Search This Blog
2024 Bookish Books Reading Challenge (Hosted by Yours Truly)
April Reviews Link-Up
May Reviews Link-Up
June Reviews Link-Up
July Reviews Link-Up
August Reviews Link-Up
September Reviews Link-Up
October Reviews Link-Up
November Reviews Link-Up
December Reviews Link-Up
2024 Literary Escapes Challenge
- Alabama (1)
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California (3)
- Colorado (1)
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia (1)
- Hawaii
- Idaho (2)
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana (1)
- Maine (1)
- Maryland
- Massachusetts (2)
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York (2)
- North Carolina (2)
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon (2)
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (1)
- Utah
- Vermont (1)
- Virginia (1)
- Washington (1)
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
- Washington, D.C.*
International:
- Australia (1)
- Canada (1)
- England (7)
- France (1)
- Ireland (1)
- Italy (1)
- Scotland (2)
- The Netherlands (1)
2024 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge
Booklist Queen's 2024 Reading Challenge
2024 52 Club Reading Challenge
2024 Build Your Library Reading Challenge
2024 Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge
2024 Medical Examiner's Mystery Reading Challenge
2024 Mystery Marathon Reading Challenge
Mount TBR Reading Challenge
2024 Pick Your Poison Reading Challenge
Around the Year in 52 Books Reading Challenge
Disney Animated Movies Reading Challenge
Tuesday, February 14, 2017
Despite Familiar Plot, Intriguing Premise Produces Compelling Page Turner
7:01 AM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
It has always been difficult for 15-year-old Nico Morris to live in the shadow of her older sister. Beautiful, popular, and brimming with self-confidence, Sarah is everything Nico is not. Even though Sarah has been gone for four years—she vanished from the Pennsylvania park where she was meeting her older boyfriend when she was 15—her presence still lingers. The disappearance shattered the girls' parents; Nico, however, has felt only relief. No one knows how cruelly Sarah treated her younger sister. The daily taunting, the constant belittling, the never-ending bullying—no, Nico definitely does not miss Sarah.
Then, a miracle occurs: Sarah has been found. Suffering from retrograde amnesia, the 19-year-old can't explain where she's been. She can't even remember the plot of her favorite book. Obviously traumatized, this Sarah is malnourished, shy, and tentative. Most shocking of all, she's nice. Not sure what to make of the stranger beside her, Nico becomes convinced that the interloper isn't Sarah at all. But if she isn't Nico's sister, then who is she? If she is, then Nico has some serious questions for her. What really happened to Sarah Morris? Everyone is asking, but only one person knows the truth ...
I've read a couple books lately with the same premise as the one at the heart of The Stranger Game by Cylin Busby. It's a fascinating idea, one different authors have explored in different ways. Although the plot of The Stranger Game is almost identical to one of the "readalikes" I list below, I still found it to be a compelling page turner. It's tense and twisty, with the kind of ending that makes you go, "Huh." I'm still not sure what I think of it! I do know that I whipped through The Stranger Game in a few hours, anxious to see how it would wrap up. In the end, I liked the book, didn't love it. Still, it's an engrossing psychological thriller that will appeal to fans of Gillian Flynn and Ruth Ware.
*A couple interesting tidbits about this book and author:
—Busby has a disappearance story of her own, which she writes about in a memoir called The Year We Disappeared.
—The Stranger Game was inspired by the fascinating true case of Nicholas Barclay, a Texas boy who disappeared when he was 13. Warning: to avoid spoilers, read about Nicholas only after you've read The Stranger Game.
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (a few F-bombs, plus milder expletives), violence, and depictions of underage drinking
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
7 comments:
Comments make me feel special, so go crazy! Just keep it clean and civil. Feel free to speak your mind (I always do), but be aware that I will delete any offensive comments.
P.S.: Don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away. I have to approve each one before it posts to prevent spam. It's annoying, but it works!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments
(Atom)
Reading
Swimming in a Sea of Stars by Julie Wright
Listening
The Tobacco Wives by Adele Myer
Followin' with Bloglovin'
Followin' with Feedly
-
-
-
-
Orwell, George "The Road to Wigan Pier"16 hours ago
-
-
-
The Cowgirl Nanny17 hours ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
A Death in Venice by Verity Bright1 day ago
-
-
42. Before Nightfall2 days ago
-
-
Top Ten Tuesday ~ Come Sail Away2 days ago
-
-
-
None of This is True by Lisa Jewell3 days ago
-
Novel Love Story4 days ago
-
-
Beneath Unknown Skies4 days ago
-
-
Invisible Woman by Katia Lief1 week ago
-
Reading Recap March 20241 week ago
-
Waiting on Wednesday - Think Twice2 weeks ago
-
-
-
March Monthly Wrap-up2 weeks ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
What Happened to Summer?6 months ago
-
6/25/23 Extra Ezra9 months ago
-
-
-
-
-
Are you looking for Pretty Books?1 year ago
-
-
-
-
-
Grab my Button!
Blog Design by:
Blog Archive
- ► 2021 (159)
- ► 2020 (205)
- ► 2019 (197)
- ► 2018 (223)
- ▼ 2017 (157)
- ► 2016 (157)
- ► 2015 (188)
- ► 2014 (133)
- ► 2013 (183)
- ► 2012 (193)
- ► 2011 (232)
- ► 2010 (257)
- ► 2009 (211)
- ► 2008 (192)
2023 - Middle Grade Fiction
2022 - Middle Grade Fiction
2021 - Middle Grade Fiction
2020 - Middle Grade Fiction
Oh, you totally can't do that. Now I I have to read about the story this was based on.
ReplyDeleteBwahahahaha! I only read a little bit of the true story, but it's fascinating.
DeleteThis plot does feel familiar even though I haven't read any of your readalikes. But the fact that you were able to read it so fast says a lot. Might have to give this one a try. :)
ReplyDeleteYeah, I've read a number of books with similar premises lately. Of this one and the two readalikes I mentioned below, I liked this one best.
DeleteI watched a documentary on this author and her family and found it fascinating though terrifying. While not the most original this does sound fascinating and compelling. I never mind too much if a book isn't unique if it keeps me entertained!
ReplyDeleteReally? I'll have to look for the documentary after I read the memoir. It sounds like a really interesting story.
DeleteI love when a book is based kind of on real events. Even if not great I love when a book sucks you in. I will have to check this one out!
ReplyDelete