How does one even begin to explain the experience that is “Tampa”. After reading a few reviews of other people trying to find the words to express the feeling they have upon completion of this book, I’m convinced that you just have to approach it as honest as possible.

So, the truth is, what the book sets out to accomplish by simply existing, it does pretty damn flawlessly. Alissa doesn’t really give you as a reader the opportunity to separate from what you are seeing unless you quite literally put the book down. There’s not one moment where you aren’t sitting as uncomfortable as you possibly can inside the mind of a predator. In a case like this, (whenever you see someone on the news in a similar situation) there are degrees of separation from what the person has done and what that person thinks about what they have done. Celeste is unapologetic in the vile nature of her actions. And you as a reader almost feel complicit by hearing exactly what she thinks about what she is doing because no matter what is happening in the world around her she can not (or will not) feel bad about what she wants.

There’s not one single redeeming quality of any (and i mean ANY) character in this book. You will hate everyone in varying degrees. By the end of the book you will feel cheated of what you feel SHOULD have happened, but void of shock about what DOES happen. Because in cases like this, it is what happens. Which will have you question the system more than you probably already do.

And I want to emphasize that this is a short read. Not even 200 pages. So you would think you could get through it easily in one sitting. (I did but only because I couldn’t imagine reading this over the course of days and I wanted to get it over with.) The reason it will take you longer to read this than the average less than 200 page book is because you have to subject yourself to the vulgarities in Celeste’s mind in tandem with the obscene and vile things she does in real life. Where in a normal circumstance, you can just judge the actions of a heinous person and not know what’s going on in their head. There is quite literally nowhere to hide in this situation.

Here lies the conflict: How do you rate something like this in earnest without feeling guilty about the what it is you are saying with a star system? We all know that the higher something is rated, that’s our way of telling the author “Please give us more of this” or “the quality of this book is what we are missing in literature. please don’t stop writing.” Because I’m not going to act like this book isn’t in a technical sense a “good read” because based on my personal criteria for what makes a good book this is a five star read. So i did something that I never thought I’d ever do when it comes to reading. I did the math.

Quality of this book: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Characters: ⭐️ Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Enjoyment: none Audiobook:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ——————————- Overall: 2.6 rounded up to ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Now, do I recommend this book? No, I don’t.

Do I regret reading this book? Yes, I do.

Should this be on anyone’s TBR? No, it shouldn’t.

Will you question any and all people who have participated in this kind of crime and more than likely think about this book the next time you hear about it in the news? Yes, you will.

Is it one of the best books I have read this year even though it made me EXTREMELY UNCOMFORTABLE on every level possible?

Sighs Yea.

yea…i don’t know…

one of the weirdest experiences reading i have had in a while. while im not a prude by any means, i found myself icking out quite a bit throughout the book. and yea i get it…its a “coming of age” tale of a “taboo” relationship. and it works (kinda). but between the very straight to the point language and the blunt vulgarity of it all combined with Jeanette’s narration in the audiobook, i don’t know it just didn’t land the way i expected.

that being said it’s a quick read and it got me out of the slump i was in so if nothing else that happened.

what a wild twisted messy ass ride… 4.25/5