I honestly don’t even know what to say for a review. All I can think is wow. It was difficult for me to pick this book back up sometimes after stopping or taking a break because some of it felt drawn out. Then other moments it was the complete opposite and I couldn’t make myself put it down. A definite rollercoaster.

I really enjoyed Under Rose-Tainted Skies and honestly I had a hard time putting it down. Knowing that Norah's struggle and perseverance through mental illness was based on the author's own thoughts and experiences made it all the better. I don't have agoraphobia or ocd and I haven't had any interaction without someone who does, to my knowledge, so I was a bit hesitant for taking the story for real experience. Though I know Norah and the author's experiences are unique to them and everyone does not experience agoraphobia or ocd the same, I still feel like I have a better understanding of both and how they affect the person and those around them.

I enjoyed being able to be inside of Norah's head and see her thought process on everything. Seeing the world from her eyes was frustrating, but enlightening at the same time. I also really enjoyed how, even though this story had a romance element to it, that wasn't the main focus. We didn't suddenly forget what Norah was going through because she developed feelings for Luke. Instead we saw MORE of Norah's struggle because of this new development in her life.

I also really enjoyed how there was no easy fix or solution for Norah at the end. She certainly did something she never thought she could do and certainly survived one of her worst fears, but that didn't mean she was suddenly "cured". That's just not how that works and the author made sure to highlight that. Even in the immediate aftermath, Norah's OCD peaks its head through, showing that overcoming it is a process. Norah definitely had growth, though, thanks to the the incident putting some things in perspective for her, which I was definitely happy to see. All in all, I'm so glad that I finally read this book.

I loved this book back in middle school and decided to re-read it for a readathon that I’m doing. I still loved it and will definitely be re-reading the entire series, but I’ll admit I forgot how annoying Stacey’s friends, Drea and Amber were. Still really good though and I’m glad I dusted my copy off and cracked it open again.

Not disappointing, but not particularly spectacular either. Honestly felt like I was reading the novelization of Shaun of the Dead, a great movie btw. I appreciated how none of the characters were really safe and also the twist of the nutty assistant principal. I don’t think I’d read it again, but I’m glad I picked it up.