ARC Review - Publish Date January 25, 2023
Author: Kristi Strong
Series: Stand Alone
Category: Psychological fiction
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
"The whole point of Balloon Days was to disturb the unconscious junk, let it float to the mind's surface, and then do something about it already." - Elliott
Balloon Days is not what it seems, both the hallucinogenic therapy pioneered in the story and the book itself. I found the novel captivating but not necessarily an easy, laid-back read as the books I typically prefer. That being said, I definitely recommend this book to anyone looking to break out of the romance novel mold, just make sure you're ready to take on some heavy subjects before you dive in. I promise you'll be glad you did!
"Death never came - nor the expected suffocation. This was still a Balloon Day, she remembered. You don't die in Balloon Days." - Elliott
Balloon Days reminds me of an artsy Oscar Awards Best Picture movie in a way, with immense imagery, imperfect characters, and lurking moral questions surrounding grief, anxiety, and self-worth. This book reads like a movie, flitting between the three characters who are all interconnected in some way, experiencing different life problems and all needing an escape from reality that they hope Balloon Days can provide.
"On Balloon Day, you could do anything, anywhere, with anyone. Hold on to the string and let it take you away." - Howard
Something not quite right is sitting just below the surface of the Center of Balloon Days, and as the story unfolds, I came away with more questions than answers about the purpose of therapy and how the human mind is supposed to process negative emotions.
This book was thought-provoking and exponentially deep, bringing readers on a journey through three characters' lives as they each endure their own trials, dotted with grief, self-doubt, and uncertainty. Elliott, Orson, and Howard are all flawed in their own ways and their quest for relief from their problems brings them to rely on Balloon Days.
"'They do feel so real. That's why they're so alluring, addicting even.'" - Elliott
But, as the reader and the characters begin to question, is Balloon Days just a new addiction, just perhaps a more socially acceptable one?
*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you Kristi Strong for the opportunity.
Tropes and Themes: Thriller, Interconnected Characters
Blurb
Let Your Perception Be Your Guide…
At the Manhattan-based Center of Balloon Days, you will find a psychotherapy unlike any that came before it. Imagine unlocking your desires and your fears and manipulating them in an unparalleled lucid-dream-like state.
Bookish Elliott Bailey, a young psychologist at the Center, struggles to prove the perfect life exists, all while helping others with their own troubles; love-starved Howard Nor’s use of Balloon Days lends him temporary respite from the grips of depression, but they may be allowing him to live in a fantasy while his real life falls apart; and top lawyer Orson Thatch develops an obsession with Balloon Days, as it’s the only time he can see his dead wife—even if it risks his career and his relationship with his seven-year-old son. All three face a choice: Continue to live a life rooted in illusions or overcome the challenges of reality.
Genre-blending and emotionally rich, Balloon Days powerfully highlights the longing for acceptance, the agonizing struggle when our morals are put to the test, and the conflict between escapism and responsibility. It is a moving exploration of the entwined layers of one’s mind, pulling us deep into the psyche and returning us to the shallow with sincere insight.
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