and I winced as I read. I wanted to stop reading, but didn't allow myself the comfort. There is a reason I read Dark Erotica. It's the same reason I write Dark Erotica- self-therapy. Every word resonates to my soul bringing emotions screaming from its depths- emotions I've buried deeply. My numbness thaws as I read and feelings erupt in its absence. This aliveness lasts for a while and then I seek my next fix- either I read another story that evokes feeling or I write my own.
There is a reason Kitty Thomas is one of my favorite authors, sometimes she puts my feelings into words that I have no name for. She writes my thoughts better than I can, and as a writer saying that about another writer, that is a huge compliment. I am honored that she wanted me to review this book for her.
I will not go in-depth on the actual storyline as I do not want to ruin the reading experience. I will say that this novel is largely psychological and thought provoking. As with all of her novels, the story never truly leaves your thoughts and it's long lasting.
I'm writing this review at 80% read... My thoughts at this point of the novel. I wanted to capture them before they fled or changed upon the completion of the novel. I'll be back...

...Finished...

Psychological, as I stated before, doesn't cover it. It is all a progression. Ronnie, the feminist, would have baulked at the things Veronica, Trish's ghost, did. I read these novels because when it is over I feel ME. I am happy to be me. I have similarities to Ronnie and I've fallen down the rabbit-hole of allowing your power to be taken away by someone undeserving as Veronica is now doing. I know about the pretty lies you tell yourself to make it alright and when the lies don't work you simple pull into yourself and pretend it's normal. I know about how now's normal is what the past you would find disturbing. I understand that normal for one person isn't normal for the next.

***Warning***
This type of book isn't for everyone. The majority would enjoy the first half while laughing off the uncomfortableness of the abduction. They would try to reason it into a romantic entanglement between two broken people. They would believe that Veronica would heal Luke. Life doesn't work like that- you heal yourself; no one does it for you. That is romanticized BS. If you have no issue with raw, brutal reality or if you aren't squeamish about humiliation then go ahead and read Big Sky. If you find it not to your liking, don't forget, I warned you...