Girl, Missing (Girl, Missing, #1)

Aug 18, 2009 Aly (Fantasy4eva) rated it 2 of 5 stars

This is one of those books that's a quick - straightforward read. I would be lying if I said it got boring becuase it didn't. It was a quick read with a decent plot, but I have to say that it was pretty predictable. Didn't wow me I suppose; didn't do anything for me actually. More of a book I'd recommend you pick up from the Library.

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Oct 20, 2012 Natalie rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: disappointing

My first review on goodreads and I'm using it rant on this book.
I had really high expectations of it due to the other reviews on this site, but it seriously disappointed me. It was a short book I admit so didn't have a lot of time to really draw me in but, being one of those girls who will normally love everything, I was surprised when I reached the end of the book and still disliked it.
The plot is one of those that probably looks good as a synposis but didn't really work. I found it way too fas...more

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Oct 02, 2012 abi rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a very, very good book.

Background information:

It all starts with Lauren trying to do her homework titled "Who am I?" She was adopted at a young age and feels like she doesn't have an identity. So this book is about her and her best friend, Jam, finding out about her birth parents. Which does sound dull but there is major ramifications for Lauren and Jam doing this, because some people want her story to remain hidden. This is a great adventure story which deserves a lot of praise.

The wr...more

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Jul 14, 2012 Lois rated it 5 of 5 stars

I propose you should read "girl missing" by Sophie McKenzie, because it is worth reading. I say this because I think it is a good book. It only took me a day to read because I couldn't put the book down-it was too interesting and I didnt want to leave where I was.In "girl missing", there are many emotional parts, but also there are some funny points.The book is about a teenage girl called Lauren (also known as Martha),trying to find out about her past. Thoughb this may sound simple,it has a vast...more

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Feb 03, 2012 Lisa rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: simon-schuster

Originally posted at Read Me Bookmark Me Love Me

Girl, Missing is an easy read that will entertain those looking for a light adventure. After Lauren Matthews discovers that she's actually Martha Purditt, who was stolen from her parents as a child, she finds her parents reluctant to talk about her supposed closed adoption, making her suspicious about their involvement. Fleeing from the airport with her best friend in tow, she's determined to find answers about her real family. The two parts of the...more Originally posted at Read Me Bookmark Me Love Me

Girl, Missing is an easy read that will entertain those looking for a light adventure. After Lauren Matthews discovers that she's actually Martha Purditt, who was stolen from her parents as a child, she finds her parents reluctant to talk about her supposed closed adoption, making her suspicious about their involvement. Fleeing from the airport with her best friend in tow, she's determined to find answers about her real family. The two parts of the book, significantly titled Finding Martha and Finding Lauren, both deal with Lauren's slow discovery of what her life means and how she'll move on now that everything's changed. For better or for worse, who knows?

There are engaging mysteries in this book that would've been enjoyable, had it not been for Lauren. As a young teenager, her behaviour should be excused but I can't bring myself to do it. I know at fourteen I wouldn't have made such rash decisions (on a huge scale!) or been so frighteningly self-centred. I don't know if it was the author's intention to make her main character this way for development reasons, but I certainly hope so! Otherwise, just kill me now. "Why was he acting like this was my fault?" No comment...

Throughout the book is a very subtle romance that helps tie the plot together. From the very beginning, readers will see that Jam, her best friend since primary school, is romantically interested in her. He refuses to leave Lauren on her own so he always goes along with her risky plans, being pulled into dangerous situations that are bigger than just the two of them. Overall, he's the sweet guy you can take home but does Lauren see it at all? No, she's too busy minding her own business. I admit, her total ignorance about almost everything annoyed me, but they do have some sweet moments together you can appreciate.

Girl, Missing's action begins on page one. Soon after the book begins, Lauren makes the discovery and gets thrown into the thick of things. With people determined to keep her history a secret, she'll face criminals, dangerous folks in the dark and more! Sometimes things were just hard to imagine though. Are we meant to believe that, at fourteen, these kids could just fly around the country with barely any money and not get killed by their attackers or caught by the authorities? That they would be able to survive on their own? This doesn't happen in real life and coincidences (conflict-solving-wise) don't exist. I don't care that this is fiction - my belief was not suspended!

In saying that, this book isn't all bad! Once you get past Lauren's immaturity, you might find yourself enjoying the mystery. With confusing diaries, memories and secrets with a few small twists thrown in for good measure, McKenzie has set up a good backstory for the sequel, which I enjoyed much more. Even with the disappointing lead, I found myself really liking all of the secondary characters so I guess that's another plus! Girl, Missing deals with the issues of not knowing where you quite belong and not appreciating what you have until you've lost it. Interesting but flawed!(less)

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Apr 16, 2011 Zoe Crook rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wow. Just simply....wow! Girl, Missing is probably one of my favourite reads ever! I could read it again and again and it would still be No. 1. Well done Sophie, you should be proud. It is a proper page-turner which will capture readers old and new.

This novel is about Lauren, an adopted girl who feels lost and unloved. She is determined to find out the truth about her, but does the truth lead to danger?
One day Lauren finds a missing childrens website and is bored. She types her name into the sea...more

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May 16, 2011 Alexandria rated it 2 of 5 stars

This book took me forever to get into, but I was too stubborn to out it down. I am sure that for the age group that this book is men for it is great but for me...well I found it pretty annoying.

I thought that Lauren was selfish and didn't think of the affect her actions would have on others. She was going to find who her birth parents were no matter how this left her adoptive parents. WHO HAVE ONLY RAISED HER ALL HER LIFE!! She went off in a strange airport and left her mum in a right state stu...more

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Nov 15, 2012 Linda rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I really enjoyed it. When Lauren, a British girl living in London, is assigned an essay titled "Who Am I?" she starts to wonder exactly who she really is. Knowing that she was adopted at age 3, all that she remembers from her previous life is a beautiful lady with long black hair who was always laughing. The parents who raised her won't tell her anything. Idly searching on the internet, Lauren is shocked to find that she might have been a little girl abdu...more

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Mar 20, 2012 Miriam rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: anyone who looks for a fast read.

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I've been reading a lot of dystopian and paranormal books lately, so I bought Girl, Missing because it was on sale and I wanted to add a bit of variety to my book shelf and reading habits.

The book tells the story of fourteen-year-old Lauren who finds out that there is a picture of her as a little girl on a website of missing children. As far as she thought before, she was adopted when she was three years old - but when she sees that photo she begins to question everything that her life consisted...more I've been reading a lot of dystopian and paranormal books lately, so I bought Girl, Missing because it was on sale and I wanted to add a bit of variety to my book shelf and reading habits.

The book tells the story of fourteen-year-old Lauren who finds out that there is a picture of her as a little girl on a website of missing children. As far as she thought before, she was adopted when she was three years old - but when she sees that photo she begins to question everything that her life consisted of before: Is her real name Martha and not Lauren? And are her adoptive parents kidnappers for real? Lauren risks everything to find out the truth about her past, which probably does not lie in Great Britain where she grew up, but in far away America.

First of all I have to say, that I really like the story's plot. I am not a lot into mystery novels, but the idea of a girl who finds out she has been kidnapped when she was three years old really seemed to be pretty unique and very interesting indeed.

But during the course of the story, I got pretty disappointed. There were some things I really didn't like at all.

First - the beginning of the book. Lauren finds a website about missing children as she needs to write an essay about herself for school. She types in "adopted, lost" into a search engine because that is what she feels like: Lost, not understood by her adoptive parents and just not having a real place in life. That makes some sense. But when she types in her name at the website it starts getting not very realistical.

And naturally, people do not want anyone to discover what happened to Lauren when she was too young to remember. Even though she gets to go to America with her family (I still don't believe any parents can get manipulated that easily... but maybe I'm wrong) and tries to discover more about her past by visiting the adoption agency, things do not get easier. Lauren and Jam realize very soon, that they cannot rely on every adult they meet on their way and that, in fact, some even want to harm them because they want to find out what happened.

During the course of the story, I only learned to like a litte girl named Madison (if you read the book you will find out what role she has got). I couldn't get close to any other character. Especially Lauren was not the kind of female character I like in a book. She is not confident with herself - what can be realistical for a girl at that age, but I waited for a character development towards the end of the story that didn't really happen. Also I totally could relate to Jam in some parts when he gets angry at her and calls her selfish. She is so focused on her own past that she cannot see what happens to the people around her, the people that she loves.

I have to say that I really liked the fast pace of the story and the uprising tension. I wanted to know what happened to Lauren and if she really was Martha once. But at the point we get to discover the truth, the story develops in a very tragic way for the main character. I do not know about American law concerning adoption and everything that has to do with it, but if that is really how things could happen, this is really bad.

Whereas I liked the plot and the content in genreal, I have to say that the realization in Girl, Missing was worse than what I expected. And at the end you even had the impression that there was way too much things that Lauren needed to deal with. All in all a nice story, but I didn't connect with any of the characters easily.

For a full review, take a look at my blog.
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Feb 22, 2013 Emma rated it 2 of 5 stars

Girl,Missing had an intriguing synopsis that got me interested. It is a quick & straightforward read although for me, most of the story was unrealistic, implausible and predictable.
I also couldn't help comparing it to 'The Face on the Milk Carton' series as they are extremely similar.
The major flaw I had with this story though were the characters, especially the protagonist Lauren. She was selfish and whiny and I seriously wanted to shake her because she was so stupid. She made the most idi...more

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Oct 15, 2010 Germaine Yuen rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is very unexpected. This is because it is so unlike the other books which have a similar storyline. This story is basically about the main character(Lauren) trying to find out the secrets behind her adoption,and to find her real parents. Why is this story so unexpected? There is so many examples, but here is my favourite one. In the middle of they story, Lauren and her friend Jam starts to find this woman called Sonia Holtwood. Lauren had this memory in her head of this really nice wom...more

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Feb 14, 2012 Cliona rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

OMG.OMG.OMG. This book is amazing! And I mean, amazing! I haven't read an adventure story this good since....Harry Potter! I borrowed it from a friend, and she told me that it was probably her favourite book. I wasn't convinced at first, because I didn't really like the cover. Yes, the cover is probably this books weakest point. But after reading it I realised that's it. There are no other weak points! None! I loved loved LOVED it!

The book is narrated by 14-year-old Lauren, who is adopted. Her a...more OMG.OMG.OMG. This book is amazing! And I mean, amazing! I haven't read an adventure story this good since....Harry Potter! I borrowed it from a friend, and she told me that it was probably her favourite book. I wasn't convinced at first, because I didn't really like the cover. Yes, the cover is probably this books weakest point. But after reading it I realised that's it. There are no other weak points! None! I loved loved LOVED it!

The book is narrated by 14-year-old Lauren, who is adopted. Her adoptive mum and dad have never told her who her real parents were, and she has never asked. While surfing the web, she stumbles across a MissingChildren website, and she's bored so she types 'Lauren' into the search box. The search finds a three-year-old Martha Lauren Purditt, a girl who went missing 11 years ago, and just two months before Lauren was adopted. Her description seems to match what Lauren looks like. After comparing some baby pictures to the one on the website, Lauren begins to wonder: is she really this girl Martha? Suddenly, Lauren is thrown into a world of secrets, lies and danger, as she sets out along with her friend Jam, to find out who she really is - in more ways than one...

Girl, Missing is written brilliantly, which loads of clever plot twists. It's hard to say too much without giving anything away. My favourite character was Madison, Laurens....well, I can't really say who she is, because she doesn't come into the book until around the middle, during a major twist. But, if you've read the book (and you should!) you'll know why I like her so much. I felt really sorry for her too (again, if you've read the book, you'll know).
Lauren comes across as a bit selfish at times, but underneath, she really is a good person. I thought Jam coming along with her on her quest really helped her to persist and stay strong (quest - I sound so old-fashioned!). I also liked the romance element, as I felt it helped make the book appeal to more people.

5/5, for sure. It's actually one of my new favourite books, and Sophie McKenzie is one of my new favourite authors. She really makes the characters come alive on the page and you find yourself wishing you could join them. Everyone should read this book! I think it will appeal to all ages above 11, as there is some mild swearing.
All in all, it was absolutely superb and I will definitely be reading more of McKenzie's books soon.(less)

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Sep 07, 2011 Jodie (Books for Company) rated it 5 of 5 stars

www.booksforcompany.com
When I picked up 'Girl, Missing' I wasn’t that excited about it but I very quickly came to realise that I definitely should have been very excited about this book! From the first few pages I was totally intrigued by what had happened and what was going to happen. Both the past and future was so unknown, I loved it. Everything happened so fast I didn't even have a second in which to stop and let what had happened sink in let a lone stop to do anything else, I couldn't put t...more www.booksforcompany.com
When I picked up 'Girl, Missing' I wasn’t that excited about it but I very quickly came to realise that I definitely should have been very excited about this book! From the first few pages I was totally intrigued by what had happened and what was going to happen. Both the past and future was so unknown, I loved it. Everything happened so fast I didn't even have a second in which to stop and let what had happened sink in let a lone stop to do anything else, I couldn't put the book down!
Lauren is a character who I straight away warmed to and although she sometimes frustrated me with poor and rushed decisions I can see why mistakes were made as she was under a lot of pressure and in a very difficult situation. I liked how Sophie made it clear that Lauren knew that she had made mistakes, it made everything feel more real.
I really enjoyed how Sophie presented all the characters and that Lauren’s feeling towards each of the characters around her were clear throughout the book but not in a way where you couldn't still make up your own mind about them. I always find it really important that you can make up your own mind about the characters you are getting to know in the book.
I think this book definitely has a great mix of an engrossing story line, great characters and also written in a great way which leads to me becoming totally gripped` to the point where I had to force myself to actually put the book down, the pages just flew by! I couldn’t believe it when I kept realising how far through the book I was but also how much had happened.
The twists throughout this book were what kept me totally gripped, in the end I was totally expecting more twists and I was never disappointed. What I loved even more was how with the twists which I could sort of see coming there was another twist with that one, everything was so unpredictable. I LOVED IT!
Over all Girl,Missing is an addictive read which you will become totally absorbed in very quickly. Everything is very fasted paced and it's impossible to become bored while reading this!(less)

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Aug 16, 2011 Vivienne Serendipity Reviews rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was completely absorbed in this book from the first chapter. Sophie McKenzie hits you right in the face with every chapter ending, leaving you quickly scrabbling through the pages to find out what would happen next. Each chapter is quite short and sharp and you find yourself holding your breath in between turning to the next one.

Lauren is a very strong character. As soon as she discovers that her adoption may have been a illegal, she becomes determined to find out the truth. Most people would...more I was completely absorbed in this book from the first chapter. Sophie McKenzie hits you right in the face with every chapter ending, leaving you quickly scrabbling through the pages to find out what would happen next. Each chapter is quite short and sharp and you find yourself holding your breath in between turning to the next one.

Lauren is a very strong character. As soon as she discovers that her adoption may have been a illegal, she becomes determined to find out the truth. Most people would probably have collapsed with shock, but Lauren isn't a character to mess with and she takes in on the chin and devises a plan. She is fully aware that she is probably heading straight into a dangerous situation but she carries on regardless, like bungee jumping without a safety net!

During the search for her real parents, Lauren exists within her imaginary world. She has an idealistic view of how events will turn out when she finally discovers her real parents and role plays the situation continuously in her head. However, life never really turns out the way we imagine and she finds herself living in a rather tense situation. It is interesting to read how Lauren suddenly realises that she has completely changed her own destiny by pursuing her real parents and she sets off a chain reaction that can never be reversed.

Here is one of my favourite parts of the book, where Lauren realises that life will not be as imagined it would be.

'I sank down on the bed. Shelby was right. Annie didn't want me. She wanted the daughter she'd lost. She wanted eleven years of meals and cuddles and plasters on knees.
But she didn't want me.Here, Now. As I was.
And I didn't want her - I wanted the mother I had remembered. The woman I had dreamed. '

Instant realisation that reality didn't measure up to her imaginary views on the situation.

Lauren found it very difficult to fit into the new family environment and struggled to see how it affected everybody else in the family. She couldn't understand how painful it had been for Annie, all she could see was that she was losing her adoptive family whom she had grown up with. A very painful read. When you read about children returning to their real parents, you feel joyous for them and never consider how they all have to learn to live together again. It must often feel like letting a stranger back into your life.

Lauren found her new life very difficult, but by the end of the book she makes the right decision as she begins to realise exactly how Annie felt about her abduction when Madison was in danger.

On the whole, this was a brilliant story and very well thought out. I found it fascinating to read how the mind blocks out traumatic situations from the past and was intrigued by Lauren's memory being slowly triggered.

The characters were extremely well written and shined throughout the book. The pain that all the characters suffered almost dripped off the page. Jam was just a gorgeous character and his loyalty and love for Lauren was amazing. The story flows so easily and can be read in one sitting, as each chapter keeps you hooked.

I just can't believe that I haven't ever read a book by Sophie McKenzie before and I will certainly be reading more.
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Jul 13, 2009 Bellaswanmariecullen rated it 3 of 5 stars

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Dec 30, 2011 Carrie Stewart rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya

I know this is a children's book, and therefore not for me, but I thought the writing was incredibly weak. Things happen so easily - an Internet search leads Lauren to believe she was actually kidnapped, a search done mostly because her adoptive parents bug her - and then she's off to America, ditching her mother at the airport to go to another State. I couldn't really suspend my disbelief.

Also, Lauren is dreadful. She's selfish and ungrateful and I refuse to accept that it's just because she's...more

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Dec 27, 2011 Brodie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: aussie-swap

Who Am I? It's a loaded question that most of us have had to ask ourselves at some point and usually struggle with an answer. But it's a question that runs much deeper for Lauren Matthews, who was adopted when she was 3 years old. She has no idea that a simple piece of homework will impact her for the rest of her life. Tired of never getting an answer from her parents about her biological family, she searches online and comes across a Missing Persons website.... where she finds a little girl who...more Who Am I? It's a loaded question that most of us have had to ask ourselves at some point and usually struggle with an answer. But it's a question that runs much deeper for Lauren Matthews, who was adopted when she was 3 years old. She has no idea that a simple piece of homework will impact her for the rest of her life. Tired of never getting an answer from her parents about her biological family, she searches online and comes across a Missing Persons website.... where she finds a little girl who who disappeared 11 years ago. Exactly when she was adopted. A girl who frighteningly sounds like Lauren.

When she runs away with her best friend Jam in tow, the pair soon realise how messy and suspicious the situation is. Could the parents she's loved and fought with her entire life really be responsible for kidnapping her? The deeper they digs, the more dangerous things become because not everyone wants the past to be uncovered. And some will go to scary lengths to keep it buried.

Lauren does lack some foresight or logic. She doesn't give thought to the long-term consequences her actions will have on others. But given her age, I could excuse her often rash behaviour. There's a mission, an end goal, and she wants to reach it. She just doesn't consider what might happen after she reaches it. She's forced to face a lot of ugly truths in life. Secrets are unearthed along the way, danger is rampant and the pains of the past are finally confronted. But will anyone find a happy ending afterward?

Sophie really dug deep and explored the ramifications this had on everyone. Both the legal and the emotional. On Lauren, on her adoptive family, on Jam and especially on her biological family. I think it's fair to say that her real mother, Anne, has been the most affected by this. She left her baby girl alone for mere minutes, but that's all it takes. And for any mother to lose her child, it leaves a deep, aching wound on their soul. Those years of not knowing - is she alive or dead? No sign or whisper. Just a neverending period of waiting, waiting, waiting for some clue that may never come. It's a yearning, a sadness, that's infected the whole family.

There is a sweet, budding romance that develops between Lauren and Jam, who've been best friends since forever. It was cute to read and added that extra touch to the compelling mystery. While at times there is a certain amount of predictability and disbelieving moments given their age, Girl Missing makes for a fast-paced read with writing that's easy to fall into, but hard to pull out of. It's that kind if novel that proves nothing in life is clean-cut. If you dig deep enough you'll find that every situation, every action, is layered with desperation, hope, love, greed or power. This is a novel of one girls quest to find herself, but learns the answer to that question is never easy.(less)

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Oct 08, 2012 Georgie rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It was okay. Mostly ruined by my finding the central character - Lauren - difficult to like most of the time. She seemed to spend much of the book whining and feeling sorry for herself no matter what situation she was in, and then getting all weepy when the stupid/selfish things she did got those around her in trouble. She was dealing with some tough stuff, but she came off as really immature and self-involved.
Decent plot and a good look at the consequences of illegal adoption, though, and littl...more

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Jan 08, 2012 Cass - Words on Paper rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: 11-14 year olds who enjoy thrillers or like reading about identity and self-discovery

Shelves: review-copy, read-2011

3/5
Precautions: Mild violence, kidnapping

Girl, Missing by Sophie McKenzie, while a chilling and heart-thumping thriller, lacked logic and character likeability, which made it difficult to enjoy completely. With several heartfelt moments, a budding romance that stands from solid grounds but is shakily executed, and sinister villains, I have no doubt that 11-14 year olds will eat this up. Most of all, this book addresses the Who am I question--a question I remember having to answer during my high...more 3/5
Precautions: Mild violence, kidnapping

Girl, Missing by Sophie McKenzie, while a chilling and heart-thumping thriller, lacked logic and character likeability, which made it difficult to enjoy completely. With several heartfelt moments, a budding romance that stands from solid grounds but is shakily executed, and sinister villains, I have no doubt that 11-14 year olds will eat this up. Most of all, this book addresses the Who am I question--a question I remember having to answer during my high school years, thanks to a few of my English teachers, who WILL remain anonymous (Note to self: calm down--they were only doing their jobs).

Lauren is adopted and has never known her real family, so when she is asked this Who Am I question for a school homework task, she begins to wonder what her real parents were like. Frustrated that she's never been able to remember, she asks her best friend Jam's mum, a spiritualist, to help her. In a state of deep relaxation, she remembers. Lauren, age 3, and her real mum, long black hair and spirited smile, playing hide-and-seek at a beach somewhere. In her heart, she knows she needs to--by any means necessary--find her real family. Upon research, she discovers a Martha Lauren Purditt, whose details match . . . but Martha was born in America. Lauren's always lived in London. But Lauren needs to know, so she sets up a family vacation, to America.

The overall story was compelling and one that I'm sure many people will be able to relate to. If I were adopted, I'd have wanted to know who my 'real family' was too. What McKenzie does a bit differently to other authors who have touched on this subject, is that she delves into the legal implications of international adoption. She also gives Lauren a choice, and room to decide whether she wants to go back to her old life in London--the life she's always known, or to return to the parents who have spent forever trying to recover the child that had been taken away from them.

What really didn't agree with me about the plot was just how unbelievable so many of the actions and decisions were. And how the right characters just happened to be there at the right time--or the wrong time, in Lauren and Jam's case. To me, it was just way too illogical and coincidental for me to believe it all. Also, money. It never seemed to be a problem for anyone--and to travel from London to America isn't that cheap that people can be whizzing from one country to the next, without seriously breaking the bank. Once again, this might be something that younger readers will be able to forgive.

In GIRL, MISSING, there was an expansive cast of characters, but I was never confused or unable to keep up with remembering names and roles. More the problem was in the one-dimensional feel the majority of them had. A little of the dialogue was stiff, and the only character that seems to develop or change during the course of the book is Lauren. That said, I did find a couple to be extremely likeable, and I wouldn't mind seeing them return in the sequel. (Madison, Glane, Jam's mum Carla) Despite the bits of maturity that Lauren picks up along the way, I never got to the point where I cared about her, or even what happened to her. Her selfishness was just so unforgiveable.

On the upside, McKenzie's writing is fairly easy to get through. It's simple and gets to the point. You'll be turning those pages, wanting to know how things turn out for Lauren in her quest for self-discovery.

Read: 11/12/12 - 14/12/12 (4 am, but I was up late anyway)

Thanks to C at Simon & Schuster in providing this copy for review. This review consists of only my honest opinions.(less)

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Dec 04, 2012 Tanvi rated it 3 of 5 stars

A thriller that isn't exactly fast-paced (not a bad thing!), a story written believably but in actual fact is... I don't know. Honestly? The actual thing seemed a bit too fantastic but anything could happen... I guess. The actual book? The (view spoiler) but the story as a whole was good. Near the end, when (view spoiler)...more

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Aug 03, 2010 Harriet rated it 4 of 5 stars

I read this because my friend and I were at the library. She said she wanted it and I was upset with her at the time and so I took it. sounds weird I know, childish, and over a library book? but I was glad I took it, it turned out to be a lot more than I was expecting it to be and it was more scary than other books I'd read, but totally thrilling. I know make it my mission to read every Sophie McKenzie book in the world. Every time I go to the library now with my friend she asks advice (I've rea...more

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Nov 28, 2012 Hassan Hassan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Girl, Missing is a New, Fiction book made up of 300 pages written by Sophie McKenzie. Its about an girl, Lauren, who is adopted at a very young age by a family in London. Though she loves her "Mum and Dad" in London, she wants to find out who she really is and who her real parents are and decides to run away with her friend, soon to become her boyfriend, Jam, and travel to America. The only name she was familiar with and that she thinks could be her mother was Sonia Holtwood, who actually turns...more Girl, Missing is a New, Fiction book made up of 300 pages written by Sophie McKenzie. Its about an girl, Lauren, who is adopted at a very young age by a family in London. Though she loves her "Mum and Dad" in London, she wants to find out who she really is and who her real parents are and decides to run away with her friend, soon to become her boyfriend, Jam, and travel to America. The only name she was familiar with and that she thinks could be her mother was Sonia Holtwood, who actually turns out to be the person who stole Lauren from her real parents, before she was adopted. Sonia tries to kill her and Jam by leaving them all alone in the middle of nowhere, but Glane, Jam's friend, comes to the rescue. Lauren finds out about the Purditts, whom she believes must be her real family. As she continues her search, she gets to the Purditts' home to find out that Annie and Sam Purditt are her real parents. Living with them at first was very unexpectedly awkward to the extent that she never called them Mum and Dad. She starts missing her "parents" in London and wants to go back, but they are being tried in court for buying Lauren from Sonia Holtwood. At this point, Lauren is experiencing inner turmoil, up until Jam surprisingly goes to her and the Purditts to comfort her. Later on, Sonia Holtwood, in a different identity, traps Lauren and Madison, Lauren's official sister, in Sam's boat, the Josephine May, as it was sinking. At the last second, Jam saves Lauren and her sister from drowning, and all the three of them are sent to the hospital to be treated. After all of this, Lauren becomes much closer to her real family, and finds out that Sonia Holtwood got caught and was imprisoned. In the end, Sam and Annie invite Lauren's "parents" to their home after they were freed from jail and court. Her four legal parents decide together that it should be Lauren's choice whom she wants to live with, so she chooses both families and travels every now and then from London to America and back. Both families became great friends and also sometimes traveled to each other. Finally, Lauren knows who she is now, and finds it easy to write about herself for the "Who Am I" essay in her school, unlike the very beginning.
I really loved this book, and it was really hard to stop reading as it always caught my attention. It is so well written and organized, and I didn't dislike anything about it. The only reason I didn't give it five stars was because I like adult books more that fictional ones, and also because I find books more interesting when the author doesn't completely give out the ending, so that he/she would keep readers thinking.(less)

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Jul 25, 2012 kit rated it 3 of 5 stars

Originally posted here: http://bibliotekit.blogspot.co.uk/201...

Lauren is a typical teenager, juggling homework, an annoying little brother, and a fractious relationship with her parents. Lauren is also adopted, and desperate to find out more information about her past and where she comes from. A school project leads her to question her roots, until an image on a missing children website sparks a transatlantic adventure that threatens to go horribly wrong.

I wasn't convinced to begin with. Lauren...more Originally posted here: http://bibliotekit.blogspot.co.uk/201...

Lauren is a typical teenager, juggling homework, an annoying little brother, and a fractious relationship with her parents. Lauren is also adopted, and desperate to find out more information about her past and where she comes from. A school project leads her to question her roots, until an image on a missing children website sparks a transatlantic adventure that threatens to go horribly wrong.

I wasn't convinced to begin with. Lauren leaps to fantastical conclusions that, while they bear out, lack the conviction I would normally want to bring me along for the ride. In order to get the story where it needs to be, there are a few improbable leaps of logic that irked me. Once I got over this, though, it was a fast-paced read with a lot of twists and turns.

Lauren goes from a reasonably mundane life in London to a whirlwind of kidnapping, breaking and entering, near-death experiences, prison, attempted murder and, you know, kissing a boy. The friendship between Lauren and Jam was sweet, and I liked that it was realistic. I dislike the improbably romantic couplings that YA sometimes throws up, but I felt like I could believe in Lauren and Jam. They were - or seemed - a little bit younger than characters I would normally read (14 and 15), but much more like the teenagers I knew at that age, rather than some of the ones I read about now.

I warmed to Lauren considerably as the book went on, and in the final few chapters it was interesting to see her in a more mature state, particularly with regard to Madison. The other characters were largely peripheral and painted rather broadly, and I would have liked to have seen more development of some of them. The book privileges fast-paced adventure and short, cliffhanger chapters over deep characterisation, which I think might appeal more to a younger audience.

Although most of the action takes place in the US, it was nice to read a young adult book by a British author, which I haven't done for a while. (Sometimes British boys are just British boys. They aren't all devastatingly handsome.) While Girl, Missing sometimes moved too fast for my liking, and there were a few of those "no, really?" coincidences I'd rather avoid, Lauren's quest to find herself, and the complications of this desire, were nicely played out by the end.

Overall rating: 5/10(less)

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Apr 16, 2013 Lucía rated it 3 of 5 stars

The first time I read this book I thought it was amazing, good description, exciting story line, very funny and cleverly written. But when I read it a second time I thought it was very simple and I thought the story line was not realistic and weird. So after I read the book a second time I thought this book must be for a younger age group maybe around 9-12 years. If you are in that age group I think you will really enjoy this book and you'll get a real kick out of this. I rated this book 10 out...more

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Mar 18, 2012 Helena rated it 3 of 5 stars

I felt that the book although being a wonderful story was sadly a bit too unrealistic for my liking. I thought that the likelihood of the story pushed the limits of believability a bit too far. I loved the whole 'best friend' aspect of Jam and Lauren's relationship and thought it was very moving how he was happy to leave his family for her. My only other problem was simply that it ended all too nicely. I have never been one for happy endings but this ending was not only happy but also entirely u...more

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Feb 27, 2012 Dani (Pen to Paper) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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The first thing that I think needs to be said about this book, is that it is fairly obviously aimed at the early-to-mid teenage group. It is certainly not at the higher end of YA genre. But all the same, it makes a nice, easy read, if that is what you want.
The book was on a borderline between two different star ratings for me, but I chose to go with the slightly lower, simply because of the fact that the writing is a little juveni...more Like this review? I have more! Come and follow me at Pen to Paper.

The first thing that I think needs to be said about this book, is that it is fairly obviously aimed at the early-to-mid teenage group. It is certainly not at the higher end of YA genre. But all the same, it makes a nice, easy read, if that is what you want.
The book was on a borderline between two different star ratings for me, but I chose to go with the slightly lower, simply because of the fact that the writing is a little juvenile for my liking. However, it has to be said, it does have an interesting plot. The line that the story took was not convincing, and it didn't seem as though many parts of it could have taken place in reality, but it was fairly absorbing, and the important thing is, that it kept me engaged enough to have read the vast majority of it in one sitting - and the entire book in less than a day. This is a fairly good achievement in itself, especially considering that I don't usually have the time to sit and read for so long in one day. Perhaps this showcases just how much of an easy, light read it is?

I thought that the dialogue used by the younger characters could have been better. Obviously I am no longer a teenager myself, but I don't recall having ever spoken in the way that the characters in the book do, nor do I remember having heard others speak in that way. It seems to me, as though the dialogue has been taken straight out of an American teen movie. In other words, it is unrealistic, obvious that it is an adult attempting to impersonate a teenager, and ever-so-slightly stereotypical.
My final problem with the book is that, although the plot was interesting, and I enjoyed the story, I didn't feel as though it went deep enough into things for my liking. Maybe this was just because it is aimed at a younger teenage audience, and the author fears that perhaps more detail would put the readership off, but it could have edged its way into the 4 star category, had it just gone even a little deeper.

This all sounds a little too negative though. I want to highlight again, that I did find it a fairly entertaining and interesting read. I'll also point out that I am interested in continuing on with the series - at least reading the second book - whether or not I will make it to the third (which is coming out in September in the UK), I'm unsure, but we'll see.

There is not a lot more that I can really think of to say about this novel. It hasn't made a great deal of an impression on me, but it was a nice one to read on a lazy day, when my brain needed a break from my University work.
As I've said, I was caught between two different ratings for this one, but it just didn't quite make it up into the 4 stars.
But I do recommend it as a quick, light read - just nothing to get enormously excited about.(less)

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Oct 16, 2010 Stephanie (Stepping out of the Page) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2010, young-adult, realistic-fiction, crime-thriller-mystery, awful-cover, books-i-own

The premise of this book was very good indeed. The plot had some interesting twist and turns but the thing that somewhat spoiled this book for me was the fact that it was just too far-fetched, with the boat section bordering on ridiculous. If I was younger, I may have enjoyed this book more but it was still quite a page turner with it's fast pace and interesting storyline. I didn't get bored reading this. The plot was good and I liked most of the characters, but I do feel that the book couldve b...more

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Mar 02, 2008 Rosianna rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Nobody

Appalling. Enough said.

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Oct 06, 2012 Mandee rated it 2 of 5 stars

Recommended to Mandee by: kit

Shelves: ya-lit, received-via-book-swap, contemporary-fiction, realistic-fiction, annoying-main-character, review-on-the-blog, eye-roller, usa, uk

Girl Missing by Sophie McKenzie is set in London as well as America. Lauren Matthews is fourteen years old and knows that she was adopted because her parents were unable to have a child. Lauren is assigned homework in the form of an essay entitled “Who Am I?” and this prompts her to start asking her mum questions about the adoption when she was three. Her parents haven’t ever wanted to talk about it so Lauren doesn't know much. Her mother’s lack of answers spurs Lauren into an internet search fo...more Girl Missing by Sophie McKenzie is set in London as well as America. Lauren Matthews is fourteen years old and knows that she was adopted because her parents were unable to have a child. Lauren is assigned homework in the form of an essay entitled “Who Am I?” and this prompts her to start asking her mum questions about the adoption when she was three. Her parents haven’t ever wanted to talk about it so Lauren doesn't know much. Her mother’s lack of answers spurs Lauren into an internet search for missing children and she comes across a baby girl called Martha Lauren who disappeared from Connecticut, USA around the same time that she was adopted and this leads on her on the hunt for her birth parents.

I didn't find Lauren to be the most likeable character. She doesn't seem to like her parents or her younger brother, though she does get along well with her best friend, James, aka Jam. She doesn't feel like she belongs with them and is keen to find out about her biological parents. I liked Jam, he put up with a lot from Lauren but he stuck by her which was admirable.

The story is driven along by the plot and I have to admit I was intrigued from the start but I found that there were just too many coincidences for the story to be believable: the essay that starts her search, she just happens to find herself on the website, the organisation of a trip to the USA disguised as a family holiday, the fact that the adaptation agency is still in contact with a woman that used to steal and sell children and that the woman is still in town, characters showing up in the nick of time etc.

Once the story gets going, Lauren turns out to be quite stroppy, she doesn't think much before acting, runs off in America with no real plan, trusts strangers, bosses Jam around even when his advice is sound and gets them into even more trouble. At first I understood, if you believed your parents had stolen you, you’d be in a rush to run away but she never stopped to think about the consequences for her adoptive parents if they weren't involved but the authorities found out. Then she does a back flip and suddenly misses them as if she thought they were the best parents in the world just because she doesnt like the Purditts, her bio family. The new family, made up of her bio parents and two younger sisters were interesting. I really liked her father, Sam, and sister, Madison, but didnt care much for mother, Annie, or sister, Shelby.

Lauren is also caught up on a memory she thinks she remembers from her childhood, pre-kidnapping. When she meets Annie she is disappointed to see that she isn't as beautiful as the woman in her memory and she goes on about this a few times and also remarks that she’s annoyed that she knows she must have ‘fat genes’ because Annie isn't as slim as she appears – cue eye roll.

Despite Lauren’s annoying attitude and the fact that the events seemed too coincidental and predictable, the book did move along at a fast pace. The ending was wrapped up fairly quickly and in a very positive way that I didnt find all that believable, it felt like the ending that a teen would dream up.
(less)

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Jun 09, 2012 Ferii rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reccomend-to-a-friend

This book was utterly amazing, wonderful and beautifully written. I enjoyed the whole storyline and the writing style of Sophie McKenzie. She is seriously an AMAZING writer, this book made me more interested in her other books, like the Medusa Project. I would reccomend this book to anybody, who likes a thrilling jam-packed adventure story with mystery and suspense sprinkled on the side.

The story is based around the life of a girl named Lauren. For a school project she has to write about Who she...more

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