My Dark Vanessa is dark indeed. More so than i thought it would be. A thought-provoking page turner, this book left me thinking for days after I was done with it. It’s such an intriguing read. The book tells the story of a 15 year old Vanessa who was groomed by her school teacher, and we go back and forth from her teenage years to the present day. The crazy thing about this is that Vanessa has convinced herself that it is love, and don’t see it as sexual assault and we can see the conflict in her mind while she deals with her denial. This book is heartbreaking, and horrifying yet I couldn’t stop reading. I was disturbed but i needed more. Reading about how the middle-aged teacher mentally manipulated Vanessa was utterly sickening. It simply highlights the power-play in its minute process, and shows us exactly why this behaviour can never be justified. Vanessa’s deep yearning to be seen and loved drove her into the throes of this messed up “relationship”. A highly recommended read, though it might be extremely triggering so id advise going into it with caution.