Wow...

Well that was just the most depressing thing I've ever read.

This book is super depressing and there’s really nothing light or happy about it. Which ok, obviously based off the synopsis you can tell this isn’t supposed to be a light read. But I don’t know, I guess I thought this would be the typical YA book where the girl goes through this tragic thing but learns to move on and grow and fall in love while still searching in the hope of finding her sister’s killer. But this book wasn’t that at all.

This book is realistic, sad, hopeful and heartbreaking all wrapped up together. It's also like nothing I've ever read before. This is pure mystery fiction (or at least what I'm assuming mystery fiction is like since I've never read it before). The plot is solely fixated on Sadie’s journey to trying to figure out who murdered her sister Mattie. We go on this journey in two ways: with Sadie and with the radio as radio host West tries to piece it all together too. It was certainly an interesting change in pace for me and it took a while for me to really get into it but I really can’t say that I didn’t enjoy this. It was gut wrenching and depressing at times for sure but I also felt myself becoming slowly attached to Sadie and wanting to know the truth behind Mattie’s murder too.

This book deals with some very heavy topics and I kind of wish I'd known ahead of time because I really wasn't prepared for how dark this book gets. This story has such an important message and I get why it's placed in the YA genre but the maturity and the content makes me think that it's something for an older audience too. I don't typically place trigger warning's however for this book I think it's important to know that two things play a big role in the plot:

1. Pedophilia
2. rape

(There's also a few scene of semi-graphic violence).

The chapters from the radio-host took some getting used. At first I didn't really care and wanted it to go back to Sadie's perspective but very quickly they captured my attention and I found myself imagining this podcast, imaging me actually hearing and see this all going down and it was just crazy and great and really smart of the author to add that element to the story.

I'm kind of unhappy with the way the book ends, though I do get the creative decision to end it like that. It makes sense. But as someone who desperately needed certain answers after going through all of this, I was a little disappointed. Regardless, I know this will be a book I won't forget. And it's certainly one that I think it important enough that I hope many others take a chance on it because it is not one to be missed!

A special thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sadie hasn't had it easy. Her drug-addict mother is in and out of her life and Sadie is tasked with raising her little sister, Mattie.

Mattie goes missing and is subsequently found murdered. This absolutely destroys Sadie and after a botched police investigation, Sadie makes it her mission to bring her sister's killer to justice. Following what little information she has, Sadie strikes out on her own to find him.

West McCray is radio personality who is working on a segment about small, forgotten towns in America. When he overhears Sadie's story at a local gas station, West becomes obsessed with finding Sadie. He starts his own podcast that tracks her journey in the hopes of trying to figure out what happened and to find Sadie before it's too late.

Summers contemporary story is not pretty. It's gritty, raw, and at times unimaginable. But the sad fact is that what happens to Sadie is not unique and the world can be a dark and terrible place.

I struggled with Sadie as a character—on one hand, she's a total badass and could be a strong female lead, but on the other, she's basically still a child that has faced some incredibly brutal situations that no one, let alone a child, should be subjected to.

The alternating points of view is the perfect vehicle for this story. Sadie's first person voice is vulnerable as evident through her stutter, yet strong as apparent through her sheer determination and will. She is lost and doesn't want to be found. The only thing keeping her going is to find and kill the man responsible for Mattie's murder. West's narrative is true to his occupation as a radio presenter in that he is factual and purposeful. He frames his views into consumable content, albeit somewhat flippant, because he is reporting and investigating without any personal attachment. I took this as a comment on the impact of media and how numb we are as a society to things that should be horrific and cause for reaction/action.

The two are on a similar trajectory—Sadie to find the man responsible for her sister's death and West to find Sadie. With each turn of the page, the reader is hoping for them to collide and Summers capitalizes on this to propel her narrative. Her pace is spot on.

This book is not for the faint of heart. Summers preys on the reader's anxiety and ratchets this story to a whole other level. I actually had to take reading breaks with this one, not only to catch my breath, but because I felt suffocated by Sadie's darkness. This novel could be a trigger warning for some because of some of the subject matter and should come with a warning to call this out.

ummary: When Sadie's sister is murdered, she takes it upon herself to track down her sister's killer. Revenge will be hers...or will it?
My first reaction upon finishing the book: What the...?!?!
Five reasons I like this book:
1. Sadie will keep you on the edge of your seat to the very end. At the end of each chapter, you're still that Sadie will succeed in avenging her sister. You're also not sure that she's right about who the killer is.
2. This book is set up as a podcast that takes place after Sadie's story. The reader goes back and forth between the podcast telling the story and Sadie's actual story.
3. Sadie is an unconventional protagonist. She's poor, she didn't graduate from high school, and the only purpose she seems to have is to protect her younger sister. But, the girl has got some fight in her. Don't underestimate Sadie!
4. Courtney Summers draws attention to the inherent problems that go along with poverty...without pushing an agenda.
5. This message to girls: It is never too late to fight for your right to your own body!
Recommended age:
14 and up

Perfect for fans of true crime podcasts! Disturbing, unnerving, and quite sad. Sadie reminded me of The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis.

I've been a huge fan of Courtney Summers since All the Rage so when I heard her next novel is pitched to fans of Serial, I knew I had to read it. 

Sadie's used to being independent, growing up without her mother and taking care of her little sister Maddie. But when Maddie's body is found, Sadie's world falls apart and she's determined to find out her sister's killer. Told in Sadie's POV and with snippets from a radio show about the case, Sadie is a gripping and intense read. 

I found the writing style very gripping. Not only was Sadie's POV intense but the radio show provided glimpses into the other half of the story. I thought it was really engaging and I was definitely invested in what was going on, both for the plot and for the characters. The ending was a bit unresolved and while I understand why that's the case from a thriller/mystery aspect, I personally prefer resolved endings. That's more of a personal preference, not really an issue wth the novel, so I definitely don't think that's a point against the novel. 

Overall, I really think Sadie is a must-read this fall. It's a bit intense but engaging and definitely thought-provoking.

I don't read a lot of thrillers, because I find I often guess what will happen and I get bored. That was not the case with this book, and I was pleasantly surprised. I really enjoyed the format of this novel, the alternation between podcast style chapter and narrative chapter from Sadie's POV was really interesting, and kept me interested in the plot. I also feel like Summers did a great job of making the chapters end in suspenseful ways that had me continuing to flip pages. I thought that the story was gritty and felt real without being too sunny or too depressing. The podcast portion of the book reminded me very much of Serial, so if you enjoyed that you will likely enjoy this book quite a bit. I highly recommend this fast-paced thriller if you enjoy those sorts of books.

“I’m going to kill the man who killed my sister.”

Sadie is a stunning, heartbreaking read about a girl dead set on murdering the man who killed her little sister.

19-year-old Sadie only had one thing her life to love, which was her 13-year-old little sister, Mattie. Growing up in a trailer park in Colorado, she had to endure her mother’s drug abuse, neglect, and many boyfriends; some of whom were verbally, physically, and sexually abusive. But Sadie survived in order to protect Mattie. Sadly when Mattie is murdered, Sadie is intent on seeking revenge on the man who killed Mattie.

Sadie is a sharp, intelligent, edgy character. There’s nothing smooth about her and wherever she goes, she leaves a mark. That’s why when an investigation begins into her disappearance, those who met Sadie cannot forget their encounters with her.

Sadie’s story is split between Sadie’s narrative and a podcast about her disappearance. While this could have felt gimmicky, the split between the two narratives is handled with finesse. The podcast provides a different insight into Sadie’s character, and the juxtaposition between the two is fascinating.

This is not a pretty read. Sadie’s raw pain emanates from the pages. There were times when I had to set this book aside because I couldn't endure reading any more of her story. I was constantly worried about her and wanted to jump into this book and rescue her on many occasions.

This was a jarring and sometimes uncomfortable read. However, it was extremely impactful. Summer’s brings Sadie’s character to life, and while this wasn’t always enjoyable to read, her style is enthralling. I was captivated by Sadie’s voice; she got under my skin and shattered my heart.

I highly recommend Sadie and this is by far one of my favorite reads of 2018.

Triggers: rape, pedophilia, violence

I received an ARC of Sadie from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.

Compelling.

I can’t say I enjoyed it as that is the wrong verb; however, I couldn’t put it down. You’ll see what I mean when you read it.

The structure (like a modern epistolary novel) is very clever and quite original. Initially, I thought I’d find it distracting but it wasn’t. It reflected the puzzling nature of the plot.

Summers lets you believe you’re getting to know the characters and what’s going on only to genuinely surprise you a couple of times.

I finished the last 20% in a restaurant because the family wanted to eat out and I wanted to read! I spent the meal frustrated every time I was interrupted (order, drink, food, bill) because it tore me from the narrative.

I love fiction, true crime, podcasts and this book because it has all three (it's true crime-esque). I received a free copy from NetGalley to provide a honest review. I've been hearing about this book for some time now, so when I got the approval to read Sadie I could not wait. THEN THEY RELEASE AN ACTUAL PODCAST BASED ON THE BOOK. My excitement cannot be described. The premise of the book is that Sadie is looking for her sister's killer and then there's McCray, he's doing a podcast about finding Sadie. The story is told from Sadie's perspective and her method of hunting down the man she thinks is responsible and McCray looking into clues of what path Sadie took in a podcast format. It's an interesting place for the reader to be because they know Sadie's actions before McCray figures it out, but the podcast portions still manage to add information to the plot. There are uncomfortable parts to read due to the nature of the book and what Sadie went through. There isn't any graphic detail, but the emotions Sadie is going through in her thoughts can be triggering for some people. The actual podcast they released for the book is a great marketing tool, it does not spoil the book (at least night the first episode, not sure if they are going to tell the entire podcast part of the book in the recordings) it is a great addition to the book. YA fans will love Sadie and true crime fans may want to check it out for the way the story unfolds and it being similar to true crime podcast.

First of all I want to say that despite my 3-star rating, I do still recommend this book especially if you're a fan of crime podcasts such as Serial. In fact, Macmillan Publishers went the extra mile and released the podcast parts of Sadie, titled The Girls, into an actual podcast you can download! Which is amazing because I didn't know about this until my friend Jen @ Pinot and Pages told me after I finished reading it. I think it's such a nice touch and is great to hold you over until the book releases. I also think the audiobook version will have great potential.

Sadie is a story about love, loss, and revenge. Sadie and Mattie had a hard life growing up; their drug addict mom had several men in her life, some feeding into her addiction, until one day she abandons her girls. And despite the girls having a surrogate grandmother to take care of them, Sadie assumes a motherly role for Mattie, trying her best to build them a decent life. When Mattie is found murdered, Sadie vows to travel to the ends of the Earth to find Mattie's killer. But then... Sadie disappears, too.

Sadie alternates between Sadie's POV (in which the timeline of events are in the past), and in a podcast script called The Girls. The podcast script is narrated by West McCray, a radio personality who becomes obsessed with finding out what happened to Sadie and Mattie. Like with the Serial podcast, The Girls' format bounces around a lot between the narrator speaking to someone on the phone, to him narrating in a studio, and to in-person interviews.

I really loved the overall intrigue and mystery elements of the story. And I am always a sucker for any thriller where it's told in a script/interview format. We meet several characters along the way who help shape the story and drop so many clues as to what happened to Sadie's whereabouts. I also really appreciated the author bringing attention to Sadie's stutter and how it accurately reflects the ignorance of society reacting to someone with a disability.

There are also some very heavy topics such as sexual assault, rape, child abandonment, drug abuse, and child abuse in this book. They were difficult to read, so please be aware that these may be triggers.

So, while I did enjoy the mystery of the "podcast" and the unshakeable bonds of sisterhood, you're probably wondering why I decided to rate it 3 stars. I had a few issues with the pacing of the podcast. There were several times where the podcast would just repeat the stuff I literally just read in Sadie's POV. Other times I got confused when Sadie's POV would transition between the past and present. The transitions just weren't written very well and I had to go back several times to re-read those parts. And let's just say I was unsatisfied with the ending.

I truly think I would've loved this more if I listened to it on audio and if there was less repetition of information. I also wouldn't mind if Sadie's POV was completely removed from the book. Maybe an entire podcast script would've been better?

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. Great novel--beautifully written characters in a compelling mystery. I found it difficult to put the novel down. I hope that Sadie finds peace and happiness.

Fantastic in every respect, so much so that I'm having a hard time writing anything that feels adequate. Fantastic pacing, compassionate but clear-eyed character work, compelling mystery that still feels down to earth. This is definitely in my top 5 of the year!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced read in exchange for this review.
4.5 stars!
First off I loved the story line of going back and forth between the podcast and Sadie's POV. There were moments when I couldn't figure out how things were being pieced together but eventually it was all brought to light. I'm not sure what to say about the ending....I wasn't a fan but yet I was a fan. It's all very unsettling and I loved it :)

*Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.* '"And it begins, as so many stories do, with a dead girl." What is there not to love about a beginning like that? Sadie' is a haunting novel about the novel's namesake, Sadie who leaves her small American town of Cold Creek to find revenge and redemption. The novel is told partially via the character of West McCray who is creating a podcast series on small, forgotten towns of America. Sadie is a carefully constructed, imperfect character, who talks with a lisp, can't forgive her mother and loved her baby sister Mattie dearly. At times, I found the plot jumped around a little bit and there were many characters of whom to keep track. However, the haunting beauty of the writing made up for this, which is why I gave it 4 stars.

Sadie Hunter, a 19-year-old girl, disappears after her 13-year-old sister is murdered. The girls’ surrogate grandmother contacts West McCray, an NPR-like radio host, to find her. Sadie, by Courtney Summers, flips between the script of McCray’s resulting podcast series and the POV of Sadie herself as she follows clues to track down the person she believes killed Mattie.
This is a dark story with few slivers of light to break the tension. You experience Sadie’s hungry, desperate, furious mindset firsthand. West McCray doesn’t want to get involved. “Girls go missing all the time.” But his producer pushes him, and soon he’s too involved to turn back. Sadie went through heavy things as a little girl. Be prepared for strong mentions of substance abuse (by mom) and parental abandonment. Child molestation is a heavy theme throughout. (Sadie is a survivor, and much of her actions are driven by her anger.) Sadie intends to murder Mattie’s killer when she finds him. Along the way, her singular focus puts her into dangerous situations, made worse by her constant starving state and lack of sleep that affects her judgment and reactions. A scene when she goes “undercover” as a new teen in a town where she has a lead offers a view of the kind of popular teen she might have been if everything and everyone in her life wasn’t so messed up. In that short moment, she makes friends, but hours later destiny throws her another horrifying curveball.
There are many heartbreaking aspects of this story, but the idea that the sisters could have been saved if only someone had listened to Sadie when she was a young girl and taken her seriously is one that will keep readers up at night.
Sadie is a powerful book that teens who enjoyed Thirteen Reasons Why could get into easily. It doesn’t have a pat ending, and discerning readers may notice that some of the conclusions McCray reaches don’t line up with Sadie’s, which leaves the armchair detectives among us to draw their own answers. These moments help alleviate the few times it feels that McCray’s sections are repeating Sadie’s, especially as he gets closer to tracking her down.

Hello, fellow readers! It's been a while, but I'm back with another review, this one being on Sadie by Courtney Summers. While I haven't read any of Courtney Summer's other books, as soon as I heard about this one at the latest TeensRead event, I knew I wanted to read it. It's kind of surprising, since I'm not a huge fan of thrillers, what with me questioning every decision the protagonist makes, but this one seemed different. Possibly because of the podcast element. And I wasn't wrong.
First of all, I loved the chapters alternating between Sadie's POV and the podcast transcript. There was just so much story in both. For instance, as one chapter ends, the next POV would carry on seamlessly. The podcast would fill readers in on anything Sadie might have left out in her narration and vice versa. Plus, the storytelling elements for both of these POVs were superb.
Then there were the characters. These were fleshed-out people whose story cannot be contained in a single novel, but the author did an outstanding job in giving readers a glimpse. What I'm trying to say is that the author gives us characters that aren't good or bad - with the exception of some - but have their own story to tell alongside Sadie's. And for most of these characters, you feel some level of empathy for them. Especially Sadie. As I've said before, a lot of time when I try to read thriller or mystery, I find myself constantly questioning the protagonist and their motivations. Not this time. I understood exactly why Sadie was doing what she was doing and empathized with her throughout the entire novel.
Well, that's all I have to say about this novel for now. If you're into true crime podcasts, Macmillan made a fake one for Sadie called The Girls (the name of the podcast in the novel). The first episode is available right now, too! As for the novel, I honestly would recommend this to anyone who likes to read thriller or mystery; it gets you questioning the sad truths about missing girls and how people shouldn't simply fit them into a stereotype just to make it easier. Fair warning though: the ending will leave you with more questions than answers. And for those of you are interested, Sadie comes out on September 4th, 2018.

“How do you forgive the people who are supposed to protect you? Sometimes I don’t know what I miss more; everything I’ve lost or everything I never had”
Wow. Sadie is a heartbreaking, emotional, dark, disturbing read. But yet I couldn’t put it down. After Sadie’s sister is found dead she goes on a journey to pay revenge on the killer. Along the way you discover secrets and heartaches of the life Sadie has had to live. I feel that I’ll be thinking about this book for awhile. It’s heartbreaking to know that while this story is fiction, it is truth for a lot of kids in this world.
Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review Sadie by Courtney Summers. I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Disclaimer: child abuse, language

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced read in exchange for this review.

Sadie has lived a hard life – raising her sister, Mattie, while trying to keep her head above water. When Mattie is found dead, Sadie is determined to bring Mattie’s killer to justice.

I had a hard time with this one. I struggled to connect with Sadie, and the book is hard to read. The book jumps around from past to present. There’s also a podcast that is thrown into the chapters to track Sadie. I tried. I really did. It seems that so many people liked this book, and I wish I could have been one of them.

Iv only read one book by Courtney Summers before, but I was so impressed I wooed to read all her books.. slowly. Because after that first book I felt a little sick, a little punch in the stomach that I need to recover from before embarking on a new one. She writes dark and crazy realistic, Its like watching a film, the characters and surroundings are so realistic and well drawn out.

It started slow and I wasnt sure about the way its written as a podcast but it turned out to be the best possible way to read this. I was actually reading a podcast, where the mystery of the missing girl was still a mystery, while at the same time getting to know what actually happened to her.

Loved it.

Sadie by Courtney Summers is a young adult mystery that is done in a bit of a different format than normal. The story is told by alternating between a podcast and then chapters told from Sadie’s point of view.

Sadie is a teen that hasn’t had the best of lives. With an addict mother and no idea who her father is Sadie has raised herself and her younger sister Mattie. Sadie was only a child herself when Mattie was born but she did everything she could to make her sister’s life better than her own.

The girls mother left the two on their own and Sadie tried the best she could but Mattie one day took off and that was the last Sadie saw of her. When Mattie was found dead it rocked Sadie’s world and shortly after she took off herself. Hearing about the girls West McCray starts up a podcast hoping to find the truth to their story.

I’m not one that listens to podcasts so it did take me a minute to get used to the style of this book but once it got going of course the story was one that was quite compelling. Sadie is a character that is functioning on the mentality that she has nothing left to lose after her sister was murdered so it’s safe to say following her kept me on edge wondering how far she would go. This darker trip Sadie took is also one that you can’t help but feel for her as she’s only a girl herself and she have been just being a kid so prepare for an emotional ride with this one.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.