Reading this last night was a terrible idea. I'm suffering for that decision now (migraine). Halfway through I had this odd sense of deja vu, and lo and behold, I read another of Markinson's books relatively recently. The friendship dynamics were very similar. The plot, maybe not. Enjoyable enough, but not worth a migraine! ( )

"Reading always gave me comfort. It was a way to get away from me," so says our main character, Paige Alexander, someone I have a feeling I'd enjoy knowing in real life.

I can't remember the last time I read a novel that set such a distinct mood and got under my skin, leaving me thinking long after I finished it. This is something that takes a while to read...because it's so good you don't want to rush it and there's so much to take in: family issues, suicide, college life and even some mystery.

As I do a lot when I read, I jotted down notes and quotes and found myself wishing I had had books like this to read when I was a teenager. At one point our main character thinks with frustration and pain that her friend's boyfriend Wesley (most appropriately nicknamed "Weasel") is always flirting with other women and treating them badly, yet society thinks she (as a lesbian) is the "the freak, the outcast, the downfall of society."

Throughout the novel, T.B. Markinson merges strong atmosphere with riveting plot and very likable characters you grow to care for deeply. She also pulls off the rare feat of making observations about society, life and human beings without sounding preachy or taking away from the storyline. ("I don't hate men. I'm just gay. I can't explain why.")

Marionette is painfully funny at times ("I wish idiots would recognize they're idiots") and starkly sincere (Paige is facing more than any one person should have to face at her age and the interactions with her counselor Liddy are convincingly awkward, then, later, emotionally moving). The way the author captures the young adult voice is simply amazing. The secondary characters are not only important and complementary to all that happens, they become part of a group that proves that unrelated people can come together and form a family tighter than any blood ties.

Marionette pleases in every way that you would want a book to please you and it takes a serious topic (suicide) and it gives it the care, attention and thoughtfulness it deserves. I wasn't counting on there being a rather significant suspenseful element, which in less capable hands could have been a huge detractor from everything else.

Another big plus for me is how Paige's relationship with her girlfriend Jess is presented. So much fiction with lesbian themes places way too much emphasis on the physical aspects of romance. Here, Markinson pretty much draws the curtains closed on that part of life. What Paige and Jess share becomes all the more sweeter and more tender because so much of their relationship revolves around mutual love, understanding and compassion. They are happy in the bedroom, but that's not what makes their connection work, that's secondary to how they are always there for each other and just connect.

Marionette is something I will definitely be keeping on my Kindle and reading again. It also makes me want to go back and read T.B. Markinson's first book A Woman Lost. I will be eagerly on the lookout for her next novel. ( )

Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The first half of the book started off strong. A botched suicide attempt leads Paige to promise her girlfriend Jess to seek therapy. I give this author a tremendous amount of credit in tackling tough subjects, such as suicide and the struggle for outside acceptance of LGBT rights. The visual presentation of this work was well displayed.

Around the middle of the book, the momentum of the work slowed and then stalled. It began reading more like just a day to day in the life of Paige. I could not understand why every chapter discussed the characters eating or extra emphasis on how much Paige could consume in one setting. There was also lots of mention of another roommate's flatulence. None of this provided any significance to the story and if it was an instrument designed to generate humor, the melody was a sour one.

For me, there was little to no development of outside characters to complement Paige and her girlfriend Jess. This was a missed opportunity because their investments would have aided in my caring more about Paige's plight. Instead, it was as if everyone was a rehearsal for Paige to practice in becoming better.

Another downfall was the potential character twist featuring Jess. There was so much hype and clues in reference to the possible chink in Jess' armor but as it got towards the end, the reasoning behind these strange events disappointed me and left the remainder of this novel anti-climatic.

This work showed tons of promise but too much unnecessary narrative, lack of rich supporting characters, and too many side stories dented its full shine. With some tweaking to the imbalance, Marionette surely could have scored higher. Yet as it stands, I can only award it three stars at this juncture. ( )

Paige is into women. However she is not ready to make it known to the world. She is just trying to maneuver through college and life in general. Yeah, did you hear that Paige tried to take her own life. She was not successful. Now she is going to counseling to put the broken pieces back together. She is doing it for her and her girlfriend, Jess.

To be honest, this is not typically the type of book that I would pick to read. In fact, I was still unsure about reading this book due to Paige's relationship preference. It had nothing to do with the other subject matter of suicide. I know it is silly as this is our world today and it is becoming more and more norm for people to share their relationship preference of woman and woman or man and man but still, I feel like it is getting pushed on to people to accept this or else. Even television shows I watch have at least 1 character that is gay. I just did not want Paige's relationship to be the main focus of the story. So you could say I went into this book with a critical mind.

I loved Paige's college room mates, Minnie, Karen, and Jenna. They helped add to the story and kept things entertaining. Paige herself was actually very cool. She came off more sarcastic than bitchy. Which I liked her sessions with Dr. Libby. These are the moments when I really felt like I got to know who and what Paige is about as a person. The relationship between Paige and Jess was a sweet one. Overall, this is a really good book and worthy reading. ( )

Paige Alexander had it all planned out, step by step, except for one important detail: how long it would take to actually die. Now she has to face the scars left behind both on the inside and the out. She made a promise to her girlfriend, Jess, however, and is determined to keep it. Can she find a way to deal with her dark past while simultaneously having to face her future in a college with new friends she never thought she could have? You will just have to read this book to find out.
Have you ever read a book where you hated one page and loved the next, yet you just couldn't stop reading? Well, this was that kind of book for me. I was unsure whether I liked it or disliked it from the very first page. Whenever I start a book I must read the whole book no matter how good or bad it is. I am very glad I finished this book. It was well written and heartfelt. The characters are believable and it flows well. I am not even sure what about it rubbed me the wrong way. I think it is because it started with an attempted suicide, and this set the tone for the whole piece. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes romance, self-expression, or books about someone taking charge of their life and giving it a run for its money. ( )