Jaicey keeps forgetting. When she was 15 her life changed but she doesn’t know it just like she doesn’t know why all of the mirrors in her house have disappeared. Somethings not right and she doesn’t feel safe. Trying to uncover what happened the night she can’t remember she’s putting herself in more danger.

The Missing Piece was a really quick read/listen that only took a couple of hours to finish. I listened to it as an audiobook from NetGalley and I enjoyed the narrator. Unfortunately I wanted more from the story and it felt underdeveloped and underwhelming. This is the first book I’ve read by this author but I’ve seen nothing but good things so maybe this one was just a one off. I also see a ton of good reviews for this book so I’m the outlier here. Don’t knock it til you try it.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to listen and review it honestly.

Happy reading

Holy $h!t!!!! The beginning of the book I was sort of eye rolling thinking how blah. Boy was I wrong. The author lulled me into submission. I was writing an ehh review in my head when WHAM! I almost choked on my salad. I couldn’t finish this book quick enough!

The narrator for the audiobook was awesome! I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more with her.

Wow! I’m speechless. Kiersten knows how to write a twisted novel. This book leaves you guessing until the end and I love that even when I think I know, I’m wrong!

I really liked the book because the atmosphere was just permanently oppressive/unsettling in a way that I couldn’t/didn’t want to stop the audiobook.
The beginning of the book was a bit too fast for me - the events kind of came thick and fast and I sometimes wondered if I was listening to an abridged version, which wasn’t the case. It just felt like the reader was missing information/timelines. The connection that built up between Jaicey and Brayden just happened way too quickly for me and I absolutely didn’t get it on an emotional level either. The summary does say that Brayden challenges her, (and also wants her to remember) but it all happened in a way that didn’t make sense to me. At least not when you consider how they relate to each other and how quickly their friendship develops.

But if you look past these points, the book is incredibly atmospheric (thanks to Tara Sands!) and also leaves the reader just as perplexed as Jaicey. I loved all the little hints about her past and also how her family/friends try to deal with her memory loss. You just felt the pain but also the love.
Yeah, I probably liked the middle part of the book (except for Brayden’s „challenges“) the best.

The explanation of what happened and what was behind Jaicey’s amnesia was also good, but for me, it was a bit far-fetched (just my personal opinion) as to what events led up to it.
Also the behavior of Jaicey and her „ex"boyfriend after Jaicey regained her memories was anything but sensitive and much too rushed for me.

The audiobook. Oh. My. God.
Tara Sands is probably my favorite female narrator by far now! She did an incredible job; I had goosebumps so many times. Her pacing was perfect, she did an amazing job voicing the characters and put so much emotion into the dialogue that it took my breath away.
You could almost grasp the fear and sadness and joy and whatever else there was. It was stunning and for me, it just made the story more real and terrifying - made my toenails curl.
I would love to hear more audiobooks from Tara Sands in the future!

All in all, a good book, which in retrospect has some weaknesses. However, while I was listening to the audiobook, these were easily forgotten because it was simply thrilling.

Many thanks to Net Galley and Dreamscape Media for an audio copy of The Missing Piece for an honest review.

Kiersten Modglin is an author that I've read many times before and loved her works. This one, sorry to say, fell flat. I thought the characters were underdeveloped. The storyline had holes in it, jumping around. This read like a young adult. The story wasn't bad overall, but I felt it did have problems.

This was crazy, traumatic, and sweet at the same time. So many moments of pure shock!

This story did really well at hiding the truth in the first half. I had no idea what the secret was. I didn’t even realize there was a secret until like halfway through. And even when I thought everything was done, BAM, another shocker. Very good writing. Kiersten continues to be astonish me.

The narrator did well at providing emotion during dramatic moments but also at maintaining a stable reading. I can tell she’s a seasoned narrator.

Kiersten Modglin, for those who don't know her, has written 39 books in the past 7 years. I honestly am not sure I've put away 39 loads of laundry in that same time period, so, clearly, we all have different gifts.

Having entered the book world as an indie author, she is now very well known, and many of her previously published works are being turned into audio (lucky us), and released years after originally published. That's the story of The Missing Piece published under that title in 2019, but first published in 2016 under the title The Truth About My Scratches. As a person with an aging brain, relying totally on Goodreads to tell me if I've read that book already, I HATE re-releases packaged under a new title UNLESS it's really really advertised as such so people don't get all excited and spend money thinking "new book by auto buy author."

I've ready most of Modglin's books and she manages to surprise me with what feels like different genres within genres. This one really felt like a young adult novel to me and I even went to check the publisher's notes which call this one "General Fiction (Adult), Mystery/Thriller." It's slightly over 5.5 hours on audio which is really close to novella territory and doesn't have enough background or depth for me.

I enjoyed most of The Missing Piece, but the ending required such gymnastics, that was the deal breaker. Overall glad to have the chance to listen, and it's always interesting to compare earlier writing style of an author who has such a large catalog.

I love her audiobooks! Whenever I see a new one I want it right away just knowing that she wrote it as she is queen of twisty thrillers and I can't wait to see what she does next.

Jaicey is having trouble remembering her friends, her boyfriend and events that have happened. She notices all the mirrors are gone from the house but doesn't understand why?

Then she meets a new kid at high school- Brayden. She starts to let down her guard and feels seen and understood. She introduces him to her parents and they are thrilled she is making friends and has a date for the prom.

Unfortunately, Jaicey's past catches up with her and instantly she remembers what happened. Is she going to die? How can this be happening to her again.

This was a fast pace and short audiobook I enjoyed as it was 5 hours long. Jaicey was a troubled teen but I wish her character would have been developed more and explained what happened to her or how much time has lapsed before the end. The ending was a nice twist. I can't wait to see what this author does next.

This enthralling audio piece succeeded in evoking a whirlwind of emotions for the main character, pulling me into their world with every moment. The unexpected twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat, as I eagerly unraveled the mysteries that unfolded. The decisions made by the protagonist were sometimes perplexing, yet they somehow weaved seamlessly into the narrative, leading to a surprisingly satisfactory resolution.

The skillful execution of portraying emotions added depth and authenticity to the story, making it easy for me to empathize and connect with the character's struggles and triumphs. The moments of joy were genuinely heartwarming, while the instances of sorrow left a poignant impact that lingered long after the audio's conclusion.

However, the beauty of this audio piece lies in the ambiguity and the questions it left behind. While I couldn't comprehend all the decisions, it spurred contemplation and discussion, allowing room for personal interpretation and reflection. This open-endedness added an extra layer of intrigue, leaving me pondering the multiple possible outcomes and the paths not taken.

The narration and audio effects were skillfully crafted, creating an immersive experience that transported me to the heart of the story. The voice actor's performance was nothing short of exceptional, bringing to life the character's thoughts and feelings in a way that resonated deeply.

Though I remain uncertain about the specific details of the audio's origin, I am genuinely thankful for the captivating journey it provided. Its ability to surprise, move, and intrigue me demonstrates the brilliance and potential for further exploration. Given the chance, I would eagerly dive back into this world, seeking to uncover more of the enigmatic main character's experiences and emotions. Truly, more is possible, and this audio piece has left an indelible mark on my imagination.

This book didn’t hit the mark for me personally. The characters weren’t quite developed enough so I had a hard time connecting with them. Once the twist was revealed, it was a bit far-fetched and the motives weren’t totally clear. I feel as though it needed a bit more explanation in that area.

The book overall wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t necessarily great either. I’ll still definitely keep reading from this author because out of the 25+ books I’ve read by her this is the first disappointment. It’s definitely obvious that this is a much earlier work in her career.