Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Safe and Sound.

I'm glad the author thought ahead and put a brief disclaimer in the front of the book warning of potential triggering themes.

This book is tough to read as it deals with child sexual abuse and neglect, amongst other things, and the cast of characters is mostly despicable, with the exception of Ketch, Grace, and the sisters.

Amelia and Kylee's beloved cousin, Grace, disappeared six years ago, and the sisters have never recovered from their loss.

In a small town where everyone knows everyone else's business, the sisters pursue their own investigation into what happened to Grace, but what they find may be too shocking to believe.

The narrative is divided between the sisters and Grace, which was great because often in these genres, the most interesting person is the deceased.

I liked that Grace had a voice in the narrative.

The writing is good, but the pacing is slow since exposition takes up most of the narrative.

There's very little to no suspense or urgency, and though you know who dunnit Grace's fate is still unknown, though I guessed right at the end.

The final reveal of Grace's whereabouts is a bit hard to suspend disbelief for but I rolled with it because it was the end.

This wasn't bad, but this isn't a thriller or a mystery and some readers may find the story very difficult to read.

Great writing, a fun cast of characters, and a storyline that keeps you reading. The novel falls apart at the end due to plausibility issues.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/194803837

Safe and Sound is a missing person thriller by Laura McHugh. Briefly, my thoughts: This book isn't labeled YA, but what with the young characters who are drinking and putting themselves in dangerous situations, the clueless and toxic adults, and the bitter feelings about small-towns, I think I am too old for this book? I mean they relentlessly made fun of Amelia and Grace's boss, who was admittedly creepy and a bad guy, but I felt like they were making fun of him for being old and he was in his 30s. Also, I don't live in the south or anywhere near it so maybe it's different there (I live in the Pacific Northwest), but small towns aren't the villains this book makes them out to be in my experience. And last, this book truly reminded me of On the Savage Side by Tiffany McDaniel in many ways, it was giving me some serious de ja vu.

Kylee and Amelia are sisters. Amelia is a waitress after graduating early and Kylee is in her junior year of high school. They live with their mother who is a stripper and cocktail waitress and isn't the nurturing type. So for most of their lives, they had the positive influence of their cousin, Grace. But she has disappeared several years ago when the story begins. Inspired by the anniversary vigil, Kylee and Amelia start looking into Grace's disappearance and quickly uncover a lot of information previously unknown.

This book had lots of potentially triggering situations in it that made the book hard to read for me at times. However, it was a quick, fast paced read that kept me hooked. The end was pretty twisty, if not realistic. 3.5 stars rounded up.

This is the story of sisters, Amelia and Kylee. They were found unharmed in their bedroom while their cousin Grace was babysitting them. Told in POV's by Amelia, Kylee and Grace. What really happened when Grace was watching her cousins. So many questions and so much cover up.

I loved "The Weight of Blood by the same author and could not wait to read this one!
Thrilling, Emotional, and Dark! 3.5 stars

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the advanced copy. This book is set to release 4/23/24.

I found this book quite ‘interesting’. It was filled with a good balance of mystery and suspense. The author kept the reader in page turning mode. The twists and turns toward the end of the book increased the enjoyment of the book. This is a book which I would recommend to other readers.

Sisters Kylee and Amelia have had a rough upbringing. Their older cousin was like a mother to them until she vanished her senior year of high school. Amelia is determined to get to the bottom of it.

Maybe it is because her novels are always set in the Ozarks, which is my stomping ground, but I just love Laura McHugh. Safe and Sound is a page-turner. I really thought I had it figured out and then of course there was a twist I didn’t see coming.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC.

Glad I got a chance to read this early as I have read all of her books. This was sad & dreary with awful characters. Such a sad story with a strange ending. ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Safe and Sound by Laura McHugh will be released on April 23, 2024.

Small towns can hold big secrets. Amelia and Kylee were only young children when their older cousin disappeared, a not insignificant amount of blood left in her wake. What happened to Grace? The one in the family with the highest aspirations? She was so close to getting out and escaping the town that seemed to hinder the past generations in her family but she never made it...or did she?

Wow, this book was intense, no question about it - a 5-star read. I picked this book up and it was on my mind non-stop until I finished it. You know those books that just read like a movie? The way that the characters speak, the way that things are described, the way that the plot flows is just so easily pictured in your mind while you read? This was one of those books. I almost forgot that I was reading a book and, if you read a lot, you know how amazing of a feeling that is.

Safe and Sound is not a light-hearted read. There are mentions of SA and child SA, as well as violence. If these are triggering to you, it may not be the right book to pick up. I personally loved how she was able to write about these difficult things in a way that captured all of the emotions but didn't bring the entire focus of the story to just that.

For some downsides of the book - the ending. I felt like it was a bit rushed. The twist at the end was not at all expected and I don't think I could have ever guessed where the story would go, but I also felt that too many questions were left unanswered. Granted, I do feel like that was what Laura McHugh was trying to do with the ending.

Move this book to the top of your TBR and prepare for an intense story.

A good mystery that kept me going. There were some holes but I finished and guessed the ending. Good luck with the book.

I thought the characters had some real depth to them. It would have been easy for them to feel like stereotypes given the family situation and grim backwater town, I did feel like it was a little hard to read at points and maybe was trying too hard to be grim? I know that's popular but at times it felt a little manipulative.

This was a difficult one to read due to the traumatic upbringing of our main characters: Grace, Amelia, and Kylee.

While I grew up in a smallish town that was pretty much the opposite of the setting in this story, my heart breaks for these fictional characters, who were extremely likable, smart, resilient, and determined. I know that there are many real life versions of this town and many real people struggling with the things Amelia, Kylee, and Grace dealt with and I love how the author managed to demonstrate their desperation and their struggles with wanting more from life. She did an amazing job of describing this run down town that lacked options and opportunities for young people and I was able to visualize and immerse myself in their heartbreaking situation.

I really enjoyed the writing style and the way it alternated points of view between Grace and Amelia/Kylee. It didn’t switch back and forth quickly but instead it was broken down into chunks, if that makes sense. This is a book that will stay with me for quite some time. If I have to give one criticism, it would be the ending. It felt abrupt and after investing so much emotion into the story, I was left wanting more of a sense of closure. Regardless, this is an author I will certainly keep reading.

Publishes April 23, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley, the public, and Laura McHugh for the opportunity to review Safe and Sound.

My favorite part about this book is how Grace’s nieces will stop at nothing to find out the truth about their missing Aunt. They don’t care what lines they have to cross either. All while they are planning to get out of their small town for good. There were gut wrenching times throughout the chapters for me. One minute I would think I have it figured out and then a twist would be thrown in. If you enjoy small town thrillers, then you will need to pick this one up.

It's a mystery why and how a young woman was taken from a house while her two younger cousins were asleep in their rooms. This book captured my attention from the very first page and kept it until the end. The author offered several scenarios that could have played out. While trying to unravel the mystery, the reader gets the perspective of the cousins and the young woman who went missing. It's amazing how their perspectives are intertwined throughout the book, periodically switching from present to past. I will definitely recommend this book and author to others!

WAIT! I wasn’t prepared for this book to end! I absolutely loved this book. It is a twisty tale told in alternating time lines, building the suspense with carefully leaked details…leading to a surprising conclusion. I thank NetGalley for the opportunity to read this fantastic book early. Go get this book!!!

Laura McHugh is amazing and totally underrated, and I'm hoping that Safe and Sound, her 2024 release, catapults her to the wider readership she deserves.

Safe and Sound is a riveting story about growing up in a small impoverished town, of the secrets that can and do hide in them, about the weirdness and rot that can live in families, and it's all wrapped up in a genuinely gripping mystery. Absolutely outstanding and very highly recommended!

Let me start by saying I’m a huge Laura McHugh fan. Her books make my dark-loving heart sing, and Safe and Sound is no different. This book, first and foremost, is about sisterly love in all its forms and how secrets can bond or destroy a family. I fell in love with Amelia, Kylee, and Grace and how their strong connection drove the story to its twisty conclusion. Like all of McHugh’s books, this story is character-driven and full of heart as well as heartbreak. I’m already having a horrible book hangover!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an early look in exchange for my honest opinion.

I devoured this book. It kept me interested from beginning to end. I am a big McHugh fan and I think this is one of her best. It deals with some subjects I normally do not like to read about….powerless girls, “bad” mothering, horrible men. While I think the ending was a bit underwhelming, it was a really great read.

I have read all of Laura McHugh’s books and this one will keep you turning pages until the very end. I gave it 4 stars only because the story dragged in some places, but otherwise GREAT book!! Thanks for the advanced copy!!

This is a great book!
Amelia and Kylee's cousin Grace disappeared years ago when she was babysitting them and was never found. The two believe that some day she may still turn up. Amelia is doing her very best to work a low paying job to get herself and her sister out of the terrible town and away from the toxic family they live with. When remains are found, the two are more determined then ever to find out what happened to Grace.

This book will keep your attention and keep you wondering until the very end!.#RandomHouse #SafeandSound #Lauramchugh

I have loved Laura McHugh's others novels, and Safe and Sound is another winner. She does small-town noir so incredibly well, and her character development is top notch. There is also a cinematic quality to her writing that I admire and that helps the reader picture each scene. Safe and Sound feels claustrophobic at times, which is a testament to the author's skill, since that's the feeling the story should evoke. Grace, Amelia, and Kylee are great POV characters. At times this feels like a YA book, but nonetheless it should appeal widely to an adult audience.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, & the publisher for the e-galley; all opinions are my own.