Anyway, today I have a book I read on accident. Yep, that's right. I didn't mean to read this book. Can I just say how glad I am that I picked it up and started it? It's captivating, touchy, and dark on so many levels. Before I go off on a tangent, let me give you information about the title.
Title: Have You Seen This Girl? (Flocksdale Files #1)
Author: Carissa Ann Lynch
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Thriller
Length (print): 224 pages
Buy Link: Amazon Kindle FREE
Blurb:Wendi Wise is a troubled young woman who snorts her breakfast through a straw and spends more time in rehab than in the real world…
Her life is seemingly out of control.
But now she has a plan.
That plan involves a sharp set of butcher knives.
She's going back to where all of her troubles began…
Flocksdale.
Wendi was lured away from a local skating rink, at the age of thirteen, and held captive in a place she calls 'The House of Horrors.' Dumped off blindfolded on the side of a dirt road, Wendi soon discovered that she was addicted to the drugs they fed her while she was captive.
Too scared to go home, and having a new habit to deal with, she hopped on a bus, vanishing from the family she loved.
Vanishing from Flocksdale…
The town of Flocksdale is littered with fliers with a grainy image of young Wendi, and the words 'Have You Seen This Girl?' written below.
Now, eight years later, she's on a mission—a mission to find the mysterious house from her youth and the monsters who dwell inside it.
“This is the end, beautiful friend, the end…”
Now, ON to my review!
I picked up this book on Amazon via the recommendation of a friend of mine, and I only intended to read part of it and put it down. Needless to say, that didn't happen. I couldn't tear my eyes away from the pages. Lynch has such an easy writing style, I got caught up in wanting to know what happened to the main character by page one. Yes, that's right, page one. There are sorrowful tales, and there are tales of weak women who let life beat them down as they cry out, "Poor me!" This is not that book. It tackles a touchy, scary subject, and it does it well. Before I get lost, let me give you the juicy part of my review.
From a Reader's Perspective:
Intrigue, kick ass women, and a story that will keep me on the edge of my seat are some of my favorite go-to books of all time. I despise anyone who sits down and "takes it" without a fight. Dear Wendi Wise was not that girl. She has the crap kicked out of her, is scared to death, and endures an experience that would leave most people crying in their cornflakes, but she drags herself up, cleans herself off, and taps into her inner snark to find some justice. I loved her. As damaged as she is, I absolutely love Wendi Wise. Not for her damaged parts, oh no, but for the person inside she held on to through it all. Win! Pacing was beautiful, and I never found myself bored while reading. Flocksdale was well painted in my mind, but the author didn't over-describe the setting. It was just enough. I like being able to use my imagination, and Lynch let me do that over and over again.
There were times I wanted to throw my Kindle across the room, but that just means I was being moved on a deep level. How deeply the corruption ran blew me away, and I never saw the twist in the end coming. It hit me like a runaway train splintering a car, and my mind exploded with the revelation.
From an Editor's Perspective:
Whoever worked on this book: Well done! I wasn't moved to mark much. One thing that bugged me was a weird inconsistency I found, and the other was something not many people would catch. 1) In chapter fifty-three, our heroine does not clean the blood off her person before leaving the house with our hero, but she talks about having the blood all over her later on. 2) In chapter sixty-one, our hero uses the zoom feature on his camera--which is supposed to be a Polariod. That was it. Not even sure most readers would've picked up on it, but I'm a stickler for the details.
Rating:
1 Star for addressing a touchy subject without fear
1 Star for pacing like a lady boss
1 Star for that twist I never saw coming
1 Star for making Wendi a tough, snarky, kick ass woman
.5 Star for editing
-.5 Star for the flubs in the storyline
Overall, 4.5 out of 5 stars! You'll see five clicked in my review because I round up, not down. Recommended for those who love a great thriller with invisible twists.
What do you think? Plan to pick it up?
Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!
Jo
