Nocte by Courtney Cole

Serva me, serva bo te. Save me and I'll save you

My name is Calla Price. I'm eighteen years old, and I'm one half of a whole. My other half-my twin brother, Finn-is crazy. I love him, more than life, more than anything. And even though I'm terrified he'll suck me down with him, no one can save him but me. I'm doing all I can to stay afloat in a sea of insanity, but I'm drowning more and more each day. So I reach out for a lifeline. Dare DuBray. He's my saviour and my anti-christ. His arms are where I feel safe, where I'm afraid, where I belong, where I'm lost. He will heal me, break me, love me and hate me. He has the power to destroy me. Maybe that's okay. Because I can't seem to save Finn and love Dare without everyone getting hurt. Why? Because of a secret. A secret I'm so busy trying to figure out, that I never see it coming. You won't either.

Author's Note

I once considered not writing this story. It was too dark. Too twisted. Too much, too, too, too. Obviously, I changed my mind. But I re-wrote it in four different ways first, trying to make it different, more easily palatable. It didn't work. So I went back to my original idea, the idea that I loved. The idea that I dreamed about and lived and breathed until it was done the way I wanted it, the way it has to be. I know you're capable of reading it. I know you're capable of putting yourselves back together again when it's all over. I have faith in you. Is this story dark? Yes. Is it twisted? At times. Will it slap you in the face? Absolutely. Will it have you flipping pages, trying to figure it out, trying to get to the climax, trying to breathe? God, I hope so. I wrote this story the way it needed to be written. I couldn't sugarcoat it, I couldn't water it down. It is this way because the story demanded it. I'm not sorry. 

??????????What did I just read??????????? 

My brain hurts, my eyes hurt and I don't think I can do the words right now. But I figured that was best for a review of a story that completely struck me upside the head...with a baseball bat...or a car. I'm so confused and yet everything makes sense. I'm upside down and I'm standing upright. I'm blind though I see everything. Nocte is a brilliant piece of literature, it chews you up and spits you back out mercilessly, spares you no feelings, no thoughts and doesn't apologise for doing so. I knew as soon as I read the ominous author's note that I had to have this book, I just didn't expect it to be so real. I lived this story for a solid five hours of non-stop reading, I never saw the signs, I never saw the warnings and I definitely never saw the truth...until I did. 

Rating: 5/5 Titans

By night I am free. The die has been cast.