“I’m going to kill a man. I’m going to steal the light from his eyes. I want to watch it go out.” 

Powerful. Emotional. Gripping.

Just three words I would use to describe Sadie by Courtney Summers. I knew I needed this book after adoring All the Rage and I was not disappointed.

Sadie is a cleverly written YA thriller that had me gripped from the very beginning. We follow the story of Sadie who has gone missing whilst attempting to avenge the murder of her little sister Mattie. But this is so far from your usual ‘I’m getting revenge’ story. Sadie is fuelled by her anger, her disappointment, every emotion she has been left after being dealt a really rough hand in her young life. I very quickly learnt that I loved Sadie and no matter what she did, I was going to love her.

The story is told through two very different types of narrative. There are chapters told from Sadie’s point of view so we can see what she has been doing, where she is going next and we really do feel every ounce of her sadness, anger and emotion. Alternate chapters are then told in podcast transcripts as Marybeth, Sadie’s guardian of sorts, enlists the help of a podcaster to try and solve the mystery of where Sadie has gone. I really loved the way these contrasted against one another. Knowing what you know from Sadie’s POVs and then seeing the podcast on her tail really amped up the tension and excitement as I read. I’ve heard that MacMillan have actually made some podcasts too so I’m excited to check those out!

This story is just breathtaking. Courtney Summers is an exceptional writer who really crawls into the minds of her characters, making all of their emotions and choices feel so real. As a reader, I felt so strongly for Sadie and wanted to protect her but also felt complicit in her actions as I could completely understand why she was doing what she was doing. Mattie’s murder sparked something in Sadie and she will not rest until justice is served, but her own kind of justice. Her journey is something she is doing for herself and seeing her struggle but remain still and strong was remarkable and inspiring. It left me wondering what I could be capable of if my own sister was murdered.

Sadie is an absolutely captivating protagonist and I sobbed my heart out whilst reading this book because I could truly feel what she was feeling. I worried for her, I felt panicky as she became more and more reckless and heartbroken for this young girl who feels so strongly that the world is completely against her. There is something incredibly special about Sadie as a character and her story is going to stick with me for a very long time.

TW: Paedophilia; sexual abuse; drug abuse.

Thanks to NetGalley, St Martin’s Press and Courtney Summers for my copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

When I received this book compliments of Wednesday Books, as an ARC, I thought it was a rather slow read.  The premise is one I relish—revenge.  Our protagonist is introduced by a webcast host, West McCray, whose show, The Girls, exposes and introduces the public to crimes against children—and basically single mothers who are preyed on by pedophiles. Sadie, the main character of this tale, switches points of view with our webcast narrator.  She goes in search of her sister's killer and doggedly does so with the determination of a woman who has one purpose in life and that’s to avenge every single victim left by her sister's murderer. We’re led on a chase that takes us through the south as Sadie tries to find traces of a man who’s changed his name so many times that people are ending up confused at first until they realize that he’s a man who’d set out to deceive from the very beginning.  Sadie's search exposes other victims and predators—and I was gripped by the storytelling though Sadie's eyes, and I just kept rooting for her.
When she finally gets to the final destination of her prey, it was so suspenseful because there’s this huge part of me that hopes that she lived through her attacker's attack, yet a small part of me thinks she may have just barely escaped from him,  yes, he dies, but we never hear from our Sadie again.  It’s a beautifully woven tale that makes for a great mystery read. I totally recommend this to all my fellow readers out there. #sadie #courtneysummers #septemberawesomereads #netgalley #goodreads #bookriot

*3.5 Stars*

I am so sad that I struggled with this one. I have recently fallen in love with podcasts, especially true crime ones. Because of that, once I read the synopsis of this book, I knew I had to pick it up!

This book is very uniquely written. Half of it is written from Sadie’s point of view and the other half is transcript from the podcast. This was such an amazing idea but I struggled with the timing, and the transitions between the two. 

I did enjoy the overall storyline but there were a few things that really bothered me. I wish it was explained a little bit more, how Sadie knew who killed her sister. It was very briefly mentioned but I honestly didn’t remember it until after reading other reviews and going back to check in the book. There were some things that I felt were thrown in just for shock factor but didn’t align with the plot very well. 

I do hope that this is not the last book in this world. I think the premise is amazing and could be AMAZING. I know I have a uncommon opinion with this book and may decide to pick it up and give it another try later because it’s the kind of book I would normally love.

Note: There is also an real podcast for this book now! I may have to give it a listen and see how it goes.

Trigger Warnings: Child Sexual Abuse, Neglect, Violence

Grateful to have received a complimentary ARC copy to honestly review.

It has been a while since a book broke me up like this. I expected Sadie by Courtney Summers to be a racy thriller/suspense with a family element. What I didn't expect was for the book to be such an emotional read.

I think what stands out the most for me is the characters. Sadie was such a relatable character and I was invested in her story completely. I could feel her pain over losing Mattie and her helplessness over it. The writing was captivating and addictive. I worried in the beginning that the pacing would be slow but in fact, it was just perfect. I didn't lose interest even once through the entire book.

Another interesting aspect that I liked was the story format. Every alternate chapter is written in the form of a transcript of a podcast about the missing girls and that's something very unique that I haven't come across before. It definitely added to the suspense feel.

Lastly, I NEED MORE. THAT ENDING WASN'T ENOUGH. It left me so emotional!

Sadie definitely deserves all the 5 stars I've given it and is probably one of my favorite reads this year.

4.5 stars
TW: pedophila, rape, sexual abuse, violence
*Received a copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Oh my Goodness. I am so glad I read this! I almost didn't request this on NetGalley, because I had read one of Courtney Summers previous novels (All The Rage) and didn't love it, but this was beyond an upgrade. This had me gripped onto the edge of my seat almost the entire time.

This was hard to read due to the topics involved, but it was done so well. I'm a sucker for a story within a story and the dual narrative of following Sadie and West learning about Sadie definitely added to the harrowing reading experience in my opinion.

As previously stated I was thoroughly engrossed in the story. I thought the characters were well flashed out (to the degree that they needed to be for the story). Some characters produced mixed emotions in me (Claire) and some I hated (take a wild guess), but each character had me feeling something.

I actually really liked Sadie even through her faults and felt for her and everything she had to go through. I've never read a book where the main character had a stutter and I really appreciated that that was included in here. 

If you were even thinking about reading this and can handle reading difficult things I definitely recommend you stop what you're doing and pick this up.

Sadie by Courtney Summers is an unflinching novel that feels a lot like you’re watching a horrific accident occurring in real-time. You know that events can only worsen, but you can’t look away.

Sadie is devastated by the murder of her younger sister, Mattie, who she’s essentially mothered, and is determined to find Mattie’s killer and end his existence. Despite her intensity, the fact is that Sadie is only 19 and although rage can be a significant impetus, it doesn’t make up for a lack of street smarts or careful planning. Sadie is throwing herself into a situation in which she can only get hurt.

Sadie is told in alternating chapters from Sadie’s viewpoint and West McCray’s, a radio personality and podcaster who is trying to find Sadie for her surrogate grandmother. The telling is clever. Courtney Summers sparingly hands out little bits of information that, while surprising the reader, are not without grounding.

I felt so much for Sadie. She loved Mattie, but Mattie couldn’t see that it was Sadie who held things together and not their mother. Sadie sacrificed herself many times for Mattie. And after Mattie’s death, it is obvious that she would do anything to end Mattie’s killer. But Sadie is a teenager and reacts to cute boys and has tiny wishes for a different reality. One she doesn’t seem destined for.

Sadie is an interesting character study of what people respond to, what they’ll ignore, what destroys them, and what motivates them. And, it’s also an unfortunate study of sexual child abuse and how the perpetrators frequently are the ones you’d least expect.

I’d love to talk about the ending of this novel, but can’t do so in a spoiler-free review. Let’s just say that I was not disappointed by the ending, which I felt was sound, and yet…

Both Amazon and Goodreads list Sadie as a young adult novel, which is somewhat unfortunate. Yes, Sadie is a young adult, but by designating the novel as such means that it may be overlooked by the many of the people it would appeal to. It’s a mystery and thriller and just happens to involve a young adult. If you are a mystery and thriller reader, you will devour this novel.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Girls will grab hold of your heart and keep you glued to it  until the end.  Courtney Summers has written her story in a unique way that is totally captivaying.  It will be a long time before I forget Sadie.

Wow. 

Heartbreaking, riveting, powerful, important. 

Those are the only words I can fully articulate after reading Sadie. I knew going into this book that it was going to be heavy and heart-wrenching, but I still wasn’t quite prepared. 

After Sadie’s younger sister Mattie is murdered, Sadie isn’t the same. Mattie was her whole world, and now she’s gone. So Sadie sets out to find and kill the man who killed her sister. 

The story alternates between the podcast script of the guy looking into Sadie’s disappearance, and then Sadie’s firsthand account of her journey. I loved the format of the book and the different perspectives you gained from the podcast vs. Sadie’s account. The pacing of this story was perfect and kept you reading to see how it was all going to end. You could feel the tension and urgency throughout the whole story. 

Like I said, this book is definitely heavy. The book begins with a murder and only gets darker from there. But the story is powerful and important. The writing is so beautifully done in this book. The way the author conveys what Sadie is thinking and feeling is so heartbreaking and real. There was one scene in the book where my stomach was literally in knots and my heart ached for Sadie. 

I highly recommend this book. It’s a story that will grab a hold of you and won’t let go, even after you’ve closed the book.

Sadie has been the consistent caregiver for her sister Mattie. Their mom is usually drunk or on drugs, and Sadie has to protect them from the various men who float in and out of their mother's life. When Mattie is found dead, Sadie goes on a mission to avenge Mattie's murder. Meanwhile, West, a radio talk show host hears about Mattie's murder and Sadie's subsequent disappearance, and starts a podcast investigation to find Sadie.

Sadie is a well written mystery that will appeal to fans of April Henry books and other tales of missing persons. Some readers will struggle with the podcast style text elements, but I think it adds to the suspense. Sadie's journey felt a little bit like reading Ruthless, and the ending was satisfying.

I’m in shock Courtney Summers.

There is no other way to put my emotions after finishing this book. I am lost and wrecked.

First, HUGE thank you to Wednesday Books and Net galley for providing me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Sadie was and is a stunning read.

Sadie came out recently on September 4th, 2018 and I’m surprised I didn’t feel the impact in the force.

This book follows the POV of Sadie and the life of her family. When her sister, Mattie, is found dead, Sadie sets out to do the best she can for her sister.

I went into this story expecting, I’m not sure what I expected. My expectations were knocked aside about 30% of the way through the book and I was dragged under into Sadie’s life and emotions.


“She’s dead,” I whisper and I don’t know why this is the thing I choose to say out loud because it hurts to say it, to feel the truth of those words pass my lips, to have them be real in this world. But She’s dead is the reason I’m still alive.” Courtney Summers, Sadie

The formatting of Sadie was initially off-putting for me. When starting chapter one it comes off like a screen play format, as it’s trying to articulate a podcast. That being said, AFTER I read the book I discovered there is actually a podcast available for this book that will handle these parts of the book if you’d like to listen to them. I’d highly recommend it as I think it will add that extra bit of atmosphere to the story.

Courtney Summers has written a story that is so real and so close to home it hurts. This is not a bad thing but it is a stark feeling while reading Sadie. It’s a hard read, it’s rough, and it drags you across a desperate terrain. While this novel is a work of fiction, the plot is not. This is reality.

Also, TW’S GALORE!!! Please be aware before reading that there are warnings for sexual abuse, drug abuse, and pedophilia. All of these are deeply integrated into the story. So just a heads up right now and do not read if you’re not prepared.

The characters in this book are well developed. Each character had a distinct feel to them when you read about their situation and scenario. They’re gritty. This type of writing had me, the reader, so immersed, that I couldn’t put the book down. I’m honestly still decompressing from impact of Sadie as I write this review. My brain is struggling to process everything but in the best way.

If you enjoy thriller or realistic fiction in any capacity, you should read this novel. For being in the young adult genre, Sadie has extremely adult themes. It’s been a while to have a book knock me mentally on my butt like this one did.

Overall Rating: 5 Stars
Plot: 5 Stars
Character Development: 5 Stars
Dialogue: 5 Stars
Writing: 5 Stars
I would recommend this to anyone. Straight forward enough? hahaha. I’m not saying the book is for everyone but if you can handle a rough realistic read, please take that chance and spoil yourself with this novel. Sadie will not disappoint.

Happy reading!!
Ash

Sadie is a book that will leave you feeling utterly shaken. It's intense and really dark and the ending kind of had me like, "mY KINDLE IS BROKEN I NEED ANOTHER CHAPTER." Which I both love and hate. (Curse you, book.) Seriously though, it's the kind of book you end up forgetting how to breathe while you read it and it is so so well written. 

It feels weird saying "I enjoyed this!" because it's NOT an enjoyable story. It's raw and emotional and shows such a darkly vicious side of the world. It's addictive because you want to unravel this mystery of a missing girl and her murdered sister, but you also, as you keep reading, get this absolute sick feeling about what's really going on. 

I do believe it's best to go in knowing only a little about it! It's a mystery and like those are best served without too many details up front. But basically it's half told as a podcast series by a middle-age man -- and also half told in a really raw and aching 1st person narrative by Sadie herself. You get to see this podcaster unravelling the mystery of who Sadie talked to as she went searching for this man named "Darren". And you get to flip over and see Sadie following her journey towards to take down darkness with a switchblade.

Honestly it makes me want to cry. It is a really heavy story (upper YA for sure) and reminded me of Girl in Pieces too. Also it's very much about being poor, about people risking everything, about this intensely tight love for your sister, about neglect and abuse and trauma. It's a really important story too. You wish it was fiction, but it's a story you could also hear on the news. Missing girls and murdered girls and someone who isn't willing to let it just lie at that.

Sadie was an exceptional heroine, who was hard and sharp around the edges, but also makes you absolutely feel for her and root for her immediately. You don't know right up front why she's hunting Darren. She buys a car and goes on this long trail of following up leads and talking to people, all to find this man who used to be her mum's boyfriend. Sadie is also so so deeply loyal and loving to her little sister, Mattie. She basically raises her and even though Mattie sees Sadie as an annoying overbearing "parent figure"...I LOVE that Sadie never once gave up on her and just kept loving her. The story starts with Mattie's murder and we see how deeply it's unravelled Sadie. It's heartbreaking. She's a character who's well crafted and super complex and she draws you into the story instantly with her incredible voice.

Basically? READ THIS. I still feel thrown by all the things Sadie uncovered on her dark and lonely roadtrip to find justice for her little sister. This book is intense and heartbreaking and leaves you with so many furiously buzzing questions at the end. It's a story you're not going to stop thinking about for a while.

Told with a mixed podcast-narrative structure, Sadie follows the story of a young girl out to avenge the murder of her younger sister. When Mattie is found dead in an orchard, Sadie's world falls apart. She's never known the love of a mother, the support of a father or the safety of a real home - Mattie's the only thing she's ever had. Armed with a switchblade she stole from one of her mom's ex-boyfriends, Sadie sets out to find the man who killed Mattie. But several months after she's left home on her journey for vengeance, she hasn't come home and nobody knows where she is. She's missing, and it's a podcast host's job to figure out what happened.

If you've been following me for a while now, you'd know that I don't often give books above a four star rating - four and a half stars are rare, but if any book warrants it, it's this one. Sadie is one of my favorite reads of the year, and is definitely my favorite YA thriller of all time. It is atmospheric, beautifully written, gut-wrenchingly heart-breaking with a tragically strong and brave and wonderful main character. Its structure is unique, because not only does it jump back and forth between podcast format and narrative format, but it also jumps between time. The podcast is told in the relative future of the novel where Sadie is missing and podcast reporter has been hired by her family to look for her. The narrative is through Sadie's perspective, and it follows the timeline of her running away from home and setting out to avenge her sister. This format serves the story well; it allows for a cohesive, well-rounded look at this girl's life and the events before, during and after the main crux of the novel.

The structure also makes the book extremely hard to put down. I'm not sure if it was done on purpose, but there's something about alternating formats that's all-consuming. I haven't finished a book in one day since I read You by Caroline Kepnes very early on in the year, but I flew through this one. Plus, Summers is skilled at captivating readers; each chapter ends at the perfect point, in the way that not all of them end on cliffhangers (which makes the reading experience gimicky), but they still end in places that makes you want to turn the page. Her storytelling is often nonlinear; you discover pieces of information from Sadie's past much later into the novel than you would otherwise expect. But it works very, very well.

And as if all this gushing wasn't enough, you haven't even heard me talk about Sadie. God, Sadie Hunter is a masterpiece of a character. She's tragic, but not in the way that you feel bad for her. You feel bad because you know there are so many girls out there like her with difficult backgrounds, put into unimaginable situations out of no fault of their own. Yet, they continue to breathe, survive and fight back. Perhaps my favorite aspect of the novel was a small one, and that was Sadie's fear. Her sheer love for her sister is the driving force for all her actions, and though she's very hesitant to admit it, Sadie is scared. She continues to try and convince herself and others around her that she's dangerous. A repeated line in the novel is "I'm dangerous. I have a knife." It's as if she's not sure, but she wants to be. But as the novel progresses, you realize that sure, Sadie's bad-ass and fierce, but she's also just a kid. She's a kid in a situation no kid should be in. And when her vulnerabilities start to show, that's when Sadie's character truly becomes powerful. There's extreme power and fierceness in the cracks in her armor. It's what makes the book so breathtaking. There were moments when I cried just because of this character and how she made me feel about the Sadies of the world. 

I finished Sadie awe-struck and shaking. The ending is artistic and masterful but painful, and you won't see it coming from a mile away. This story is one that will stick with me for a long, long time. And despite having finished it just two days ago, I want to buy myself a finished copy and read it all over again. Because it was just that good, and you all need it in your lives.

4 stars

 I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a very good, quick read. The story and characters grab your attention from the start. Nineteen year old Sadie and her younger sister Mattie have had a very rough life. Their mother suffers from alcohol and drug addiction and subjects the girls to a series of deadbeat boyfriends. When Sadie's mother abandons the girls, Sadie is tasked with raising Mattie. But Mattie longs for her mother and the girls' relationship begins to strain. When Mattie is found dead, Sadie's world falls apart.

A botched police investigation fails to find Mattie's killer. Sadie sets out on her own to find the killer and get justice for Mattie, but soon disappears herself. When a radio personality named West McCray stumbles on Sadie's story, he starts a podcast and vows to discovery what happened to the girls. 

The book is written in alternating chapters between Sadie's exploits and West McCray's podcast to tell the story of what happened to Mattie and Sadie. The story is gripping, heartbreaking and poignant. This is one book you'll want to read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for sending me an ARC of this book.

I’m not in favor of age based censorship but I do think YA aged readers (since this book is targeted as YA mystery) should be aware that this is not graphic but disturbing. 

And it begins, as so many stories do, with a dead girl. 

This book will pull you in a whirlwind of emotions and will tug on every heart string. 
Courtney Summers isn’t afraid to tackle heavy subjects, she doesn’t shy away from the crude reality and that’s very unique in this genre.
Every character becomes unique and palpable with their fears, love, grief, trauma, and hopes. 
From the very beginning we are thrown into Sadie’s life and her coping with her past: how she put her young sister at the center of her universe, what she became to give her the best care possible.
Through the book we see her becoming more and more frantic, reckless. And it grips our hearts, we feel her loss as she does, desperate to avenge her younger sister, the very person she was so devoted to. 

I think the framing of this story was PERFECT. 
The author splits the narrative between a podcast host, West McCray, as he investigates Sadie’s disappearance, and the first person perspective of Sadie herself, as she hunts down her sister’s killer.
The contrast between McCray’s detached radio voice and the passion and determination in Sadie’s narrative works really well: you can just imagine it: Sadie’s story becoming the latest True Crime special, and it honestly hurts to read. You want McCray to just move faster, work harder, care more about this poor girl from a disadvantaged background. 
“Please be ok” is the mantra I kept repeating the whole time.
It’s heartbreaking to see this girl crumble as she realizes that the most important person in the world is gone forever.

The only part of this book that annoyed me was the ending. I’m not exactly ”surprised” the author chose this ending: part of me realizes why she did it, but I am not satisfied. I like concrete answers. Too much in a human being’s life is unsure, so I am expecting book endings to at least give me what I want.

But that’s not a reason not to pick up this book, especially since it deserves to be read just for the chance of meeting Sadie and learning her story.

This had all the makings of something I would love. And don't get me wrong, I did enjoy it a lot. Though, my general enjoyment aside I thought this erred on the side of tragedy porn a bit too heavily and I found the inclusion of any form of a romance to be unnecessary as it just derailed the pace of the story. Regardless the writing was great, the characters fascinating, and then inclusion of a podcast about kissing girls made me so happy. As a self proclaimed lover of podcasts that inclusion was amazing. At the end of the day this was riveting yet flawed but I recommend it for anyone looking for a thrilling read that is different from the typical, more domestic thrillers we seem to be getting so much of recently.

The story follows young Sadie on her journey of revenge against the man she knows killed her younger sister, Mattie. Also following Sadie is radio host West McCray. West doesn't begin his journey all that interested in Sadie, but by the end he's obsessed with finding the truth, and her. 

Summers switches between Sadie's POV and that of West's podcast- which I loved! Her prose yanked me into the story and I found I couldn't put it down. I read it in the tub, on the toilet, while watching T.V., cooking, in the car while my husband shopped, etc. One chapter was written as standard prose, through Sadie's POV. These chapters bring Sadie to life. Her sorrow became my sorrow, her pain my pain. Her need to make the killer suffer made me believe his suffering was more than deserved - it was necessary. The next chapter presents us with West's podcast - as if we're listeners. This allows us to view Sadie through the eyes of everyone else. Back and forth they go.

The ending left me with a bittersweet feeling. I kept swiping my phone to go to the next page, only there weren't anymore pages. Pretty sure I screamed, "You have got to be kidding!! C'mon!" Summers provided a realistic ending, that had me literally crying for more. Having said that, I don't know if I'd want to know more, even if the author offered it. 

Sadie is worth the read.

I wish this was a love story because I know how it goes in one like mine, where the only moments of reprieve are the spaces between its lines. But here’s the thing I tell myself to dull the sharp edges of everything that’s surely left to come: 
The worst has already happened.


This book evoked many emotions within me-some good, some bad. And I think that needs to be explored more by authors. It’s no surprise to anyone that I am-and always have been-obsessed with Courtney Summers. From the moment I picked up This is Not a Test, followed by Some Girls Are, I was a goner. Her dark and languid writing has this way about it-it’s stark and blunt, yet draws you in because of the beautiful simplicity in which the words are sculpted. To get to the point? She’s an evil genius-no explanation needed.

It makes my stomach ache, how, at a time like this, I can’t make that word come perfectly out of my mouth enough to convince him. I can’t describe how bad it feels, this inability to communicate the way I want, when I need to.


But I would be lying if this book wasn’t one huge trigger for me-and, yes, that’s a personal thing. AND it’s the ONLY flaw I really have with the book. But, as a very honest blogger and friend to many on GR, I must warn that, while Summer’s writing is always dark, this ventures into something far more sinister than anything she’s ever constructed before. Some will REALLY dig it-my best friend and blogger buddy ate it up. And, hey, so did I….but that doesn’t mean the content within (ie, child death and, um, other things?) didn’t hurt my soul a tad.

My body is sharp enough to cut glass and in desperate need of rounding out, but sometimes I don’t mind. A body might not always be beautiful, but a body can be a beautiful deception. I’m stronger than I look.


And, with that being said, I fully support the direction Courtney is going with her work. It NEEDS to be said. The world is a dark place, and people turn their heads and are blind to most of it. Sadie was a tenacious, strong, young girl hell bent on vengeance, on making the world a better place for other kids-and that was the most alluring thing about this story. Her heart was so large, her soul so crushed-but her spirit, her will to fight, isn’t broken-no matter how shattered she may feel.

Last thing she said to me, my face cupped firmly in her hands, was whatever you’re thinking, you get it out of that damned foolish head of yours right now. Except it’s not in my head, it’s in my heart and she’s the same woman who told me if you’re going to follow anything, it might as well be that. 
Even if it is a mess.


Her story is something that was so palpable…you felt what she felt. The hurt. The pain. The soul-crushing panic. The hope. It was all so…addicting. But such is the nature of Summer’s writing. I’m no stranger to it, I’ll admit. I wait and I wait and I wait until she announces she has more books coming out, then I obsess until I get my hands on it. In this case, I bothered the publishers and got a copy-and, MORE AWESOMELY, I got to be a part of the blog tour and was able to do a Q & A WITH THIS AMAZING WOMAN.

And one of the more important questions, to me, that I asked was about what has taken her writing down this path. If you're an avid reader of her work, you know that her earlier work was of mean girls, zombies, an unlikable heroine with a difficult story and-most importantly and perhaps the most recurring theme-her stories deal with difficult issues such as rape and attempted rape-murder. But All the Rage was the first time we truly saw Summers take the darker road. And I think it’s the story she’s trying to tell, something her work has built up to and she now wants to explore-and it’s truly amazing to see it all play out.

This story was also her first foray into a dual POV situation-but, more than that, it was like a radio show format when we weren’t in Sadie’s POV. West is the person investigating Sadie and it really put things in perspective for me. However, I enjoyed the book most in Sadie’s POV.

It’s about the lengths we go to protect the ones we love … and the high price we pay when we can’t.


All in all, this story is something to behold. It’s dark, gritty, and without a doubt one of the largest shocks to my system I’ve ever read-and perhaps I needed that. And, for those of you on the fence-read it. It has so much to say with its gut wrenching narrative, and perhaps it can urge you to do more. To see more. Or, perhaps, it will just open your eyes in a way you never expected. Either way, this is Summer’s at her best, her most jarring-and it’s not a book you’ll soon forget. You won’t regret it.

*FYI- in the middle of this review my computer froze up, so my thoughts may seem a bit off or strayed-I promise my opinion is still the same, though. It just changed the flow of the review. But one thing I want to make perfectly clear that I didn't get a chance to say in my review: If there's one thing that stayed with me throughout this novel, its the pain. The deep, unfathomable pain of losing someone you couldn't protect-but then going after it to make it right. It really resonated with me...even if it hurt deeply to think this way. Summers is just epic like that.

Wow, this was a thought-provoking and profound read, dealing with the innate desire for revenge that we harbour within each of our souls. Truly one of the most atmospheric and evocative stories i've ever had the pleasure to enjoy. Summers' writing is beautiful with the raw power and effortlessness making it so, so compelling. Although the basis of the story is vigilantism, and an emotional journey to discover the truth, it was a stunningly nuanced tale and rates amongst the most powerful stories I have ever read. The author manages an immense balancing act between maintaining a gritty feel to the novel and treating the dark, realistic topics sensitively. The result? A poignant, first-class book that deserves every success.

The book centres on Sadie and her fragile state, you really stand by her side and accompany her on her journey through pain, anguish, angst, fear, confusion, paranoia and more. I would say that this is an unforgettable read that will melt even the coldest of hearts. Summers is a rare and exceptional talent who knows how to grab her readers and give you all the feels for the duration of the book. Although described as young adult, with mystery and various other serious themes explored, I feel that this is only appropriate for older teens as it is a rather heavy-hearted and heartbreaking story.

I would say that it's accurate to name this as one the most hyped releases of the year, and as with all hype, it can only go one of two ways. Fail spectacularly or exceed your expectations. Luckily, here it is most definitely the latter. This has blown me and a lot of my friends away, but it is by no means an easy read. The aforementioned themes are emotional ones, and you feel huge sympathy for Sadie and the situation she is in. By the end of the book you feel as though you've known her your entire life. In my opinion, a must-read!

Many thanks to St. Martins Press for an ARC.

Sadie Hunter disappeared not too long after her younger sister's body was found. The case captures the attention of radio producer West McCray when he comes to Cold Creek, Colorado, to record his "Forgotten Towns" segment. He has mixed feelings about investigating a girl's murder and another girl's disappearance, but he's also drawn to the case. He wants to know what became of 19-year-old Sadie.



Growing up, Sadie was more a mother figure to her sister than anything else. Sadie saw it as her job to protect, nurture, and love Mattie. When 13-year-old Mattie died, Sadie's world fell apart. Her grandmother couldn't do anything to help. Sadie developed one clear goal. The police may not have done a great job, but that won't stop Sadie from uncovering the truth. Armed only with a knife and cash, Sadie takes off.



West hears of the family's story at a gas station. He's intrigued and opts to take a closer look after talking to the grandmother. It's a long, dark journey, but when Sadie's car is found empty and abandoned with no sign of her, West can't help but push harder to uncover the truth.



Told from two viewpoints, Sadie changes between West McCray and Sadie. West's broadcast involves interviews with the girls' grandmother, as well as some of the people who know something about them or the case. Sadie's story is told as she travels thousands of miles in search of a killer.



I couldn't put the book down. I was hooked from the start and appreciated the story's structure. West's part reads like a podcast with the different speakers during interviews. The changes in format made it an incredibly quick, powerful read. It's just as gripping to an adult as it would be to a teen. I became engrossed from the first page and didn't put it down till I was done. It's gritty, terrifying, and sad all at once. It's also very, very real. While it's not a true story, it certainly feels like it could be.



There's plenty of buzz about this book already. That buzz is deserved. Read Sadie and see why.

I had seen reviews for Sadie on various blogs that I follow. All them good. I thought to myself “This book can’t be THAT good.” I had gotten Sadie as an ARC a few months back but due to school vacation, I fell behind on my reviews. So I went into reading this book with a fair amount of skepticism. Well, let me take back everything I thought to myself. Sadie was amazing. There are very few books that I will get completely immersed in and Sadie was one.

I loved the way it was written. It was split between being told as a podcast and from Sadie’s POV. Not only did I get to see the effect of Sadie’s leaving had on people. But I also got to read about what Sadie was thinking when she started off on her journey to find Keith.

I loved how the author dangled parts of the plotline. Instead of giving everything all at once, she broke things up into little pieces. You know that Mattie, Sadie’s younger sister, was killed. You know that Sadie didn’t deal with it well. It’s the underneath that the author takes her time revealing. It was drawn out. Sadie would reveal something then it would switch to McCray as he is doing this podcast. What was revealed was explained after the fact, by the people affected. It was interesting because not everything was told to McCray.

McCray was trying to do good with his podcast but it seemed like he was always 3 steps behind Sadie. At one point, I got mad because he kept running into dead ends. But, Sadie did make it easy for him to follow her. She left clues. I could see McCray getting more and more involved in this case the more time he spent on it. He went from an impersonal radio host to a human being trying his best to find a missing girl. It was interesting to see that transformation.

I should have seen what Keith did to Sadie coming. It wasn’t addressed until after Sadie found those pictures. Then, I understood while she was doing this for Mattie, she was also doing it for herself and the other girls that Keith victimized. If Keith had stayed away, Sadie would have gone on with her life, caring for Mattie. But he came back and bad things happened. That broke Sadie. So yes, I wasn’t surprised that she decided to go after him.

I was angry with Sadie’s mother. She was the catalyst for everything. Either she didn’t know or she turned a blind eye to what was going on. But, when he dared to attempt something on Mattie, she threw him out. Even with Mattie dead and Sadie gone, her mother mourned only for Mattie. I don’t think she had it in her to love Sadie (even though she said she did). May Beth, the surrogate grandmother, shed more tears for Sadie than her own mother. That showed how empty Sadie’s life was.

I couldn’t believe the ending. I tried to flip to the next page because I refused to believe that the author ended it that way. I might have shouted “Seriously!!!” Talking about frustrating. But genius of the author. Because it made you think. And, unfortunately, it ended as it would have in real life. With more questions than answers.

What I liked about Sadie:

A) Relatable characters

B) How it was written

C) Was able to get completely immersed in it.

What I disliked about Sadie:

A) Keith

B) Sadie’s mother

C) The ending

I gave Sadie a 4.5-star rating. I was completely immersed in this book from page 1. This was a fantastic book to read. The only downside to it was the ending. Other than that, a great book to read.

I gave Sadie an Older Teen rating. There are sex and sexual references. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 16 read this book.

I would reread Sadie. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Sadie

All opinions stated in this review of Sadie are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**