One of the most fascinating characters I've read about recently and the most unique way of telling the story combines to make this a five star book for me. This would be memorable without the podcast aspect, but that's what makes it extra special. As we read the story from Sadie's point of view, we also get sections of a true crime podcast centered around the missing woman and her murdered sister. Both Sadie (the missing) and Wes, who runs the podcast, are searching for answers. He's always steps behind her, and we're left wondering what'll happen if he ever catches up.

Mattie was Sadie's purpose in life. She was her little sister, but in many ways Sadie acted as her mother. She cared for her, made sure she ate and went to school. She kept her safe... until she couldn't. Until Mattie, only a young teenager, was found dead. Now Sadie has a new purpose: find the killer. Make him pay. No matter what the cost. No matter who she encounters on the way. No matter how dangerous it is. She'll make him pay.

Bleak, heartwrenching, and undeniably powerful. This is one that will stay with me for some time and one I've already made a point to recommend to other readers. If you're not generally a YA reader, don't be afraid of this one. It stands on its own without ever relying on the usual YA troupes. It might feature characters in their teens, but it's a dark and moving story. One of my favorites this year.

I received a copy to review from Wednesday Books. This in no way affects my opinion.

I imagine the audio of this book would suit the concept of the story really well because this latest novel from Courtney Summers involves a podcast.

Sadie's younger half-sister Mattie was murdered in the small, and hopeless town of Cold Creek, Colorado. Sadie essentially raised her sister because their mother was an addict. So Mattie's death has all but destroyed Sadie.

Sadie has also gone missing. The narrative switches back and forth from Sadie and how the host of the podcast is now trying to retrace and track Sadie down. As the action moves forward, these two tracks start to catch up to each other in the present. Sadie could be a run away or does she have a bigger plan in place? She tells us she intends to kill a man. Can this small-town girl with a stutter morph into a vigilante and turn everything upside down in order to bring justice where others have failed?

I received a digital copy of this book from Netgalley for an honest review.

This was really good, even with the ambiguous ending. The only thing I wasn't a fan of was the podcast dialogue. I hated reading in this format. I probably would have liked it better if I had listened to the audio book since it is read with a cast of voice actors. Besides that, another good solid emotional roller coaster from Summers.

This is an incredibly dark, gritty, emotional roller coaster of a book. This was not the kind of book I could read in one sitting, or even two or three, as I had to take breaks from it to process the abuse. To anyone who hasn't picked this up yet because they're not a typical YA reader - don't wait any longer. This book, while centering around a teenager, is a realistic but heartbreakingly bleak look at small time life and the abuse that often is found within.

Sadie and I got off to a rocky start. I was obviously incredibly excited for this, having read All the Rage a while ago and hungering for another Courtney Summers novel. But something about it just wouldn't allow me to connect. I wanted to read this strangely-formatted book so badly, but it was like there was a wall between me and my eARC. So I eventually gave up and moved onto other books. A couple weeks went by and people started raving about the audiobook and how amazing it was. At the same time, I had just signed up for a trial of Scribd, and lo and behold, they had Sadie. From the moment I pressed Play, I was hooked.


You guys, I can't begin to tell you just how great the audiobook version of this is. It has a full cast; every single person in this has their own voice actor. And since it's written with some chapters as a podcast, it made for an incredible listening experience. There were interviews and recordings and phone calls, as well as the monologue from the radio host. Even the chapters narrated by Sadie had its own actors for the characters she encountered. Also, Sadie had a stutter and the narrator did an amazing job with it; he was all-around fantastic, truly grasping Sadie's range of emotions. I felt compelled by both narrations for wholly different reasons, and I never, ever wanted to turn it off.


So, before I get any deeper into this review, let's get this out in the open: this is not a pleasant book. Trigger warnings for Sadie include: drug abuse, child abuse, childhood sexual abuse, rape, and violence. The subject matter in this book is really, really dark and ugly. I read really dark and ugly fiction sometimes, but this definitely took me to the edge of my comfort zone, and it wasn't even graphic (except in the instance of violence, when Sadie is beaten.) It's the kind of book that is compelling and masterfully written, but you're not exactly sure you enjoyed it and you have to be very cautious when recommending.


I swear, the most positive reviews are the hardest to write. How do I explain how much I loved this? Sadie's quest for revenge was almost addictive. It's not quite clear from the start what's going on in her head, especially since the story starts with the outside perspective of the podcast, The Girls. All we know is Sadie's missing, her sister has been dead for a while, and that's pretty much it. As we move along, we uncover the horrible, dark truths of their lives. While Sadie as a character isn't the most likable (and really, what Courtney Summers character is?) you can't help but feel for her. Her mother was a drug addict and kept a revolving door of really shitty men coming in and out of Sadie's and Mattie's lives. Their mother, Claire, also favored Mattie over Sadie, and quite dramatically. Claire was just the worst kind of parent, and by the time she left, walking out on her 10 and 16 year old daughters, Sadie hated her.


Sadie has to be one of the most interesting and capable heroines I've ever read about. She does exactly what she says she's going to do. She sets her mind to something and executes it. Maybe not always perfectly, but she never doubts herself, which I loved about her. She's armed with some cash, a car, a switchblade, and not much else, but she somehow travels hundreds of miles, infiltrates friend groups, and takes down a pedophile. She gets people to talk to her, to tell her the information she needs, even when it's clear they don't want to. And she never, ever accepts "no" for an answer.


The only reason I didn't rate this five stars was because of the ending. It's very clear and unambiguous. You, the reader, know what happens. But I wanted that closure for the characters. I wanted that closure for the podcast. I felt like we went from zero to one hundred fifty from the very first page, and never stopped that crazy, neck-breaking pace, until the end, where we hit a wall. It all led up to something not quite enough for the story that came before it. Don't let this deter you from reading though, because it was absolutely fantastic.


When you pick up a Courtney Summers novel, you don't expect warm, fuzzy feelings, you don't expect likeable characters, you don't expect sunshine. But you know you can expect something gripping, powerful, and just so incredibly well-written. You can expect to be blown away. And I was. Sadie is a masterpiece, honestly. If darkness, thrillers, revenge, and sometimes too-heavy topics are at all the things you like to read about, Sadie is for you.

Sadie by Courtney Summers was a book that Haley, of Teachers Who Read, told me to start as soon as possible, so I found it on Netgalley, and I got reading. WOW! I read this YA novel in less than 48 hours while working–that means something. It is told in podcast transcript and first person narrative, alternating. The story focuses on Sadie, a young teen who has run away to find the murderer of her sister, and the podcast that is trying to find her and solve the mystery.

I knew when I saw that Courtney Summers was working on Sadie that I'd have to have it. I knew I'd read it and that it would meld itself to me, just like All the Rage did. I was right. From the first page I was hooked--the interesting set up of the podcast giving us the background that sometimes Sadie's narrative couldn't (just as her narrative sometimes gave us the narrative the podcast couldn't) + the bone deep melancholy, grief, and madness that seems to live in Sadie = my whole weekend living in the world that Courtney Summers created. I couldn't get enough and I had to know what happened so I stayed up late, woke up early, and read until I finished it. ...or did it finish me? Gahhhh the ending. I can't decide how I want it to play out beyond the last word. Am I realist or am I a hope-filled dreamer? What does Courtney Summers envision? I wish I knew.



Anyway.



I love that the publisher created The Girls as a companion to Sadie. I haven't listened to it yet but I'm intrigued by what I'm missing --or is it just the episodes as they were in the novel? I don't know. It's on my list of things to do.



What I do know is that while I couldn't live in the gritty, sad, angry space that her Summers's characters find themselves in, I recognize that I'm lucky that I haven't had to and I hate that anyone ever has or would have to live there. And as much as I hate that those spaces exist, I love that she's written about them, made me feel so much and think really hard about how being a woman in the world isn't a singular experience. That there are things that unite us all and things that many of us don't know about.



Courtney Summers's novels make me feel angry and empowered and I want everyone I know to read them so that they see what I've seen, feel what I've felt, and wants to change the world like her characters inspire me to want to do.

One of my favourite books of the year. Perfectly dark and disturbing, yet powerful and encouraging. Reviewed on booktube: https://youtu.be/u3msLQ8KJQc?t=5m53s

This is the first book I’ve read by Courtney Summers and I was quite impressed! I really like adding Ya novels to my reading every so often and do love when a book can suck me in and make me feel like I’m part of the story. I was with Sadie this whole book, her emotions were so real, her sadness, the, love for her sister, and her fight for justice against the men who have hurt her & her sister. Sadie was knowledgeable way beyond her years. She was more of a mother than her own mother actually was. These types of stories break my heart and leave me empty when they’re finished. I just wanted to ereach out and help Sadie throughout this entire book.

Another great thing about this novel was the way it was written. Courtney uses a podcast theme for half of the story, which was quite unique. The other half was from Sadie’s point of view.

Overall I give this book 4 Stars. The characters were well developed and the story grabbed me immediately. I would definitely recommend it!

Five stars: A raw, unflinching book that takes on molestation. It is tough to read, yet in these times, a must read. Don’t miss the audiobook version.

Sadie is running away. She has one thing on her mind: to find the man who murdered her younger sister and bring him to justice, even if that means forfeiting everything. She will make this happen, no matter the cost. After Sadie disappears, West McCray, a podcast personality, ends up taking up the case. He chases down the clues, following Sadie’s path. What he finds is disturbing, and it makes him rethink everything as he races to find out what happened to Sadie?
What I Liked:
*Courtney Summers is one of those authors who knows how to grab your emotions and run them through the wringer. I love that her writing is powerful, emotional, brutally honest and raw. This latest book: Sadie is more proof as to how brilliant Ms. Summer’s writing is. In these times of turmoil and trouble as many question the brave survivors who continue to come forward with their stories of sexual abuse, this is a book that should be read and discussed.
*This book is troubling, at times disturbing, but it drives home the point. Sexual abuse is ugly, and it hurts many people every day, and more often than not, the perpetrators go unpunished. What I loved about this book, was that Ms. Summers never gave the dirty details when it came to the abuse. She danced around the topic, giving troubling clues for the reader to piece together what happened. The book was brilliantly written. It packs a brutal punch.
*Sadie is one of those characters that you won’t forget. She has had a tough life. Her mother is a neglectful alcoholic, who ignores her. She has a stutter that alienates her, and she comes from the wrong side of the tracks. Worse, she is the victim of sexual assault. She is troubled, determined and forgotten. My heart ached for her, especially as the details of her dark past came to light. I admired her fierce determination and her courage as she attempted to hunt down the man who destroyed her life. I so wanted things to turn out for her.
*This book takes on the horrific topic of molestation and sexual assault. I applaud Ms. Summers for writing this book, especially in these turbulent times. The way she handled the topic was masterful and brilliant. Instead of laying everything out with all the nasty details, she lets the reader draw their own conclusions, which I think makes it all the more impactful. I am in awe of Ms. Summer’s skills. Read this!
*I loved the format of the book. It isn’t a straightforward narration. You do get Sadie’s view points, which reads like a regular narrative, but then her voice is interspersed with the investigation by West, the podcaster. I loved how the story was uncovered via the podcast, interviews of people, and more. It was masterfully done!
*I cannot recommend the audiobook enough. The audiobook was amazing. I appreciated that it incorporated numerous voices for all the characters. This was one of the best audiobooks I have ever listened to. If you can listen to this one, do it!
And The Not So Much:
*The ending was left open. Again, the reader is left with many clues to attempt to piece together what happened to Sadie in the end. If you are an optimist, there is the tiny sliver of hope that maybe things turned out okay. If you are a pessimist, you will imagine the worst. I don’t know, I liked that Summers left it up to the reader, but then a part of me hated that it was open.
*There is nothing pretty about this book. It is dark, sad and troubling. It is painful to read this story, and many will avoid it as they don’t want to delve into this horrible subject matter. Don’t read this.

Sadie is a book that was tough to read, but so important. In this era of #MeToo, it is all the more impactful. Read this, discuss this and share it. Sexual assault and molestation are not topics anyone wants to talk about, but we must. Thank you to Ms. Summers for writing this brutal and raw book.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.

WHOA! This is my first Courtney Summers book and i could not tear myself away form this story! This book hit me right in the feels. I loved the character development and how Sadie really grew through the book. You see and feel everything she does as she goes through so much pain and anguish. Excellent writing!

Sadie is a revenge story told in alternating chapters. Chapters either follow Sadie, a girl on the hunt for the man that ruined her childhood and took her sister’s life, or a transcript from a podcast following Sadie’s track as they try to find her and interview people that have encountered her on her hunt.

This is such a unique read and I think it is best experienced on audiobook where you will get the full effect of the story. The audiobook has a full cast of characters that stutter along with Sadie and give you the podcast experience. The audiobook also really helps to keep the wide variety of characters straight. Keeping all of the characters apart and remembering everyone was my biggest concern while reading so the audiobook was a lifesaver.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this e-Arc in exchange for an honest review.

I was super excited when I got approved to read this book, especially after reading her previous books which I loved. I didn’t love this one as much as her previous books but I did love to hate it. It was so heartbreaking, so gut wrenching, so raw, so emotionally compelling.

Sadie is a 19 year old, whose sister is found murdered and she subsequently vows to murder the man who killed her sister. West McCray is a radio personality who hears about this turn of events and creates a podcast around this case. This novel is told in alternating viewpoints- from Sadie’s POV and the podcast, which was quite a different form of storytelling. Gave the story major vibes.

That ending though! I’m the sort of reader who relishes happy endings so this left me feeling quite hollow after.

Would totally recommend it for a YA that’s a little bit different to the norm.

A brave, determined, and fiercely independent young adult on a journey to locate and kill her sister's murderer is the primary narrator in Sadie by Courtney Summers. The format of the novel engages readers with alternating "podcast" chapters involving the investigative journalist assigned to outline his attempts to find the missing Sadie. A good blend of mystery/suspense fiction that will provoke much discussion.

I was not pulled into this book. The characters all seemed very two-dimensional to me, and I couldn't relate to any of them. The writing style was annoying to me, and I ended up not finishing. Could have been really good, just didn't make the mark for me.

*I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

I normally don't read thrillers, but when you combine podcasts, intrigue, and a very realistic heroine then you have my complete attention. Told from two perspectives, Sadie follows the titular character on her journey to avenge her sister's death and West, a podcaster who doesn't want to hear about another dead girl. This book was a page-turner from the beginning. Summers's characters leap off the page. I felt like Sadie could have been someone I knew in real life, and I rooted for her throughout the whole story.

Creative format, good storytelling, interesting until the very last page. . I loved the podcast within the book. This is probably one of the darker young adult novels I’ve read, but in an authentic and meaningful way. I highly recommend

This is a hard-hitting, raw and emotional book. And, I absolutely loved it.

It is a riveting story about love, loss and revenge.
But most of all, it's about the power of a sister's love.

The story “...begins, as so many stories do, with a dead girl.” A layered tale, the podcast by West McCray and Sadie’s personal account, sweeps you up and takes you on a journey as West pieces together Sadie’s revenge-driven voyage. West McCray summarizes the gist of the story in the second episode of the podcast:

“...two girls...Mattie Southern and Sadie Hunter. Mattie was murdered, her body left just outside her hometown of Cold Creek, Colorado. Sadie is missing...The girls’ surrogate grandmother, May Beth Foster, has enlisted my help in finding Sadie and bringing her home.”


Sadie is the full package--round, dynamic characters, a quest/overcoming the monster driven plot, and a dire tone that keeps the reader guessing.

The format of the book, the podcast mixed with Sadie’s narrative, added to the flavor and was well executed. The author’s language and style were so appealing, I had to pick up another book of hers to read.

Sadie is a page-turner and addictive book that fans of murder/mystery podcasts will get lost in. I read the ebook but highly recommend the audiobook for the full podcast-feel reading experience.

This book was a emotional punch to the gut and I cannot put into words how much it has left me in an emotional wreck. I was on an emotional roller coaster ride that I both wanted to get off and keep going simultaneously.

I would recommend reading this book with tissues. If you can I would also recommend listening to this one audiobook. It has multiple voice actors for the podcast part that make it so realistic. Considering the topic it makes it even more chilling because you could be listening to a real podcast about a girl missing and the attempt to find them and what can be found along the way. Because we all know....

"Girls go missing all the time....."