Book Review: Missing Since Monday by Ann M. Martin

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Missing Since Monday by Ann M. Martin follows Maggie and her older brother when their father and stepmother leave on a long-delayed honeymoon, trusting the siblings to care for their four-year-old half sister, Courtenay. When Courtenay fails to come home from daycare one Monday afternoon, Maggie and her brother are thrust into a frightening mystery. With no adults around to help, they must piece together what happened and find a way to alert their parents before it’s too late. This standalone novel for readers ages eight to twelve was one I completely missed as a kid, but as an adult and a longtime fan of Ann M. Martin’s The Baby-Sitters Club  series, I couldn’t resist picking it up. The first chapter or two felt a bit choppy to me at first, but once the story found its footing, everything began to come together nicely . Because this is a short children’s book, the characters aren’t deeply developed, which is to be expected. That said, Martin does an excellent job conveying Maggie’...
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Book Review: Trapper Road (Stillhouse Lake, #6) by Rachel Caine and Carrie Ryan

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book review trapper road stillhouse lake 6 rachel caine carrie ryan

Gwen Proctor and Same Cade are back with the rest of the crew in Trapper Road (Stillhouse Lake, #6) by Rachel Caine and Carrie Ryan.  A school shooting happens at the local high school, and Connor's best friend is behind it.  When a teenage girl goes missing in Gardenia, South Carolina, and Gwen is sent to investigate, it's perfect timing for her family to get away from all the publicity from the shooting.

This latest edition in the Stillhouse Lake book series is a bittersweet one.  I am so thankful that Rachel Caine started outlining and writing Trapper Road before her passing and that Carrie Ryan finished it for her.  Rachel would have been proud of the way Carrie finished the manuscript for her.  Based on the acknowledgements at the end of the story, I halfway think that Carrie Ryan may be continuing the series.  One can dream, right?

For those who have yet to read Trapper Road, this book does deal with very real situation of school shootings.  I am thankful that I haven't experienced such a thing and no one I know has either, but the way the shooting and the aftermath was written seemed very realistic.  My heart was pounding throughout the chapters dealing with it, and I don't know how I'd deal with something like this if I were in that situation.  

The other very realistic situation that was written throughout the book was that of a teenage girl that goes missing when she accepts a ride with someone she met online.  I won't reveal what happens, but this whole situation is another that I couldn't imagine and wouldn't wish on anyone.

I tried to savor this novel as long as I could, but once I got halfway through, I couldn't help myself . . . I couldn't wait to find out what would happen and read it as quickly as I could.  There isn't anything I would change about Trapper Road.  It's such a fantastic read. Five out of five stars.

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