The structure of this book reminded me of the S-Town podcast.  There are places in Alabama that are very similar to the description of small town Cold Creek so I was immediately drawn in by the setting.   The investigative journalism gave the story an authentic, unsolved mystery feel which made me forget at times that it was a work of fiction.  This book definitely deserves all the buzz it's been getting.  I can't stop thinking about it.

Sadie is young, heartbroken, and determined to avenge her sister's death. West McCray is a journalist, simply trying to find the next story. While the two don't meet in the beginning of the book, their stories are interwoven. As Sadie follows the trail to find her sister's killer, McCray follows Sadie's trail, just trying to figure out where the missing teen has gone. 

Beautiful, heartbreaking, poignant, disturbing, interesting.... Summers has crafted something both timely and classic. Themes of motherhood, sisterhood, justice, integrity (both moral and journalistic) are all present. Anyone who has ever listened to a podcast can understand McCray's chapters. It's also a nice break from Sadie's chapters-- which are well written, but difficult to take in. It ended up being a quick read for me because I was just so entranced; I wanted to know what was going to happen.. and I was sad in the end when it was over. 

There's sexual assault, rape, and violence in this young adult book.

Originally posted on Forever Young Adult on 2018 September 13

BOOK REPORT for Sadie by Courtney Summers

Cover Story: Montell Jordan
BFF Charm: Let Me Love You
Swoonworthy Scale: 2
Talky Talk: "One Story, Told Week By Week"
Bonus Factors: True Crime Podcasts, Revenge
Anti-Bonus Factor: The Patty Chase Award for Awful Parenting
Relationship Status: Addicted To You

Trigger Warning: Careful, folks. This is a book about sexual assault and pedophilia, both of which are portrayed indirectly through the effects they have on victims. If you are easily triggered by either of these topics, proceed with extreme caution. But also know that this is a phenomenal and powerful book, and if you are able to read it, you absolutely should.

Cover Story: Montell Jordan



This cover is the perfect visual depiction of this book. It's pared down and powerful, and reminds me of artwork for a podcast, which is fitting.

The Deal:

When radio journalist West McCray showed up in Cold Creek, Colorado, he had no idea that the trip would alter his life completely. It was a chance encounter that he happened to overhear some people at the gas station talking about a13-year-old girl named Mattie whose body had been found just outside of town. At his boss' suggestion, West returns to Cold Creek a year later to record a podcast about the murdered girl and her 19-year-old sister, Sadie, who disappeared not long after Mattie's death. What happened to these girls? Who murdered Mattie? Why was the police investigation so botched? And where is Sadie? West's interest turns into obsession as he pieces together each tiny bit of information he can find in the hopes of finding Sadie before it's too late.

Sadie's life was never easy. Her mother disappeared when she was still a kid, and Sadie was left alone to raise Mattie with only the help of a woman named May Beth, who managed the trailer park where the girls lived. Sadie dedicated her life to making sure that Mattie never had to suffer any more than necessary, so when Mattie turns up dead, Sadie's world collapses around her. She knows who murdered Mattie, and she knows exactly what horrors he is capable of. With nothing but a photograph to lead the way, Sadie sets out on a journey to find Mattie's murderer and kill him herself.

BFF Charm: Let Me Love You



I have never wanted to hug a character as much as I wanted to hug Sadie. At 19, she has survived more horrors than most people will experience in a lifetime - if ever. But she doesn't quit, she doesn't whine. She takes all that anger, all that rage and sadness, and she channels it into something productive: justice. While this might make her sound like someone you'd want to keep at arms' length, Sadie also allowed herself, in quiet moments when she was alone on the road, to be heartbreakingly vulnerable. She speaks with a debilitating stutter that has forced her to learn how to listen, to others and herself. She's incredibly smart and brave, and there were times when she indulged herself in wishing life had been different for her. COME HERE, BABY GIRL, LET ME LOVE YOU.

Swoonworthy Scale: 2

As you've probably guessed, this is not a swoony book. Sadie's on a mission, and that mission doesn't involve romance. Besides, Sadie's got Capital-I Issues with the male sex for good reason. Romance may never be in the cards for her. That said, her journey brings her into contact with a handful of attractive young people, and Sadie can't help but imagine what her life might be like if she'd ever had the opportunity to be a normal teenager with crushes and dates and first kisses. The longing for that injected a tiny modicum of swoon into a book that otherwise feels the opposite of swoony.

Talky Talk: "One Story, Told Week By Week"

Sadie alternates chapters between a transcript of West's podcast, The Girls and Sadie's POV as she searches for Mattie's killer. I'm a huge fan of true crime podcasts, and I found myself grinning at the way Summers absolutely nails the tone of those podcasts. A journalist weaving his own storytelling between clips of phone calls and interviews with townspeople - you can even listen to the first "episode" of West's podcast The Girls via Macmillan's website. It was also the perfect balance to Sadie's narration, which you know from the first moment is going to be dark and devastating. Sadie's chapters are heavy with building tension. They get your heart pumping, make you grit your teeth, and by the time they end - frequently on a cliffhanger - you're practically holding your breath. I found myself physically and mentally relaxing a little during the podcast chapters, like I was taking a much needed break before diving back in to Sadie's story.

Sadie's narration is like her: tough, blunt, not wasting words on frivolity or sparing judgment on anymore. But not without a dark, wry sense of humor:

"Calm down" is what people who don't know any better tell me to do, like the difference between having a stutter and not having one is a certain level of inner fucking peace.

But she was also capable of completely ruining me with a single sentence, over and over again. Just one example:

Girl with a busted face, torn-up arm, begging for the opportunity to save other girls. Why do I have to beg for that?

Bonus Factor: True Crime Podcasts



Murderinos, what up! This book should be on the to-read list of anyone who loves true crime podcasts.

Bonus Factor: Revenge



Do you Hate Men™ and want to read about a teen girl hunting down and getting revenge on the worst possible version of a man? Yes, yes you do.

Anti-Bonus Factor: The Patty Chase Award for Awful Parenting



Whoo boy, is Sadie's mom the worst. Addiction is a terrible disease, do not get me wrong, but I couldn't find a whole lot of sympathy for a woman who left her children alone with her string of awful boyfriends their entire childhoods, only to disappear on them for good when they became teenagers. And Sadie's mom is not the only bad parent in this book by a LONG SHOT. It's filled with awful grown ups.

Relationship Status: Addicted To You

This was the first book of Courtney Summers' that I've read, and thank GOD this woman has, like, six other books, because I now have to excuse myself to go read all the rest. I was riveted from the first page to the last, had goosebumps for most of it, and cried multiple times. And let me tell you, hunny, I have a cold dead heart and crying is not a thing I do often. Sadie is wonderful and terrible and devasting and beautiful, and a reminder again and again of how society fails to protect its girls.

Literary Matchmaking:

  

● For another dark and devastating tale about a girl seeking revenge on the man who murdered her sister, you have to read The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis.

● And if you're just really in the mood for dark, twisted stories of girls who do bad things, check out The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes.

● If you're in the mood to read more about struggling family dynamics, pick up The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson.

Courtney Summers has a way of writing stories that are so important for young girls to get their hands on, while also managing to have the most beautiful prose. This isn't one that's just about the mystery. It's more about the everlasting trauma and what happens in the after. Split between Sadie's perspective and the true crime podcast, this manages to keep things interesting. Highly recommended!

As a big fan of Serial Podcast, this book felt like it was written just for me. Summers perfectly captures the distinctive narrative tone of true crime podcasts, and masterfully weaves a compelling novel between transcripts (which you can also listen to online as an actual podcast!). This could easily have fallen flat, but it works really well and I'm so impressed by the concept and how well it was pulled off.

Sadie. More than a mystery and more than a thriller, this book is about pedophilia, abuse, and neglect. A girl who cares for her younger sister as if she were her own daughter. A daughter who has always felt unloved by her mother. A mother lost in herself. Grief. Guilt. Revenge. The author holds nothing back. Read it if you can stomach it. You’ll root for Sadie until the very end. This one’s for The Girls. <3

goodreads.com/fallingasleepreading

Holy. Crap. The ending is vague, but in the best possible way and it had be crying some intense tears. It has the perfect balance of podcast elements with narration from Sadie. It is a dark book so be cautious going in.

Sadie filled me with foreboding so huge I just wanted it to end happily. Silly, right? Because that's not the ending most Missing Girls find all around the world. Courtney Summers has done something so intricately moving and dizzying in Sadie.

True crime as a genre of media is experiencing a surge in popularity in our current culture. There are podcasts, movies, television shows, and books that are all consumed by people who are interested in true crime for various reasons. Courtney Summers newest book looks to both ignite discussion about the way in which we consume this genre and offers up a gripping story in the process.

The story starts with something all too familiar - a dead girl. A dead, pretty, and blonde dead girl. The book immediately makes us think about why certain victims capture public interest compared to others, and the almost obsession there is with young, pretty girls who meet a horrible, tragic ending at all too young an age. It also makes us question why they fade from memory just as quickly as they entered once a face is put to the perpetrator. The sad reality is that a majority of people could easily list a dozen serial killers without too much difficulty but would be unable to name twelve victims. Once it is solved the victim almost becomes secondary

This book makes you examine the ways in which we consume these stories. There is a line about how the grisly details of what happened to Mattie will not be shared because they are not there for our entertainment. It is a jarring, almost a slap in the face, line that deeply resonated with me when I read it. The fact is that plenty of true crime media is offered as entertainment and is consumed as such. The stark reality of this not jut being a story is sometimes lost in the desire to dissect and find out the why.

The book also shines a spotlight on the way in which the focus shifts away from the grieving family left behind. The trauma and hurt that they will have to process and deal with long after the story is splashed across headlines and slowly fades from the news. The 'after' is not something that those on the outside linger on. The lives irrevocably changed by these horrific acts are put in the periphery. This book made me think of why this happens. We keep it at arms length because we can. We can remove ourselves from it and make the families of the higher profile cases relive it as new media is released for 'anniversaries'. It begs us to remember that behind the piece of media we are consuming is an all too crushing reality for someone and a person whose life was ended all too soon.

There are two distinctive narration styles within the book. Each of them compliments and builds off the other. They are dependent on each other in order to tell the whole story. The podcast half of the story is seamlessly woven into the overall arc and is used to flesh out things the reader already knows in a lot of ways. The other half that is Sadie's narration is biting and just as heart crushing as you might expect. Courtney Summers knows how to write fierce, complex, and damaged girls and Sadie is a masterpiece. She's memorable in so many ways, as is her story.

West, the radio personality who attempts to track down Sadie as part of a story, is sort of a stand in for the reader while still being a fully developed character. We see his perspective shift as he gets deeper and deeper into tracking Sadie's footsteps. It becomes more than a story for him by the end of the book and that is what I think Courtney Summers is trying to relay. These are more than just stories and they should impact us as such.

Stories that offer only a glimpse into the lives of the characters we're following can sometimes be frustrating. Those who need everything wrapped in a tidy bow may be frustrated by any of Courtney Summers' books and Sadie is no exception. We get to experience the journey these characters are on but that doesn't mean we own it. We don't necessarily get everything. This works with what I believe the overall message of the book is and just adds to the overall impact of the novel. It's an ending that resonates emotionally and is satisfying even as it is frustrating. This isn't a story meant for happily ever afters and the ending perfect reflects that.

Sadie is the kind of story that gut punches you and demands to be thought about long after you've finished reading it. It has the power to shift the way we think of  how we interact with the media we consume. It's a harrowing story of love and what loss can drive someone to. It's also a incredibly well written book. I cannot recommend it highly enough. It'll easily be one of my top reads of the year and I urge you all to run out and buy a copy. I cannot wait for the discussions it sparks.

An incredibly creative book, not like anything I've ever read before. Any fan of true crime, and/or captivating podcasts would be remiss not to pick this up. They will devour it!

Whoa what a tumultuous read. 

In a small town that America has forgot, is a young girl trying to raise her little sister Mattie wit little help from those around them. Sadie's life is shattered when Mattie is found in a local orchard violently murdered. Sadie takes it upon herself to find the murderer and bring vigilante justice to him. As Sadie works her way across the miles she finds herself closer to the murderer but does she also find herself closer to her own death as well?

National radio personality, West McCray, hears Sadie's story and finds himself unable to not get involved. The investigation he launches starts taking over his life and his hope is he finds Sadie before it's too late.

I had no idea while reading Sadie that it was labeled as a YA read. Any fan of thrillers and mysteries will enjoy this book no matter their age. WARNING: there is plenty of violence, foul language and sensitive subjects (child abuse, child sexual abuse, drug use) throughout the book but all that is what makes this book unable to put down. I almost expected to look up from the book and her my West on the radio talking about a true case. 

The book is written in two forms: a narrative when reading Sadie's thoughts and actions and a podcast transcript when reading West's thoughts and actions. The podcast transcript reading was different but fit this book.

You will be thinking about this book long after you have finished. It will keep you up at night even if you aren't up reading.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed above are completely my own.

When i saw this on netgalley i wanted to read it. But i couldn't until now. I finished in 2 days. I loved it. It is definitely one of the best books that i have ever read. It really hit me hard. It was dark and it was intense. I listened to podcast while i was reading too. It was brillant. I really love Courtney Summers writing.

*This book was given to me by NetGalley in return for a honest review*


"I can't take another dead girl."
This is a testament to what we are capable of in our darkest moments.
Being told by two perspectives: Sadie, the girl missing, and a radio personality, West McCray. The Ominous storyline going back and forth, between the past, Sadie's perspective, and current time, where West is desperately searching for missing Sadie. There is a feeling of being hurdled towards a tragic end and it propels you along the way, gathering little breadcrumbs of hope. I couldn't stop, I had to know what happened, is she okay? I never saw her as the type to be saved, gathered up in the arms of someone caring, but did I want her to exact her revenge? 

Although the story is raw and provoking, I found Summer's writing to be beautiful and poetic. When I finished, I laid back against my pillow and cried. I thought I would wait before writing the review and let the story settle in, but I don't know that I'll ever feel settled with this story, that it will not bring up anxious and complicated feelings every time I think of it. 
This is a story that stays with you.

Every so often a book comes along that is just a complete wrecking ball and thus is was with Sadie. If you are looking for a nice, meek, traditional MC or a variation with a bit more dynamism, look elsewhere. Sadie is every girl who has been failed in the worst ways by those who should have protected her, and has not only survived but found ways to thrive. And then her little sister goes missing and Sadie goes on a mission to find the man who hurt Mattie. Now obviously this resonates for me on multiple levels – not least of which is being the older sister and what lengths we’re willing to go to protect our younger siblings – or revenge them. But Sadie is something more. Summers has managed to echo every girl who has learned that no one is coming to save you, the world is not a kind place to nice girls, in fact you’d better have claws of your own. The story is an interesting split between a podcast tracking Sadie’s disappearance and sightings of her on the road, and Sadie’s first person account. It’s Hard Candy, and The Female of the Species and True Grit all rolled into one, and then it’s not any of those things because Sadie is a book that stands alone. A difficult read at times, but like Summer’s All the Rage, a triumphant shout out for all hurt and abused girls that say we will not sit down and be quiet. We have power. We can act. Highly recommend.

Sadie was a book that I couldn’t put down. It kept me on the edge of my seat just wondering what was going to happen next. Sadie is about the love of a sister. Sadie’s little sister is murdered and Sadie goes on a trek to track down her killer and seek justice. It’s also about radio personality west McCray, and how Sadie’s story affects his life as well

I was a little hesitant going into this book because I don't usually do thrillers, but everyone has been raving about this one. What took away from the book for me was the way it was divided up into this podcast and then the story from Sadie's POV. I really tried, but I just don't think this writing style was for me.

My heart hurts. 

This story starts with Mattie, a thirteen-year-old girl found dead, leaving Sadie, who practically raised Mattie,  behind to grieve. Unable to accept the loss of her sister, Sadie leaves home on a quest to find and exact revenge on who killed the person she cared for most in the entire world. When a local radio host hears the story of these sisters, one dead and another missing, West McCray sets out to solve the mystery of missing Sadie through interviews and clues left behind. 

What makes the novel so amazing is a couple of things: first, the author's ability to make such a rough-yet-likeable protagonist. Sadie is obsessed and passionate, yet battered and torn. She portrays herself as a tough and dangerous person, but she has a debilitating stutter that evokes sympathy or worse from those she tries to intimidate. As a reader, you want her to succeed in finding this man, but also are overwhelmed with the sense that she's in over her head. 

This novel is also told through both Sadie's perspective and West McCray's podcast as he tries to find where Sadie is. Of course, because of the wonderful pacing of this novel, Sadie's narratives leave McCray's podcast to catch up, making it super interesting to see how he unravels the accidental clues she left behind. And oh my god, <spoiler> when I realized that the two timelines were not parallel and were not occurring at the same time!?! I have never read with a sense of urgency like that in my life. I was SO CONCERNED</spoiler>. 

In all honesty, I had the general conflict pinned pretty early, but there was a twist towards the end that I DID NOT SEE COMING AND IT BROKE ME. The sound I made when McCray made the realization that I was too naive to see was not human. Sadie, both the novel and the character, is one of the most heart-wrenching stories I've read. Read this book. It will hurt your soul, but you will love it.

Sadie ripped my heart out with her switchblade. I know that sounds dramatic but for every moment you're wishing for Sadie to get her revenge, you're also wishing that someone, anyone, will save her as she edges ever closer to the brink. 

Framing Sadie's story within a podcast is brilliant. True crime has had a recent boom, though it's safe to say it's always been popular, and it makes Sadie's story feel even more current. It also allows for a look into what the impact of our fascination with this media has on the people involved. 

Sadie's story is impossible to put down, and if The Girls was a real podcast it would probably be top of the iTunes chart. But the pain Sadie leaves behind is knowing that even though this book is fiction, it is the reality of so many others.

DNF

I wish I could say I understand all the hype about this book, but I just don't get it. It reminded me of Gone Girl, about which everyone also raved and which I loathed in both book and movie format. I guess the writing style is just not my gig. Sorry.

I heard so much about this book on Goodreads, so I wanted to see for myself how good it really is. I must say, it did meet my expectations. I got an advanced reader copy from NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Mattie is the center of Sadie’s universe. They have a deadbeat, non-existent mother but Sadie tries to fill in the role of mother for Mattie. When someone murders Mattie in an orchard, Sadie is weighed down by guilt. She forces herself to revisit a web of memories. She goes hunting a ghost of their past, who came back to haunt them. Soon, she becomes the topic of a podcast started by West McCray. He wants to solve the case of the missing girl and find Sadie. The question is, can he? Is she even alive?

When I read the synopsis of the book, I thought it will be a cliché but the writing style proved me wrong. The characterization of Sadie couldn’t be more perfect. The author makes the reader sympathize with the protagonists. I loved the way the author brought the complexities of Sadie and her mother.

The important part of this book isn’t about solving the murder of Mattie but dealing with the trauma of death and seeking vengeance. The author’s writing makes the reader understand Sadie’s helplessness, the sad part is this applicable in reality as well. The narration is brilliant. There are some questions which are left unanswered even at the end of the book, which bothered me a little because there doesn’t seem to be a sequel as well. I think the author wanted to leave the ending as a mystery to the reader, but I am personally not a fan of this.

To sum up the story in a line, a girl with a stutter becomes a runaway to seek revenge for her sister. I recommend, readers who love the revenge stories, bold female protagonists, should not miss this book. A disclaimer, there are a few descriptions of child abuse.

Rating: 3.5/5