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4.1 AVERAGE
4.1 AVERAGE
Sadie hasn't had an easy life. Growing up on her own, she's been raising her sister Mattie in an isolated small town, trying her best to provide a normal life and keep their heads above water.
But when Mattie is found dead, Sadie's entire world crumbles. After a somewhat botched police investigation, Sadie is determined to bring her sister's killer to justice and hits the road following a few meager clues to find him.
When West McCray―a radio personality working on a segment about small, forgotten towns in America―overhears Sadie's story at a local gas station, he becomes obsessed with finding the missing girl. He starts his own podcast as he tracks Sadie's journey, trying to figure out what happened, hoping to find her before it's too late.
Haunting. Heart aching. Truthful. Inspirational.
There are so many other words that I can describe this book, but that might take me a while. SADIE was a story that filled me with a lot of emotions, touching me in so many ways. I had it on hold at library, expect it had a lot holds and was taking a while, so I ended up buying it. I’m so glad that I did. It didn’t take me long to fall in love with the story, the characters. I loved both Sadie and West and like West I wanted to find Sadie. I couldn’t get enough of Sadie’s story and from start, I wonder if Mattie’s murder was only reason she left, she went after Keith. I wonder if she would succeed. I did have this feeling that Sadie wouldn’t stop, not until she did, not until she got revenge. SADIE will have you on edge of your seat, from start until the end. That ending though, it left me with more questions then answers. I wondered, What happened next? how could you not with an ending like that? Sadie is a fictional character, but to me she felt real. I couldn’t help but wondered what happened with her next.
SADIE was a bit different then the other young adult books I read this year, and that’s one of the things that I loved about this book. I like listening to podcasts, and I thought it was great idea to have book written from Sadie’s point of view and West’s podcast and of course I loved the name, The Girls which fit the theme of podcast so well. It was interesting to read it, to see what West would discover, and people he would meet and interview along the way. I know that West didn’t want to do this at first, and I loved fact that once he started, he didn’t give up. Despite not having met Sadie, I felt as he started to care about her, in his search of her. I loved Sadie, I felt horrible for her, I can’t imagine losing a sibling the way that she lost her sister. Though I don’t think I would been able do what she did. Sadie is brave, with everything that happened and that she went through. I loved how determined she was, not once did she give up. I did wonder, once it came down to it, if she would be able to go through it. I was rooting for her, and I hoped that once she did what she needed to, she would come home.
SADIE was the first novel that I read by COURTNEY SUMMERS and once I read it, I wondered why it took me this long to read her books. Now that I have, I can’t wait to discover her other books, to go on more adventures. I already know that she is going be an author I am going love, I already do. Her book, it was hard to read at time, but it felt real and it was inspiring. SADIE will break your heart, but at same time I feel as if it’s a book that everyone should read. A story that will stay with you, long after you turn the last page.
But when Mattie is found dead, Sadie's entire world crumbles. After a somewhat botched police investigation, Sadie is determined to bring her sister's killer to justice and hits the road following a few meager clues to find him.
When West McCray―a radio personality working on a segment about small, forgotten towns in America―overhears Sadie's story at a local gas station, he becomes obsessed with finding the missing girl. He starts his own podcast as he tracks Sadie's journey, trying to figure out what happened, hoping to find her before it's too late.
Haunting. Heart aching. Truthful. Inspirational.
There are so many other words that I can describe this book, but that might take me a while. SADIE was a story that filled me with a lot of emotions, touching me in so many ways. I had it on hold at library, expect it had a lot holds and was taking a while, so I ended up buying it. I’m so glad that I did. It didn’t take me long to fall in love with the story, the characters. I loved both Sadie and West and like West I wanted to find Sadie. I couldn’t get enough of Sadie’s story and from start, I wonder if Mattie’s murder was only reason she left, she went after Keith. I wonder if she would succeed. I did have this feeling that Sadie wouldn’t stop, not until she did, not until she got revenge. SADIE will have you on edge of your seat, from start until the end. That ending though, it left me with more questions then answers. I wondered, What happened next? how could you not with an ending like that? Sadie is a fictional character, but to me she felt real. I couldn’t help but wondered what happened with her next.
SADIE was a bit different then the other young adult books I read this year, and that’s one of the things that I loved about this book. I like listening to podcasts, and I thought it was great idea to have book written from Sadie’s point of view and West’s podcast and of course I loved the name, The Girls which fit the theme of podcast so well. It was interesting to read it, to see what West would discover, and people he would meet and interview along the way. I know that West didn’t want to do this at first, and I loved fact that once he started, he didn’t give up. Despite not having met Sadie, I felt as he started to care about her, in his search of her. I loved Sadie, I felt horrible for her, I can’t imagine losing a sibling the way that she lost her sister. Though I don’t think I would been able do what she did. Sadie is brave, with everything that happened and that she went through. I loved how determined she was, not once did she give up. I did wonder, once it came down to it, if she would be able to go through it. I was rooting for her, and I hoped that once she did what she needed to, she would come home.
SADIE was the first novel that I read by COURTNEY SUMMERS and once I read it, I wondered why it took me this long to read her books. Now that I have, I can’t wait to discover her other books, to go on more adventures. I already know that she is going be an author I am going love, I already do. Her book, it was hard to read at time, but it felt real and it was inspiring. SADIE will break your heart, but at same time I feel as if it’s a book that everyone should read. A story that will stay with you, long after you turn the last page.
Tragic, in the way of Demon Copperhead, but the method of writing kept much of the pain at arm's length so it could be observed but did not overwhelm. The full cast audiobook with all the different character voices was a definite bonus.
Page turnability: 5/5
Depth: 5/5
Page turnability: 5/5
Depth: 5/5
This book was really sad and dark.
Throughout the book, I was hoping that Maddie would maliciously come back to like be like SURPRISE. My heart just ached for Sadie with how much love she held for her sister.
This story contained pedophilia and sexual abuse so warning for that. The story did not get into any explicit detail with this but you could still fell the impact of what happened.
And that ending. Some people may like it, some people may hate it but I felt like it was appropriate because sometimes you are just not meant to know what happens.
Throughout the book, I was hoping that Maddie would maliciously come back to like be like SURPRISE. My heart just ached for Sadie with how much love she held for her sister.
This story contained pedophilia and sexual abuse so warning for that. The story did not get into any explicit detail with this but you could still fell the impact of what happened.
And that ending. Some people may like it, some people may hate it but I felt like it was appropriate because sometimes you are just not meant to know what happens.
Warnings: Violence, sexual assault, pedophilia.
Sadie is a book that reminds me why I usually only read a few contemporary dramas/fiction novels a year. They often hit way too close to home, and boy did “Sadie” hit like a car against a brick wall. And you can’t look away.
Despite that I actually highly recommend it. While a gut punch it’s well written, paced and plotted so that the mystery is still satisfying to uncover while never letting you forget what the book is trying to do. Summers focuses the story on the victims and the effects the crime has on them, where too many stories still focus on the perpetrators or sensationalism that comes with a crime. It’s a book that will hopefully start conversations on the topics of assault and how systems both established and not help further it, as it seems is the authors intention.
Sadie is a book that reminds me why I usually only read a few contemporary dramas/fiction novels a year. They often hit way too close to home, and boy did “Sadie” hit like a car against a brick wall. And you can’t look away.
Despite that I actually highly recommend it. While a gut punch it’s well written, paced and plotted so that the mystery is still satisfying to uncover while never letting you forget what the book is trying to do. Summers focuses the story on the victims and the effects the crime has on them, where too many stories still focus on the perpetrators or sensationalism that comes with a crime. It’s a book that will hopefully start conversations on the topics of assault and how systems both established and not help further it, as it seems is the authors intention.
Trigger warnings: sexual abuse, child abuse/molestation, pedophilia, violence, drug abuse, murder
I listened to SADIE as an audiobook and I wanted to preface this review by saying if you have the opportunity to consume this story via audiobook, please do. The full cast narration is extraordinary and the podcasts that are interspersed throughout the novel are presented like actual podcasts which definitely added another layer to the story as a whole.
In my opinion, SADIE tackles a lot of really difficult topics, but gives an appropriate time to each in such a way that fosters a feeling of understanding, empathy, and emotional weight. Unlike others that tackle similar topics, Summers includes each with purpose and explores them with the importance that they deserve. I thoroughly enjoyed the inclusion of all characters' perspectives with the interviews conducted as well as I felt it both gave credibility to Sadie's journey while also painting a picture of her trauma as these highlighted the discrepancies in how she perceived the world around her because of her past experiences. I found that each character was given an opportunity at humanity despite their actions which definitely allowed the reader to understand the reality of each situation and how these people come to do the things they do. All in all, while definitely a heavy novel, I'm really glad to have been able to explore Sadie's journey and learn more about those in similar circumstances through her character.
I listened to SADIE as an audiobook and I wanted to preface this review by saying if you have the opportunity to consume this story via audiobook, please do. The full cast narration is extraordinary and the podcasts that are interspersed throughout the novel are presented like actual podcasts which definitely added another layer to the story as a whole.
In my opinion, SADIE tackles a lot of really difficult topics, but gives an appropriate time to each in such a way that fosters a feeling of understanding, empathy, and emotional weight. Unlike others that tackle similar topics, Summers includes each with purpose and explores them with the importance that they deserve. I thoroughly enjoyed the inclusion of all characters' perspectives with the interviews conducted as well as I felt it both gave credibility to Sadie's journey while also painting a picture of her trauma as these highlighted the discrepancies in how she perceived the world around her because of her past experiences. I found that each character was given an opportunity at humanity despite their actions which definitely allowed the reader to understand the reality of each situation and how these people come to do the things they do. All in all, while definitely a heavy novel, I'm really glad to have been able to explore Sadie's journey and learn more about those in similar circumstances through her character.
"Sadie" was an incredible novel. Dark, suspenseful, disturbing. I recommend doing a little bit of research into the subject matter of this book before as it can be, and was for me personally, very triggering. I found the book to be worth those triggers for me, but not everybody might feel the same way.
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence
2.5. I didn’t find this all that suspenseful or compelling and the ending disappointed me. The podcast felt...gimmicky.
Edit: And the more I think about it, the ending (the writer’s lack of showing any of it) is a cop-out and extremely disappointing. This entire time we’re on a journey with this character who has one goal that she’s desperately trying to reach and then she approaches the character she’s after and it shows absolutely nothing. The gimmicky podcast takes over and we never find out what happened. I’m really frustrated the more I process this.
Edit: And the more I think about it, the ending (the writer’s lack of showing any of it) is a cop-out and extremely disappointing. This entire time we’re on a journey with this character who has one goal that she’s desperately trying to reach and then she approaches the character she’s after and it shows absolutely nothing. The gimmicky podcast takes over and we never find out what happened. I’m really frustrated the more I process this.