Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC.

This book is a fictionalized account of the kidnapping of Sally Horner in 1948 which inspired the story Lolita. Sally Horner was tricked into going with Frank LaSalle when she was just 11 years old. When Sally attempts to join in with the girls in her class by shoplifting a composition book from Woolworths, LaSalle catches her in the act and tells her he's a FBI agent. Sally believes him. What follows is harrowing journey for Sally from Camden, New Jersey to San Jose, California.

T. Greenwood is one of my favorite authors and she did not disappoint with this novel. The characters in this story all have believable voices. Sally is portrayed as naive, but yet, also smart. My daughter is currently twelve years old and I could see her in Sally. Which is also extremely frightening given the story. Sally is so vulnerable and trusting for so long with Frank. He is a monster and I know there are still monsters like him out in the world. Then the real life ending of Sally's life makes the story even more harrowing. Though the story is sad T. Greenwood makes it hard to put down.

The story of Sally Horner, the inspiration for Nabokov's book Lolita. Gripping, heart-wrenching and ultimately unputdownable.

4.5 Stars.

OH. MY. GOSH.....HEARTBREAKING.

June 1948....Lonely at age 11, all Florence "Sally" Horner wanted was friends....to belong....to join the secret girls club, but her initiation to steal at Woolworth's proves disastrous as a predator is watching and preparing to make his move....take his next victim.

Based on a true life kidnapping, RUST AND STARDUST is an "imagined rendering" of what might have actually happened during the two years Sally spent with a disgusting slithering snake...sex pervert...lier...and destroyer of the young and innocent.

After finishing the novel, I did a bit of research....found the staged swing photo....read more about Sally's family and discovered so much of the story is indeed factual. Great job by T. Greenwood to bring her story to life and to our attention. (Nabokov's classIc, LOLITA was also inspired by the life of Sally Horner.)

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC coming August 7, 2018 in exchange for my review.

This book shines on every level: sentence after sentence is beautiful and precise. The characters are complicated and sympathetic, the ideas are sweeping and profound, but are never too overt. It’s a rare novel that is as accomplished in its meaning as it is in its storytelling while also succeeding wildly on the language level as well! A novel to lose yourself in and then reflect upon again and again.

You can never go wrong with a T. Greenwood novel. This, as usual, is gorgeous and heart-wrenching, full of fully-realized characters with whom to empathize. The tension created in this story is outstanding and will keep the pages turning. I knew it was a fictionalized account of the kidnapping that inspired Nabakov's LOLITA, but I didn't know much of the particulars of the case.

Tammy creates such a vivid portrayal of the late '40s/early '50s as well as the interior worlds of all of her characters. I loved the choice to show perspectives of not only Sally, her mother, and her sister, but the other women she came into contact with in the years of her abduction. (I also loved to conscious omission of Frank's POV.) Seeing so many angles provides a three-dimensional rendering of the effects this type of event has on the central characters as well as those around them; the ripples extend far. The writing is beautiful as always, and the color imagery is Tammy's strongest since UNDRESSING THE MOON. Her use of red is especially noticeable. The final chapters also resonate with the titular stardust and are, quite simply, luminous.

The subject matter may be difficult for some readers, so this won't be for everyone, but I found it to be a sensitive approach.

(Worth noting that I edited the author's 8 previous books, so a smidge biased. :) )

Fantastic yet very sad book and I struggled to read parts, but it has you hooked.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC Ebook for my Kindle.
I've read several of T. Free Wood's books and liked them; however this one wasn't one I enjoyed. Child abuse is a subject I don't read about and so I skimmed over the book.

When a book opens with a quote from Lolita, you know you are in for a disturbing and heartbreaking story. Even the title, Rust and Stardust, comes from a poem Humbert wrote for Dolores Haze. Reading the first chapter convinced me that I don't need to stop to sleep, eat or answer my phone, I simply devoured this book in 4 hours! I am still shaken, especially after seeing images of true protagonists of this story, real people long gone now. If these dramatic stories didn't exist in real life, I wonder if writers would be able to create them on their own?

The story is about Sally Horner, a girl kidnapped by a proven child molester. She was just 11 years old and gullible as one can be at that age. He tricked her into believing he was from the FBI and took her with him. They spent almost 3 years together. There are not many testimonies from the two of them, so the majority of the book is fiction, but the facts are proven and true. This made me so upset while reading, because I had to google those facts after every chapter, just to make sure that this is how it really went down!

We get a glimpse of Sally's life, but also what it might have been for her mother and sister, her friends and people who met her along the way. The amount of guilt that everyone harbors after such traumatic event is because everyone is responsible for this. Turning your heads away because it's to complicated to raise your voice, not wanting to believe just because it sounds messed up and sick, makes every person in a community and country partially responsible for letting these kinds of things happen. I even remembered some minor events that I witnessed during my lifetime and I felt guilty as hell, just because of this book!

I loved a voice that T. Greenwood gave to Sally. She really was just a girl, naive, scared and easy to manipulate. While reading, I had to remind myself that this was a child, not an adult who knew what is the proper way to defend yourself or find an escape. I had to remember what it was like to think that every adult is smart and important, that you listen when they speak and you do as you are told. I personally hated the mother, but not for the lack of good writing! Her character was despicable, but I guess that was just me. Her reasons and driving forces were well explained and I enjoyed this author very, very much! Other characters were also magnificent, each one was there for a reason and I loved them.

I almost rated this book a 4, because there were things that just didn't sound believable to me. Then I remembered, this was 1948! Even the police couldn't perform then what I can do now on my smartphone. After reminding myself of this, I felt even more how helpless those people were and how lucky we are today for all the resources and science progress we have.

I am not the one for tears while reading (unless the book is Call Me by Your Name, then I'm a mess), but the ending will move even the toughest 'I've seen it all' readers. It was truly emotional and deep and I will remember this story for a long time. When you close the book and read the last page, only then you get the meaning of the red fabric on the cover of this book. Oh my God! Symbolism at its finest!

The year is 1948 when eleven year old Sally Horner walks into her local Woolworth's. She's on a mission, a simple dare from some girls at school - steal something and you will be accepted as part of our group. What follows, however, is anything but simple when Frank LaSalle; a recently released convict and child abductor sees an opening and takes Sally captive. This novel traces the two years that Sally spent as his captive; clocking the mental and physical assault she suffered at his hands as they made their way across the country avoiding the law. Sally's story, unfortunately, is one we've seen many times before - but what makes her story even more fascinating is that this real life abduction became the inspiration for Vladimir Nabokov's 'Lolita'.

In a world before Amber alerts, before the internet and security cameras the abduction of a child seems far more harrowing. This novel, while a fictional portrayal of a real life kidnapping, is difficult to read at times. Watching a grown man's abuse and psychological terrorism on a child and Sally's subsequent loss of innocence painful and chilling. I had to step back from my reading at points and remind myself that this story was real. That this poor girl suffered this abuse for as long as she did.

This novel snuck up on me with quite a lasting impact.

This book was incredibly hard to get through. I had to force myself to read each page as I cringed a little more. The fact that it is based on a true story makes me sick for the victim. This was such a tragedy for that little girl. A gripping read if you're a fan of real life tragedy

This is a beautifully written book, based on the real life story that spawned Lolita. It is gripping from the very beginning, and doesn’t let you go until the very end. You will find yourself feeling the full spectrum of emotions while reading this, much of which will be heartache and even anger, but it is completely worth the read!

Unfortunately this wasn’t for me. It had nothing to do with the writing but the story. My stomach hurt every time I read it. Not one single person who this girl encountered did right by her. I also couldn’t wrap my head around her mother letting her leave town with someone she didn’t even know. Different era maybe, but still I could not identify at all with the mom. Well written book but understand the subject matter is constant abuse.

It’s incredibly difficult to review such a heartbreaking book but all credit to the author for making a magnificent read. So very beautifully written and done with such sensitivity...hard to think how this could ever happen and the fact it’s based on a true story makes it even harder ..5 great big stars and many many thanks to the author for a wonderful read.

*Standing ovation, thunderous applause, wipe tear from cheek.* This book is one of the most precious reads I’ve ever read. An absolute masterpiece! The tragic story of Florence Sally Horner, the crime that inspired Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita, pours itself onto the pages of Rust & Stardust.

A lot of the books I’ve read recently contain a plot that slowly builds, has an action-packed climax and an ending that leaves me in desire of closure. This book isn’t like that. It begins gripping you from the first page and pulls you in, more and more. I felt such waves of emotions during this read. I felt fear, anger, disgust, sorrow, peace, hopeful. There were a few times I found myself wiping a single tear from my eye. (And I’m not usually that kind of reader.)

T. Greenwood has breathed life into Sally’s story unlike any before. She has taken a very sensitive topic and written with such tact and poise that should be commemorated. I highly recommend this read to everyone.

I would like to thank T. Greenwood, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the digital galley. This was a story that will always be part of my highly recommendation.

Rust & Stardust is the story of the real abduction of Sally Horner, the case which became the inspiration for Nabokov's Lolita. I confess I didn't realize there was such a case or such an inspiration, so that was interesting to me.

Overall, the story is told from multiple viewpoints--although Sally's abductor's voice is absent (which was fine, since I still have Humbert Humber's voice ringing in my ears), and takes some surprising twists and turns.

Very fast paced and very intriguing. I enjoyed how it kept me hooked and it was an original story. Nowadays so many books read the same. Highly recommend

As the description says, this is probably one of the most gripping and heart-wrenching novels I've read this year. It's hard to imagine this happening to an 11-year-old girl. Truly an unbelievable and tragic story. The author blends historical detail and fiction to create the perfect balance. The tension builds as the plot develops. to a point where the reader feels as helpless as the characters. I will admit there were a few instances in which I wanted to shake the police into action as I was so incredibly frustrated by their incompetence! The subject matter is not an emotionally easy one as it focuses on the kidnapping and sexual abuse of a child but the book itself is incredibly well written and extremely hard to put down. Yes!! Read this book if the plot is of interest to you.

This book was so heart wrenching. To know that its based off true events makes it all the more tragic.



Sally only wants to have friends. She doesn't understand why nobody likes her and when the chance appears to become friends with the popular girls, she jumps at it. Never could she have imagined what she would have to endure for years to come.



I think what really got to me was how Sally's story ended. I won't give anything away, but it made my heart ache for her even more.



A heart wrenching story that will leave you hugging your kids tight.

T. Greenwood is a virtuoso of a writer at this point in her career. In Rust & Stardust, she pulls off the feat of bringing to life a sordid but important tale. It’s never been more timely and she presents the victim’s POV from the real-life story of Lolita so deeply that it’s impossible not to be affected. It’s a page-turner, too. Go back and read her other books if you like this one, she’s truly a great writer.

Great read!! I couldn't believe how easily this girl's life completely changed, just like that. You find yourself saying run!! get out of there while you can!! kick him..call someone. It is HARD to not get emotionally involved in this book. All the people she meets along the way, I just can't believe it took so long for her to speak up. I liked that this book was not super detailed about the rape scenarios. I did think there were a few parts that really were too much detail. Too much on and on about stuff you have already figured out earlier in the book. I really enjoyed the book, it was a page turner for sure! And that ending...jeez. Never saw that coming..

I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the opportunity!