The Evolution of Ivy: Poison
by Lauren Campbell
Genre: Contemporary Romance with Psychological element
Cover Designer: Murphy Rae from Indie Solutions
Editor: Madison Seidler
Hosted by: Lady Amber's PR
They won't recognize the new me.
But they know the old me well—the me she harmed, and the me he loved.
She thinks she has him. But I'm going to take him back.
He thinks she's the one. But I'm going to show him he's wrong.
I thought it was over. But now I have a chance.
This is one of the few books I have read that have a protagonist that is not pretty or physically appealing. I am so happy I found this book. This was a novel story for me and it had me very curious.
The story was written in a form of a journal. Each chapter was an entry on a particular day in the main character's life--Ivy. Ivy was not really born ugly. Her unfortunate fate started when she got her nose broken in a supposed baseball accident. She was hit with the bat in the face. Yes, very unfortunate and painful, indeed. Ivy recounts the detail of the very interesting parts of her past and her new life and her quest to take back what rightfully belonged to her--Brooks. Her first love and the love of her life.
I am all for natural beauty but in this story, I agree with Ivy's transformation. If being ugly has caused her to be a pariah and the object of all mean jokes and taunts, then, by all means, she deserves to be beautiful, even if it is with the help of a knife. If you can afford it, why not? Not everyone has the money. And if the main reason for it is to feel good about yourself and to be more confident, then go ahead. Everybody deserves to feel confident and happy with how they look. Though, of course, inner beauty still has no substitute. Fortunately, Ivy already knows she has that inner beauty but only a few people see it.
I really love what Ivy did in this story to herself--physically. It is so fortunate and lucky for her to have received the inheritance money. I guess, it is the universe's way of atoning for all the wrong done to her. In my own dialect, Cebuano, it's like "mosukol na ang gidaug-daug". It means the oppressed will now fight back, which is what exactly Ivy did. She did not want revenge but just take back what was hers.
What I also liked about the story was Ivy or Emily, still trying to hold on to the good which was her old self. Even if she refused to admit it, she is still Ivy and I guess that made Emily even more beautiful. Both inside and out. Though she wanted to be a bitch but then her inner goodness always takes over.
I really hate Eliza. I want to scratch her eyes out. She's so mean and she doesn't deserve to have the good things in her life. And finally, her sins have caught up with her. I think the author was too kind to give her a happy ending. I think she at least had to have a taste of her own bitter medicine. She has to experience some of the things she did to Ivy. I am not being mean, I just think that she has to learn her lesson and realize what she did to Ivy and to the others because of her selfishness. I think it is just fair. Hopefully, in the next book, this will actually come true.
This is a very fascinating story of rising from the ashes. Like a phoenix, Ivy or Emily rose up from all the ridicule and transformed into a beautiful person she wanted to be. I guess all the times she was kind instead of being mean paid off because she now has a chance of finally getting back what rightfully belonged to her. I just wished the ending showed more. I wished it showed Brooks and Emily out on a date or actually getting back together. Well, I will just have to wait for the next book.
I give the book 5/5 walls full of poison ivy vines. This is a very clever story. I always love stories about underdogs rising up to find courage, strength, confidence and love for ones' self. Undeniably, a very entertaining read. Congratulations Lauren Campbell. I so love Ivy or Emily.
Ugly should be a disability, too, because ugliness affects a person's entire life.
- Lauren Campbell, The Evolution of Ivy: Poison -
Lauren Campbell lives in Atlanta, GA, with her family, and is author of The Evolution of Ivy: Poison.
She was raised in Columbia, SC, with her three sisters who annoy her greatly.
An avid reader since early childhood, Lauren discovered her love for writing several years into owning a successful newborn photography business. After reaching out to author Colleen Hoover in 2013 for advice, Lauren painstakingly pieced together a heap of garbage loosely based on her personal life that she decided to trash. After one year of being on hiatus, Lauren subsequently came up with the idea for Poison after being inspired by a photo on the internet. She wrote Poison in three weeks. It is not a heap of garbage, has no personal ties, and is filled with characters Lauren cares more for than some of the real people in her life. But don't tell anyone that.
Lauren's social life is pretty boring, but she loves reading, coffee & hot tea, and living in her pajamas. She's a glutton for punishment and regrettably signs up for things like Room Mom in her children's classes, leaving her up all night doing things like baking dozens of cookies between swear words. Her favorite food is avocado. If she could, she'd find a way to put it on everything.
Lauren is done writing in third person now.
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Bringing the mug to my lips, the last drop of lukewarm coffee slides down my throat as the waitress zips by. I sigh, my hand halting in midair before coming to rest on the table again. I can't do much of anything without coffee. Can hardly remember my old name without the heavenly liquid, much less my new one. If I'm going to craft any sort of decent plan to get Brooks back, I'll need a refill.
Despite her Facebook telling me she frequents this place, Eliza is still MIA. Perhaps she isn't eating. Maybe she'll starve to death. But Lord knows I've eaten plenty for the both of us. I'm unwilling to get fat waiting on her, but the smells of freshly cracked eggs and crisping bacon prevent me from simply having a coffee. The breakfast aromas must drift far from the building, because all the self-important losers of Brookhaven keep packing the place like sardines. I'll give it until the end of the week before coming up with another plan. Which would suck, because—
Holy. Shit.
There she is. A crown of blonde shifting nervously from foot to foot at the front door. Two douchebags engage her, because she's pretty—okay, beautiful … whatever. Raised brows and sly smiles adorn their faces. She rolls her eyes. Raises a hand to flaunt the rock that should be on my finger instead. Stubborn, they keep trying. She steps to the counter, shakes her head at the staff, then shrugs in exasperation. A whoosh of hair as she spins around, heading for the door.
Every day until the wedding is precious. I can't let her go. Without thinking it through, I bolt from the table. My feet are quick as I beeline for her, and then fingertips finally connect with her shoulder. “Hey!”
She spins, blue eyes staring at my own. Unable to speak, I stare back. I'm afraid, terrified she will recognize me, even though she couldn't. It's impossible. I don't even resemble Ivy."
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