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happycrafter207's review against another edition
4.0
An easy to read first person narrative, this story is told primarily through a nine year old girl's point of view. Her name is Kirsten, and in the early 90's her teenage brother goes on a date with his girlfriend, and the girlfriend Stacy Lemke, is never seen again.
From the beginning, this seemed a twisted story, maybe even dark. More than anything, this book takes you through what happens to Kirsten and her family as a result of the suspicions cast over her brother, who was the last person to see Stacy alive. Did her brother kill Stacy or not? I wish there was alittle more details about why grandfather had issue with the mother. But over all this book hit all the right spots for me at this point int time. Fast forward to present time, and the story continues and there is an ending (no having to guess what happened to the characters after which was very satisfying for this story).
From the beginning, this seemed a twisted story, maybe even dark. More than anything, this book takes you through what happens to Kirsten and her family as a result of the suspicions cast over her brother, who was the last person to see Stacy alive. Did her brother kill Stacy or not? I wish there was alittle more details about why grandfather had issue with the mother. But over all this book hit all the right spots for me at this point int time. Fast forward to present time, and the story continues and there is an ending (no having to guess what happened to the characters after which was very satisfying for this story).
lady_jess_87's review against another edition
5.0
This book was very hard to put down. I think it only took me about a week to read. I loved the characters and how the story felt extremely real, like it was unfolding in front of me.
canopy_'s review against another edition
3.0
It wasn't terrible but I just felt like it dragged on FOREVER
outoftheblue14's review against another edition
3.0
E-galley received from Netgalley for review
Kirsten Hammarstrom is coming back to her hometown after many years of absence. She was just a nine-year-old girl when Stacy Lemke, her older brother's girlfriend, went missing. Johnny, Kirsten's brother and the school wrestling champion, was the last person to see her alive in a cold, snowy night. He's a suspect in Kirsten's murder investigation, after various searches fail to find her. The Hammarstrom family soon find themselves under close scrutiny and suspect.
Now Kirsten and her siblings come home to deal with family matters and something will bring them to the solution of the mystery.
I liked this book, even though I was able to anticipate the ending. Not that it was particularly predictable; it was just a matter of character use - if a character is mentioned that has no real role in the whole book, they must play a part in the book's conclusion. Most of the story flows as a long flash-back, retelling Kirsten's story from the summer when Johnny and Stacy get together. She meets Stacy first and almost idolizes her. Then, after she and Johnny become a couple, Kirsten realizes that everything is not as good as it seems.
This was a slow-paced mystery. I liked it, even though it took quite a number of pages for the story to grab me.
Kirsten Hammarstrom is coming back to her hometown after many years of absence. She was just a nine-year-old girl when Stacy Lemke, her older brother's girlfriend, went missing. Johnny, Kirsten's brother and the school wrestling champion, was the last person to see her alive in a cold, snowy night. He's a suspect in Kirsten's murder investigation, after various searches fail to find her. The Hammarstrom family soon find themselves under close scrutiny and suspect.
Now Kirsten and her siblings come home to deal with family matters and something will bring them to the solution of the mystery.
I liked this book, even though I was able to anticipate the ending. Not that it was particularly predictable; it was just a matter of character use - if a character is mentioned that has no real role in the whole book, they must play a part in the book's conclusion. Most of the story flows as a long flash-back, retelling Kirsten's story from the summer when Johnny and Stacy get together. She meets Stacy first and almost idolizes her. Then, after she and Johnny become a couple, Kirsten realizes that everything is not as good as it seems.
This was a slow-paced mystery. I liked it, even though it took quite a number of pages for the story to grab me.
jen_jacob's review against another edition
4.0
It was a pretty good.book, not the best that I've ever read but it did have some twists.
jmrainzy's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
chelseatm's review against another edition
1.0
I found that this book was poorly written and the precocious young protagonist annoying and dull. She was not exciting enough to lead the book and her point of view of naivete brinking on complete maturation was disbelievable.
The story really didn't need to be told. It could have been done in a more concise way, perhaps from multiple points of view, but staying with the sole, boring protagonist, the story ran stagnant.
The conclusion (the whodunnit if you will) was the only reason I kept reading and even that was a rushed after thought.
I do not recommend this book.
The story really didn't need to be told. It could have been done in a more concise way, perhaps from multiple points of view, but staying with the sole, boring protagonist, the story ran stagnant.
The conclusion (the whodunnit if you will) was the only reason I kept reading and even that was a rushed after thought.
I do not recommend this book.
kdurski's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
labunnywtf's review against another edition
4.0
It's odd. The subject matter of this book is very serious. The tone is very serious, and traumatic and really heart breaking. And yet I walk away feeling like I do after a fluffy book. I don't feel bogged down, and filled with Big Thoughts.
I think that makes me like the book even more.
I loved the characters, even the unlovable ones. I'm looking at you, Emilie and Stacey. Each one feels very real, and I think most anyone can relate to them. Because of the age differences, you can relate to them at different times in your life, which is really lovely.
The tornado of events after Stacey's disappearance were so completely heart breaking, it made me uncomfortable. I genuinely couldn't guess whether Johnny was guilty or not, and it made that entire section all the more gut wrenching. I can see this happening, it probably is happening somewhere. And if I were in the Lemke's place, I would have done far worse. You can't be angry about anyone's feelings here.
I adore debut novels (for the most part). A good author's debut novel is often times their best, because it's the idea that's been floating around their brain, it's their baby, their debut in the writing world. The biggest example of the exception to the rule that I can think of is Christopher Rice, whose first two books were phenomenal, and everything after that went wah wah wahhhh.
I expect great things from this author. Don't let me down.
I think that makes me like the book even more.
I loved the characters, even the unlovable ones. I'm looking at you, Emilie and Stacey. Each one feels very real, and I think most anyone can relate to them. Because of the age differences, you can relate to them at different times in your life, which is really lovely.
The tornado of events after Stacey's disappearance were so completely heart breaking, it made me uncomfortable. I genuinely couldn't guess whether Johnny was guilty or not, and it made that entire section all the more gut wrenching. I can see this happening, it probably is happening somewhere. And if I were in the Lemke's place, I would have done far worse. You can't be angry about anyone's feelings here.
Spoiler
I did not in any way see the twist coming. Until the moment he walked up behind her at the cemetery, he was such a background character I would forget about him until he appeared again, and then, again, he was just background. Paula DeBoard played this beautifully. I didn't see it coming in any way, whatsoever. The creepiness in the truck was done beautifully, and the way it played out, so that everyone in the town knew Johnny was innocent, wasn't too heavy handed.I adore debut novels (for the most part). A good author's debut novel is often times their best, because it's the idea that's been floating around their brain, it's their baby, their debut in the writing world. The biggest example of the exception to the rule that I can think of is Christopher Rice, whose first two books were phenomenal, and everything after that went wah wah wahhhh.
I expect great things from this author. Don't let me down.