16 year old Ellie’s older sister Nina disappeared two years ago without a word. Ellie occasionally thinks she’s found a clue that will lead her to the truth of Nina’s whereabouts, but the clues never pan out. Until one day, one does. Ellie hops in the car with a cute guy she’s just met and embarks on a cross-country adventure to track Nina down. But will she like what she discovers?So, I was really intrigued with this concept, and always thought that the cover was giving some sort of clue that Nina was kidnapped. I expected the novel to have more of a thriller feel, so was initially disappointed when it started out like a typical teen novel with Ellie bantering with her super cool gay co-worker at the coffee shop she works at.
Then there was this scene where Ellie and her best friend Amanda go to this party to follow up on a lead and the house they are in catches fire and burns down. And this is no big deal! It’s also not TOO big of a deal that Ellie decides to leave town for a few days with a total stranger. You see, Ellie has the sort of absentee mother prevalent in teen lit who doesn’t seem to give a damn where her kids are. OK, not my experience certainly, but OK.
And the road trip. Yeah, it’s something I might have done in college, but at 16? Whatever… go with it! I got the feeling the author was going for a sexy, devil-may-care vibe but was getting more a cheesy, creepy vibe and just when I couldn’t take it anymore, BAM!! The narrative takes a turn for the dark and brilliant. And by the end, I could see the first half in a whole new, much more appreciate light.
So…yeah. If you’re the patient type, you’ll be richly rewarded with this very clever, very twisted tale.
WHEREVER NINA LIES is available in paperback now. Find out more about it at the publisher’s website.
I also have 3 copies to give away to my readers. First 3 (US residents) to claim a copy in the comments, get a copy. ETA: All copies have been claimed. See sidebar for a ton of other contests you can enter!
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