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.

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.

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.

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.

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**

TW: pedophilia/sexual abuse [caution for those who have experienced sexual abuse or know someone who has]

I’ve heard many great things about Courtney Summers’s book. However, I wasn’t completely interested. I’m not really into thrillers and mysteries, yet when I was offered the opportunity to be a part of the blog tour with Wednesday Books, I figured I’d take a shot.

Sadie is the main character of this novel, which is separated into her POV and a podcast by West McCray who is investigating Sadie’s disappearance. Sadie has run away in search of the man that killed her little sister, Mattie. Her disappearance uncovers hidden secrets and accounts from people she has met along the way.

The first thing I read in this book was the podcast portion, which is pretty much set up like a script, just without the exterior/interior settings, cues, etc. It kind of turned me off a bit, so I wasn’t sure that I would like this book.

My mind changed immediately once I got to Sadie’s POV. It was so hard to put this book down. Whenever I had to go to class during the day and put the book away, I was just itching to pick it up again as soon as class ended. It was so enthralling.

Sadie is such an interesting character. Her POV featured flashbacks of her childhood while also keeping us in the present, giving us a good enough back story and bringing her character arc full circle. It’s hard to say anything bad about her. She is a girl set on revenge and, most of the time, that isn’t really enough for readers. One goal for a character isn’t always enough, but Sadie was just amazing. As a reader, you wanted her to get this revenge and to have some sort of ending that was satisfactory.

Which leads me to the ending in question. It’s very open-ended, but it allows the reader to make their own assumptions. This isn’t really a spoiler: you never really know what has happened to Sadie. I’ve only ever read these kind of endings unless I’m in a fiction class and it’s part of the lesson. In other opportunities, I don’t really like open endings. I like to know what’s happening. But, this kind of ending just fit and it’s also terribly frustrating. I have my own theories about what happened to Sadie, which I will keep to myself in order to hide spoilers. I’d love to know what Courtney thinks happened to Sadie, though.

I want to advise caution to future readers, considering the book is already available for purchase. This book contains elements of pedophilia and it’s very focused as the center conflict when it comes to Sadie’s revenge. I would believe this to be a trigger warning, just in case an unfortunate reader has experienced something like this or knows someone that has. It’s obvious in certain parts that this is what has occurred to characters, but probably not obvious to all readers. This is a heavy book to read and very emotional, sometimes even hard to picture in your head if you are a visual reader.

All in all, this is one of the rare few thrillers/mysteries that I really enjoyed and that really kept me at the edge of my seat. It’s definitely one to remember.

OMG how to review this... let just say- Why haven't I read a Courtney Summers book before this. Such a tragedy. I couldn't put the book down after the 40 percent mark and read it until I finished it with tears in my eyes. Such a sad story... my heart is broken. But please pick up the book because its a really good book and everyone must read it like yesterday!

Well, this was quite an enjoyable ride! Let me be clear- this is a tough one to read, in the sense that wow, life is unfair. But, that's the same reason I liked it so much- it was brutally, unflinchingly real. Because sometimes, life deals you a shitty hand, and it just doesn't quit. Let us talk about the things I enjoyed about the book, shall we?

The Things I Enjoyed:

•Sadie tackles some very dark, very disturbing topics, but handles them well. Like I said, life wasn't easy, fun, or fair for Sadie or her sister Maddie. And that is putting it mildly. While it's horrifying to read about as the secrets keep unfurling, it also feels eerily real. The author does a great job with the atmosphere of the book, I was able to feel the desperation of the situation.

•Podcast format is genius. I adore this concept so, so much. I wasn't sure if I would, to be honest- I am not really a podcast listener myself- but it was the perfect idea for this book. It's such a great way for the reader to see outside of just one or two viewpoints, and gives a fuller, clearer picture of the situation from all angles. Plus, it's just fun to read, let's be real. (P.S. You can actually listen to the podcast, how is this not the coolest freaking thing ever?)

•Grim, but hopeful. Don't misunderstand, it's still mostly grim. But there's little lights that shine through- from a passing altruist, to a surrogate grandmother who cares for the girls when no one else seems to, it gives that feeling that maybe there are still good guys out there. That all hope isn't totally lost (even when it seems like it pretty much is).

•Sadie's love for Mattie is really powerful. I won't sugarcoat it, Mattie's death is very hard to digest. Not only was she so very loved by Sadie, she was just a young girl who should never, ever have been harmed. No person should, obviously, but it seems like more of a gut-punch when it's a child, no? As difficult as it was to read about, it was also quite beautiful.

•It's compulsively readable. I think because the format made for a fast-paced reading experience, and the fact that it was just so unputdownable, I basically had to finish the book as quickly as possible. Because I wanted to know all the things!

The Things I Wasn't As Fond Of:

•The ending is rather open.(view spoiler) And while it did work for the story in a way... it just is personally frustrating. Some people are good with more open endings, but I am not those people. So this is probably more of a personal preference, but something to be aware of.

•I did guess quite a few of the plot points early on. But that might just be because I am awesome, who can tell?

Bottom Line: If you're looking for a realistically dark and gritty mystery, you've found it in Sadie. Extra points for the fabulous format, sisterly bond, and dash of hope.

This is a dual timeline narrative. First is Sadie's point of view following her search for revenge and justice for the death of her younger sister Mattie. Second is a podcast covering the steps Sadie took and trying to discover where she is now. The story will leave you with immense sense of sadness. Not all your questions will be answered but the last half will keep you turning the pages until you reach the end.

**Spoiler Free**

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, and Courtney Summers for the advanced copy for review.

I'll start by saying that I have not read any of Courtney Summers work before. I have noticed this book on many book feeds and groups that I am a part of so it caught my interest very quickly. I am forever grateful that I was given an opportunity to read and review this book. With that being said let's jump right in.

Sadie is a young adult mystery that is a heartbreaking story about two sisters, Sadie and Mattie. One of which is on a quest to locate the others killer and seek out justice. What makes this book unique is Sadie knows who her sister's killer is an is on a mission to make sure he pays for his crimes.

What I liked about this story was the different perspectives of the telling of the story. You see it from the podcasts point of view as well as hearing from Sadie directly. I really enjoyed the perspective of the radio personality. It brought an objective view to the story and also lightened the mood of what could have been a very dark novel.

The characters are very well done and drew you in and hooked you from the beginning. You really start caring for these girls and want nothing but happiness for them, sadly this story does not end that way. Be prepared to weep and feel your soul crushed from the heartache and realness that These girls have had to endure.

This book is deserving of all the hype and attention is has gotten. I hope that it continues to be recognized and read.

Trigger Warning - This book does deal with drug abuse, sex abuse, and pedophilia.

Overall, a great read! I really enjoyed it.

#Sadie#netgalley


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( 4.5 )

I love Courtney Summers. Sadly, I haven’t read all her books yet, but those that I have, have cut real deep. I was super excited to get an ARC of Summers’ new book Sadie, which is far more than just a book. There’s also an accompanying podcast called The Girls, which doesn’t spoil the book, but more so adds a bit more depth and brings the book to life. This entire experience is exactly what I was hoping for and I just love how Summers takes things a step further with the podcast, really adding a whole other level of realism to this story. It’s hard not to be affected by it, hard not to be pulled into it.

I listened to the first episode of the podcast before cracking open the book. I knew the two went hand in hand, but I didn’t realize the book itself was partially written in the format of a podcast. The book delves much deeper into the story and the real podcast doesn’t spoil anything from the book, but compliments the story. Because I received an advance copy of the book, not all the episodes of the podcast were available by the time I started reading it, unfortunately. I think it would have been really cool to listen to the podcast ahead of the part in the book and hear the words come alive in actual podcast form. However, I was far too impatient and excited to read the book itself that I didn’t want to wait for all the episodes. But if you get a chance to do it this way, I think it would be worth it.

I was born and raised in a small Canadian town. Not as small as Cold Creek, but it was very easy to relate to the setting and I was really able to immerse myself in the story, though this isn’t a story anyone would want to fully immerse themselves in. A lot of characters seemed familiar and easy to relate to and the situation itself, while not something I’ve experienced firsthand, was definitely written in a way that could also be easily related to, which is what makes this book so damn heartbreaking. Because frankly, the content is awful. So many heartbreaks and a sad and awful dose of so many people’s reality. This was a tough read, but the way Summers cut it up with the investigative podcast not only added a unique angle to a sad story, but it made the heavy topics a little bit lighter. There was a bit of a break between the intensity so the reader could actually let go of the breath they were holding.

I really liked all the characters that Sadie met along the way, though a lot of them weren’t what you’d call likeable. I just enjoyed how they all had a little bit of a part in Sadie’s destiny, even if it wasn’t always a good helping hand. It was interesting to follow the podcast host as he followed Sadie’s trail and ran into these characters again as he tried to track her down. The format was really strong and worked really well.

Usually I don’t like when books end like this, and while it was hard this time around, I thought it worked really well for what this story was. I can’t say this was my favourite Summer’s read, I’ve read a few that punched me a lot harder than this did, I think this carefully danced around a lot of the graphic details that would make it a much harder and heavier book to read. But what was left was still heartbreaking, almost more so since you don’t necessarily know what is happening or driving Sadie’s determination until closer to the end. I really applaud Summers for taking sort of a known story line and adding some more modern elements like the podcast and investigative journalism aspect to add a bit more life to the concept. It was a short, but not very sweet read and I definitely recommend it.

Likely to have been inspired by podcasts like Serial, Sadie follows two timelines: one from the point of view of Sadie, a girl who has gone missing from her small country town after her sister has been murdered, and one from the point of view of West McCray, a podcaster and journalist on the hunt to discover what happened to Sadie.

The main draw of Sadie is that the story is incredibly compelling. It is clear that there is more to the story of Mattie being murdered than meets the eye, and that Sadie is on the hunt for the truth. Having the two points of view was quite a smart idea, as you see the true story being unfolded slowly with information being fed to you from different characters.

A novel that definitely captures your attention the whole way through, I would recommend Sadie to those who love mysteries and thrillers.

Ratings
Overall: 8/10
Plot: 4/5
Writing: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Cover: 2/5