Asylum Series by Lauren Hammond, Natalie McCollum

Adelaide Carmichael and Damien Allen couldn’t be more opposite. Adelaide’s mother abandoned her when she was ten years old, leaving her to be raised by her abusive and alcoholic father. Damien on the other hand came from a wealthy family, was a local celebrity, and seemed to have a bright future ahead of him. Despite their differences, Adelaide and Damien were young, wild, and fiercely in love. And they had a plan. They were going to run away. Be together forever... moreAdelaide Carmichael and Damien Allen couldn’t be more opposite. Adelaide’s mother abandoned her when she was ten years old, leaving her to be raised by her abusive and alcoholic father. Damien on the other hand came from a wealthy family, was a local celebrity, and seemed to have a bright future ahead of him. Despite their differences, Adelaide and Damien were young, wild, and fiercely in love. And they had a plan. They were going to run away. Be together forever. And their plan was set in motion, until tragedy struck and for some reason, Adelaide wound up in The Oakhill Institution for the insane. Adelaide has no idea what she did to wind up at Oakhill, but she knows one thing for sure... She wants out. And after Damien follows her there to aid her in escaping, Adelaide slowly begins putting together the pieces of her memory that are missing. And it doesn’t take Adelaide long to figure out that sometimes... That one true love never dies. Warning:Do not read if you have a weak heart. less

Adelaide Carmichael knows that she's lost her mind. She's aware that she's being sent to The Oakhill Institution, but she's been told that she's being sent there to get better. She's been told that the staff is there to help. And it doesn't take Adelaide long to discover that she was very, very wrong about The Oakhill Institution. Patients roam the halls like zombies. Electric currents vibrate through the plaster walls... moreAdelaide Carmichael knows that she's lost her mind. She's aware that she's being sent to The Oakhill Institution, but she's been told that she's being sent there to get better. She's been told that the staff is there to help. And it doesn't take Adelaide long to discover that she was very, very wrong about The Oakhill Institution. Patients roam the halls like zombies. Electric currents vibrate through the plaster walls. Patients are fed sedatives like mashed potatoes and now Adelaide knows one thing for sure, she wants out. And she'll do whatever she can to escape. Excerpt~ I used to climb the giant willow tree in my back yard. It was like a game for me and mommy because she'd always come looking for me. The funny thing is that she always knew where I was but she played along anyway. I was perched above her head in the tree, trying to contain my laughter and she was below, her forearm positioned against her forehead. She squinted out into the field full of yellowed, dead grass. Then she said, “Little bird! Where did you fly to?” The orderlies’ footsteps thunder in my ears and sound off in sync with my hammering heartbeat. I've never pushed myself so hard in my entire life. I'm winded. Starting to feel exhausted. Don't stop now. Don't stop now. It's just a few more feet. I am almost there. I feel the orderlies’ breath down the back of my neck and feel the tug as his fingertips grasp the edge of my hospital gown. I wrench away though, finding a second wind when I'm at the edge of the forest. Busting through the thicket at the entrance to the forest, I hear Aurora's frantic shouts in my head. Run, Adelaide! Run! The sound of her voice is the only thing that keeps me going. Knowing that she wanted me to escape, and get out even if she couldn't is the only thing keeping the burning sensation inside of my lungs from spreading and dousing the rest of my body in flames. Run, Adelaide! Run! I will run, Aurora, I will. I will run for you. And me. I won't stop. I promise. I'll keep going just like you wanted me to. I'll keep running until I can't anymore. less

The epic, final installment in the Asylum Trilogy. Sanity is a funny word. Sanity. Sanity. To be sane. To have clear thoughts. To be able to distinguish the difference from fantasy and reality. I used to think that my sanity was still intact. That all of my marbles were still in the bag known as my mind. That I would never—EVER—let Oakhill get the best of me. Now, I’m not so sure. Now I’m not sure if I really am sane… Or if I’ve lost my mind once and for all... moreThe epic, final installment in the Asylum Trilogy. Sanity is a funny word. Sanity. Sanity. To be sane. To have clear thoughts. To be able to distinguish the difference from fantasy and reality. I used to think that my sanity was still intact. That all of my marbles were still in the bag known as my mind. That I would never—EVER—let Oakhill get the best of me. Now, I’m not so sure. Now I’m not sure if I really am sane… Or if I’ve lost my mind once and for all. There will be two spin off novellas for Aurora just so you know. And the first one will be up soon so keep a look out! less

Just south of Biloxi there was a girl with spunk, a girl with spirit. A girl with fire. A girl with a heart full of rebellion. Just south of Biloxi there was a boy, with a dazzling smile and a kind demeanor. A boy with morals. A boy in love. Just south of Biloxi there were a boy and a girl who realized too quickly, too swiftly, that there is such a thing as shattered hearts and cracked dreams... moreJust south of Biloxi there was a girl with spunk, a girl with spirit. A girl with fire. A girl with a heart full of rebellion. Just south of Biloxi there was a boy, with a dazzling smile and a kind demeanor. A boy with morals. A boy in love. Just south of Biloxi there were a boy and a girl who realized too quickly, too swiftly, that there is such a thing as shattered hearts and cracked dreams. Just south of Biloxi there were a boy and a girl who would never truly understand the meaning of some hearts and some worlds are better left broken. Aurora O'Reilly always prided herself in the fact that she was different. She was a rebel, never really fitting into the ideals that society had set up for her. But Aurora O'Reilly was also full of secrets and deep, dark thoughts. Dark thoughts that weren't normal. Dark thoughts that plagued her and tormented her on most nights. After deciding to trust her best friend and the love of her life by divulging her deepest darkest secrets, Aurora is faced with the fact that she might have found someone that she can really and truly trust or she just might have made the biggest mistake of her life. less