Search This Blog
December Reviews Link-Up
2024 Literary Escapes Challenge
- Alabama (1)
- Alaska (1)
- Arizona (1)
- Arkansas (1)
- California (9)
- Colorado (1)
- Connecticut (2)
- Delaware (1)
- Florida (2)
- Georgia (2)
- Hawaii (1)
- Idaho (2)
- Illinois (4)
- Indiana (4)
- Iowa (1)
- Kansas (1)
- Kentucky (1)
- Louisiana (1)
- Maine (1)
- Maryland (1)
- Massachusetts (3)
- Michigan (1)
- Minnesota (2)
- Mississippi (1)
- Missouri (1)
- Montana (1)
- Nebraska (1)
- Nevada (2)
- New Hampshire (1)
- New Jersey (1)
- New Mexico (1)
- New York (9)
- North Carolina (4)
- North Dakota (1)
- Ohio (3)
- Oklahoma (2)
- Oregon (2)
- Pennsylvania (2)
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina (1)
- South Dakota (1)
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (4)
- Utah (2)
- Vermont (2)
- Virginia (2)
- Washington (3)
- West Virginia (1)
- Wisconsin (1)
- Wyoming (2)
- Washington, D.C.* (2)
International:
- Argentina (1)
- Australia (3)
- Bolivia (1)
- Canada (3)
- China (2)
- England (22)
- France (1)
- Ghana (1)
- India (1)
- Indonesia (1)
- Ireland (4)
- Italy (1)
- Poland (1)
- Russia (1)
- Scotland (3)
- The Netherlands (1)
2024 Build Your Library Reading Challenge
Thursday, February 18, 2016
The Mystery of Hollow Places A Breath of Fresh Air
1:52 PM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Aside from a mystical tale about her parents meeting over a dead body at the morgue, Imogene Scott knows little about her mother. Only two facts stand out: Sidonie Scott suffered from depression and she left when Immy was just a toddler. Since then, Immy has relied only on her father, a forensic anthropologist turned bestselling mystery writer. Although her stepmother, Lindy, tries, she and Immy just don't see eye-to-eye. So, when her father fails to come home one night, Immy is naturally distraught. Prone to bi-polar episodes, Joshua Scott could be anywhere doing anything. Because of a vague clue he left behind, Immy believes her father is searching for Sidonie, his one true love. If she can track down her long-lost birth mother, she knows she'll find Joshua as well.
Raised on a steady diet of mystery novels, Immy knows a thing or two about solving difficult puzzles. Using methods gleaned from her favorite stories—including those written by her dad—she uses the few clues she has to follow the trails of her missing parents. As she separates the facts from the fiction she's been told, Immy will make some shocking discoveries about her parents and herself. The more that's revealed, the more she comes to appreciate her perfectly imperfect family, friendships, and future. But, the answers to her deepest questions remain elusive—What happened to Joshua Scott? Does Sidonie have anything to do with his disappearance? Most importantly, why did Immy's mother abandon her? And will Immy's already broken family ever be whole again?
Traditional-type mysteries are a rarity in the world of YA. The Mystery of Hollow Places, a debut novel by Rebecca Podos, thus feels like a breath of fresh air, even though it's really not all that original. Still, there's something to be said for a teen book that focuses more on a mystery than on a romance (or, God forbid, a love triangle) or petty high school dramas. At its heart, The Mystery of Hollow Places is about Immy trying to find someone—not her parents, but herself. All of these elements, plus the story's exciting, fast-paced plot, make it an enjoyable read. I would have liked to encounter more twists in Immy's road to self-discovery (and mystery-solving), but overall, the book kept me both engrossed and entertained. I'm anxious to see what Podos does next.
(Readalikes: Elements of this novel reminded me of One By One by Jojo Moyes)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (a dozen or so F-bombs, plus milder expletives); brief references to illegal drug use and underage drinking; and non-graphic references to sex
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
Subscribe to:
Posts
(Atom)
Reading
Listening
Followin' with Bloglovin'
-
Review: Crap Taxidermy by Kat Su4 hours ago
-
-
Books read in October8 hours ago
-
Spell the Month in Books ~ November9 hours ago
-
-
The 2024 FREE Christmas Scene Calendar12 hours ago
-
-
October 2024 Wrap-Up & November Plans13 hours ago
-
These Deathless Shores By P.H. Low15 hours ago
-
Blog Tour for A Little Place in Prague16 hours ago
-
-
-
-
Distraction Linkity1 day ago
-
-
-
-
Run by Blake Crouch3 days ago
-
-
Randomness....3 days ago
-
-
Monthly Round-up: October 20244 days ago
-
-
-
October Reflections5 days ago
-
-
-
-
Reading Recap September 20244 weeks ago
-
-
-
-
-
Review: The Duke and I2 months ago
-
Girl Plus Books: On Hiatus3 months ago
-
Sunday Post3 months ago
-
-
The Music of 2024: Q24 months ago
-
-
-
-
What Happened to Summer?1 year ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
Are you looking for Pretty Books?2 years ago
-
-
-
-
-
Grab my Button!
Blog Archive
- ► 2021 (159)
- ► 2020 (205)
- ► 2019 (197)
- ► 2018 (223)
- ► 2017 (157)
- ▼ 2016 (157)