Sadie

by Courtney Summers

[kimbacaffeinate]

Caffeinated Reasons to Grab Sadie

• The story format includes podcasts, narratives from an investigative journalist and pov's from Sadie. The timeline weaves between Sadie's and West's bringing the past and present together. It built suspense and filled in blanks as the story unfolded allowing the reader to grasp what was happening before West.



• Journalist West McCray hears a story about a murdered young girl and soon learns about her missing sister.



• The girls' story is a dark and sadly it could have been ripped from today's headlines. They were raised in a trailer park on the outskirts of a small economically depressed town by their junkie mother and her long string of boyfriends. When their Mother abandons them Sadie takes over the care of her thirteen-year-old sister until Mattie goes missing and later discovered dead. Destroyed, Mattie's death became the catalyst for Sadie's journey.



• The story that unfolds is dark, twisted and suspenseful. As I read my palms began to sweat and Summers pulled at my heartstrings. We travel with Sadie and learn her story, but we also travel with West as he investigates and travels the path Sadie took. These threads finally merge and we learn as West does.



• Gritty and addictive Summers made me experience all of Sadie's emotions, fears and desires. I swore, I got angry, I even wept. The subject matter wasn't easy, but the story deserved to be told and I read on needing to know its outcome.



• Sadie is a powerful, complex character who is both broken and fearless. At the tender age of nineteen she has lived a hard life and carries heavy burdens regarding Mattie. She sets off to right a wrong and facedown a monster. Her journey takes her to some seedy places, offers her a glimpse at a life she's only dreamed of and allows her to see her own reflection mirrored by another. Along the way, Sadie makes a difference for others and perhaps finds a little peace for herself.



• Summers does justice to their story. The ending isn't wrapped up in a neat little bow, but it is one that will stay with you long after you've closed the book.

This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer