Taste of Insanity

Taste of Insanity - Morenike' "I'm just a stem worried about my petals." ~ pg. 282

Three women are handpicked for the Rose Program to be treated for different mental illnesses. The program has ran for fifteen years with nurses, a psychologist and a psychiatrist. Each woman has a designated spot in the program that is necessary for all to heal. The petal is a delicate woman that has been broken by traumatizing events. The stem is a strong women but on the verge of breaking. The thorn is a woman that may be a danger to herself or others.

Egypt is a privileged and spoiled woman whose life unravels after her nanny dies. Realizing her perfect life is based on lies causes a mental breakdown. Andrea is a young girl with dreams of escaping her abusive home life after high school graduation. She retreats into silence protecting the secret of how her mother was killed. Lastly, Blakely is a graduate student that ends up being charged for a crime she doesn't remember committing. These three women (assigned different parts of the rose) attend group and individual therapy sessions to make them whole.

Author Morenike' did a good job of showing character development. Although I did not relate to any of the three women, others may empathize with their individual situations. Through dialogue and background story, readers see how the women grow and become more trusting of each other to form a rose.

What I liked most about Taste of Insanity is the positive message about therapy. In some cultures, therapy is looked down upon and shameful. While the women in this book were reluctant to join the program at first, they quickly accepted that professional help is needed; some problems cannot be handled alone. The Rosa Lee Institute for Women and Children not only helped the patients but the staff as well. Thank you, Morenike', for writing such a great portrayal of a mental illness rehab program.

Don't judge a book by its cover. The cover of Taste of Insanity may look like a paranormal, vampire book with lots of blood and guts. But the plot is nowhere near it! While I do not like the cover because it is misleading, I recommend Taste of Insanity to readers who enjoy a story about women's progress and hope.

Literary Marie of Precision Reviews