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Wherever Nina Lies

by Lynn Weingarten (Goodreads Author)

3.79 of 5 stars 3.79 · rating details · 1,756 ratings · 267 reviews

KIRKUS called this heart-pounding YA mystery "gripping...Sibling loyalty, quirky characters, misplaced trust and the very questionable kindness of a stranger guarantee a riveting read."

Nina was beautiful, wild & adored by her younger sister, Ellie. But, one day, Nina disappeared. 2 years later, everyone has given up hope that Nina will return, but Ellie knows her siste...more

Hardcover, 320 pages

Published February 1st 2009 by Point

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May 07, 2012 Ivelisse rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: give-me-a-break, improve-your-writing-please, really, ew

Never in my life have I had the need to rant. Never.

But today, my friends, that changes forever.

Mind you, I'm only like on page fucking hundred of the book. But every two pages I stop, take out my pencil, and actually CORRECT the grammar of some sentences (even though I'm not supposed to; it's a library book. I'll erase it some day). Because this, my dears, is one of the most worst-written books I've ever seen in my life.

(Actually, it's not that horrible. Compared to that book 'Need' by Carri...more

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Sep 22, 2008 Rachael rated it 5 of 5 stars

It’s been two long years since Ellie’s older sister Nina has disappeared. Pretty much everyone has given up any hope that Nina will return, but not Ellie. Ellie can’t bear to think Nina, her sister whom she loves and idolizes, could be dead. Ellie desperately wants to find Nina, and when she stumbles upon a portrait of her, drawn by Nina, she’s certain she’s found her clue. With the help of a hot and mysterious stranger named Sean, Ellie sets off on a seemingly wild-goose chase for the whereabou...more It’s been two long years since Ellie’s older sister Nina has disappeared. Pretty much everyone has given up any hope that Nina will return, but not Ellie. Ellie can’t bear to think Nina, her sister whom she loves and idolizes, could be dead. Ellie desperately wants to find Nina, and when she stumbles upon a portrait of her, drawn by Nina, she’s certain she’s found her clue. With the help of a hot and mysterious stranger named Sean, Ellie sets off on a seemingly wild-goose chase for the whereabouts of her sister. But Ellie isn’t prepared for what she learns along the way, regarding her sister and her new love interest Sean. In this suspenseful and fast-paced debut, readers will be swept along with Ellie as she journeys and finds love, lies, and the strength of sisterhood.

I was immensely impressed with this solid debut novel. Weingarten shows a mastery of her skill with words, especially when manipulating the plot. Ellie’s cross-country escapade was filled with humor and lust yet also disappointment, anticipation for the next clue, confusion, and danger. I like how the story strings the reader along nicely and then twists nearly completely around. In the back of my mind, I think I expected part of the outcome of Ellie’s journey, but I was still shocked when it actually happened. I also really liked the development of both Ellie’s and Nina’s characters. Ellie is easy to relate to, especially in her sisterly affection, friendship dilemmas, and thoughts of self-preservation, and this increases the reader’s sympathy for her as well as interest in her story. The reader gets to know Nina mainly through Ellie’s memories and thoughts of her sister, and it creates an image of a wild yet thoughtful girl anyone can love. Some of the minor details of this novel, though, were not as well executed as the plot and development of the major characters. There were some details that never completely added up. Also, Ellie’s relationship with her best friend Amanda seemed strange at times, and their problems seemed to magically disappear at the end of the novel. Other than these few aspects, Wherever Nina Lies was an extremely well-written and enjoyable story.

Wherever Nina Lies is very impressive for a first novel, and I hope Weingarten plans to write more novels especially if they’re as good as this one. Readers will see this novel as a hybrid between two fantastic novels, How to Be Bad and The Year My Sister Got Lucky, and will not be disappointed in this fantastic story of mystery, romance, suspense, and, most of all, sisterhood.

reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com (less)

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Dec 30, 2008 Jennifer Wardrip rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: trt-gold-star-award-winner, trt-posted-reviews

Reviewed by Steph for TeensReadToo.com

Nina mysteriously left two years ago, and now her younger sister, Ellie, is searching for her lost sister. Even though Ellie's good friends, Amanda and Brad, say she should just give up, Ellie simply can't. This is her only sister. She can't go on through life without knowing what happened to Nina.

So, after Ellie sees a drawing her sister did and a phone number on a piece of old cardboard, she starts hunting for Nina.

Early on, Ellie meets the nice guy, Sea...more

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Apr 03, 2013 Blare rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: omfg-what-did-i-just-read, the-ending-yes-please, unpredictable, road-trip-books

Oh. My. Gosh. Talk about a plot twist. This book is one of the most incredibly not cliche not predictable books I have ever read. I have to admit, while reading it I noticed a lot of forshadowing about... things but I read this in two days while I was braiding my hair and let's just say that it had me gasping. I can say that it's a book for people who are looking to be able to relate to the main character (hopefully none of your siblings have been missing for two years) but at the same time not...more

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Feb 09, 2012 Livi rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ich hatte das Buch nach einem Tag durch. Fertig.
Das sagt schonmal viel aus, oder?
Vielleicht hatte ich aber auch einfach Langeweile? Nein, ich fange mal von vorne an.
Die Story ist zwar gut ausgedacht, aber so geschrieben dass ich es eigentlich von dem Moment als man denjenigen kennenlernte, der sich später als Täter herausstellte, schon wusste.
Trotzdem hat es mich irgendwie gepackt, denn ich wollte natürlich wissen ob ich recht hatte.
Sicher sein kann man sich ja nie.
Die Figuren waren sehr typisch...more

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Jul 28, 2011 Brina rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Zwei Jahre ist es her, seit die damals 18-jährige Nina Wrigley von Zuhause verschwand. Seitdem haben weder ihre Mutter, noch ihre jüngere Schwester Ellie etwas von dem Mädchen gehört.
Während Ellies Mutter sehr schnell zur Normalität übergeht, lässt Ellie das Thema Nina nicht los.
Sie lässt keine Möglichkeit aus, um ihre Schwester zu suchen und betet jeden Tag aufs Neue, dass ihre Schwester zurückkehrt.

Als sie eines Tages einen Mann mit einer von Ninas Zeichnungen begegnet, geht sie ins Mothership...more

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Jul 17, 2011 Elena rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ellies Schwester Nina ist vor zwei Jahren spurlos verschwunden. Ihre Mutter, ihre beste Freundin Amanda und auch alle anderen scheinen Nina abgehakt zu haben. Doch Ellie will sich nicht damit abfinden, dass ihre Schwester einfach davon gelaufen sein soll – sie glaubt, dass Nina etwas zugestoßen sein muss. An einem Abend trifft sie schließlich Sean. Sean, der sie versteht, weil er auch einen Bruder verloren hat. Der ihr helfen will, Nina zu finden. Und zudem ziemlich attraktiv ist. Zusammen mit S...more Ellies Schwester Nina ist vor zwei Jahren spurlos verschwunden. Ihre Mutter, ihre beste Freundin Amanda und auch alle anderen scheinen Nina abgehakt zu haben. Doch Ellie will sich nicht damit abfinden, dass ihre Schwester einfach davon gelaufen sein soll – sie glaubt, dass Nina etwas zugestoßen sein muss. An einem Abend trifft sie schließlich Sean. Sean, der sie versteht, weil er auch einen Bruder verloren hat. Der ihr helfen will, Nina zu finden. Und zudem ziemlich attraktiv ist. Zusammen mit Sean bricht Ellie zu einem Roadtrip quer durch die USA auf, immer auf den Spuren Ninas. Doch am Ende erwartet sie eine schreckliche Wahrheit …

Eine intensive Achterbahn der Gefühle zwischen Hoffen und Bangen wartet auf Ellie bei dieser Reise. Nicht zuletzt dank Sean, der die verschiedensten Emotionen in ihr auszulösen versteht und der als Einziger versucht, ihr zu helfen Nina zu finden. Doch dies stößt nicht auf ungeteilte Begeisterung bei Ellies Freunden. Doch mit dem, was Ellie am Ende ihrer Suche erwartet, hätte sie nie gerechnet.

Wieso heißt dieses Buch “Mottentanz”? Ich habe im Buch keinen einzigen Hinweis darauf gefunden, obwohl das Cover fraglos hübsch ist. Aber da gefällt mir die amerikanische Ausgabe schon besser, wo Cover und Titel zum Buch passen. Dies ist aber auch fast der einzige große Kritikpunkt, der mir einfällt. Ansonsten fand ich das Verhalten der Mutter extrem merkwürdig. Auch Ellies Vergötterung von Nina konnte ich nicht ganz nachvollziehen, erschien mir ihre Schwester doch vor allem leichtlebig und etwas abgedreht, sicherlich nicht unsympathisch – aber weit entfernt von der perfekten Schwester. Außerdem glaube ich langsam, dass ich einfach nicht so der Thrillertyp bin: Ich fand es spannend zu lesen und es war ein ziemlicher Pageturner, weil ich immer gern wissen wollte, wie die Suche weitergeht – Adrenalin hatte ich jedoch nicht im Blut. Ich hätte wohl schockiert sein soll, als einer der Charaktere seinen wahren Motive offenbarte, aber ich war eher traurig, dass so alle Chancen auf ein Happy End mit diesem Charakter zunichte gemacht wurde. So war ich das letzte Drittel des Buches leicht niedergeschlagen und las mich den unvermeidlichen Finale entgegen. Welches für mich eher unbefriedigend war, da die Aufklärung eher unrealistisch und flüchtig daher kam, vor allem, da Ellies so wenig vom Leben ihrer Schwester mitbekommen haben soll. Und ganz am Schluss taten alle so, als wäre nie etwas gewesen. Insgesamt war das Buch ein spannender Road Trip – mir hat das Buch besonders wegen der Schnitzeljagd quer durch die USA so gut gefallen – mit einen ordentlichen Schuss Romantik, das Thrillerelement kommt erst zum Ende hin zum Tragen.

Was dem Buch einen ganz eigenen Charme verleiht, sind die darin eingestreuten Zeichnungen, welche die Handlung voran bringen.

Wer in erster Linie spannend mit einem Roadtrip quer durch die USA unterhalten werden will, gewürzt mit Romantik und etwas Thriller, dem kann ich dieses Buch empfehlen. Abzüge gibt es vor allem für die Logiklücken und stellenweisen Unrealismus insbesondere beim Ende.(less)

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Apr 25, 2011 Hui Hui rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: advisory-2010-11

Nina, who is adored by her younger sister, Ellie, has been missing for two years. Everyone has given up hopes in finding her, except Ellie. One day she found a picture drawn by Nina inside a book, the first clue that leads Ellie to a breathtaking journey. Along this journey, she meets a gorgeous, mysterious guy called Sean, who claims to understand her feelings. Is this guy trustworthy? Together, they travel to places looking for Nina.

At first, I thought I wouldn't want to read this book becaus...more

3 likes · like · see review

Feb 14, 2011 Takada rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Takada Norfleet

Mrs. Romaniuk

Reading/L.A Book Review #9

24 January 2011

Wherever Nina Lies:
You Can Succeed at Whatever You Want as Long as You Strive to do Your Best.
Not everything is lost; you just haven’t found it yet. In Wherever Nina Lies, a realistic and mystery book by Lynn Weingarten, Ellie’s older sister, Nina, went missing two years ago from her hometown of Edgebride, Illinois. Now Ellie is going on a desperate search to find her. Ellie has decided to hit the road with Sean, a guy she just...more Takada Norfleet

Mrs. Romaniuk

Reading/L.A Book Review #9

24 January 2011

Wherever Nina Lies:
You Can Succeed at Whatever You Want as Long as You Strive to do Your Best.
Not everything is lost; you just haven’t found it yet. In Wherever Nina Lies, a realistic and mystery book by Lynn Weingarten, Ellie’s older sister, Nina, went missing two years ago from her hometown of Edgebride, Illinois. Now Ellie is going on a desperate search to find her. Ellie has decided to hit the road with Sean, a guy she just previously met at a party, to assist her while looking for her sister. Along the way, Ellie is looking for whatever information that could help her during the search for her sister Nina. One of the themes in Wherever Nina Lies is that sometimes desperate times call for desperate measures because people will proceed to take drastic actions for the ones they love, sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying, and people aren’t always who they say they are.
First, one of the themes in Wherever Nina Lies is that sometimes-desperate times call for desperate measures because people will proceed to take drastic actions for the ones they love. For example, Ellie she has left everything including her house, mom, friends, and job just to find her sister. Not knowing Sean for more than two days, she packed up what she needed and went from state to state on a search for Nina. The first stop they make is to a diner where she found a clue in the bathroom that has her heading off to a concert in Arizona. On the way to the concert they let a couple named, the Jamie’s, tag along with them because they had information on the band, which Ellie need to get closer to finding her sister. Anything could’ve happened to her while surrounded by all those strangers. She didn’t care though because sometimes people will proceed to take drastic actions for the ones they love.
Second, one of the themes in Wherever Nina Lies is that sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying. When Sean lied to Ellie and told her that her sister died, she couldn’t help her self to not cry. As tears rolled down her face emotions poured out. Ellie didn’t want to give up hope, so she continued to embark on her adventure to find Nina. To take her mind off of her sister’s death, Sean takes Ellie to a nice hotel where she tried to relax after the tragic news. She began to swim and actually began to eat again. In addition, she realized that maybe if she could at least pretend to be happy, then her sister might turn out to not be dead.
Third, one of the themes in Wherever Nina Lies is that people aren’t always who they say they are. Sean made out to be a nice, supportive, caring, and trustful young man. He played Ellie by making her believe that the only reason why he volunteered to assist her on the trip was to simply help her find her sister. However, his intentions were the complete opposite. The only reason why he wanted to go is because he was obsessed with Nina. So by attending the hunt for Nina, it would be the perfect opportunity to kill her (Nina) for leaving him and never responding to the letters he sent her. Nevertheless, he would also be able to find out what really happened to her and why she left Edgebridge.
In conclusion, people will proceed to take drastic actions for the ones they love, sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying, and people aren’t always who they say they are. I would rate this book a 4 out of 5 stars because it is well written and the concept of the book is easy to relate to and understand. (less)

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Jan 29, 2011 Hannah C. rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: disapointing, i-didn-t-like-it-at-all, i-own-it, has-pictures, love-story, murder, light-read

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Hannah Chamberlain
Mrs. Romaniuk
Reading/L.A: Book Review #8
28 January 2011
Searching For Nina:
Where Is She?
Have you ever lost something important to you? Did no one seem to understand how you felt? This is exactly what happened to Ellie, well, that is until she met Sean. In Wherever Nina Lies, by Lynn Weingarten, Ellie Wrigley’s sister Nina suddenly disappears from their home in Edgebridge, Illinois. Ellie travels across the country, reaching one clue at a time, searching for her sister. In the...more Hannah Chamberlain
Mrs. Romaniuk
Reading/L.A: Book Review #8
28 January 2011
Searching For Nina:
Where Is She?
Have you ever lost something important to you? Did no one seem to understand how you felt? This is exactly what happened to Ellie, well, that is until she met Sean. In Wherever Nina Lies, by Lynn Weingarten, Ellie Wrigley’s sister Nina suddenly disappears from their home in Edgebridge, Illinois. Ellie travels across the country, reaching one clue at a time, searching for her sister. In the beginning of this realistic fiction and mystery novel, Ellie meets Sean, who helps her along the way. However, Ellie makes several shocking discoveries about Sean and Nina. This provides a nerve-racking twist towards the end of the book. One can assume that Wherever Nina Lies was written for teenage girls because it has an adventurous plot, there’s a sufficient amount of romance, and a shocking secret is discovered.

It can be inferred that Lynn Weingarten most likely wrote Wherever Nina Lies for teenage girls because it has an adventurous plot. At the beginning of this book, Ellie’s sister Nina has already disappeared. One thing after another, Ellie finds herself on a road-trip to Nebraska with Sean, a complete stranger, to search for her absent sister. Together, Ellie and Sean travel across the country following clues. From Nebraska, where Ellie finds a clue at a small diner, they follow a bus to Denver, Colorado. She thinks as the bus pulls to a stop, “And now here we are in Denver, Colorado” (111). Once in Colorado, Ellie visits a tattoo shop to ask about Nina. Using clues from there, she finds herself on her way to Phoenix, Arizona. She thinks, “It is hours later now and we are in the desert in Arizona” (173) as Sean sits next to her, driving the car. She also describes the beauty of the desert. After Phoenix, Ellie and Sean travel to San Francisco, nearing the end of their journey. While driving into San Francisco, Ellie thinks about her new surroundings, “I’m staring out the window at the early evening sky, at the swooping red cables of the Golden Gate Bridge lit by a thousand tiny lights and the sparkling ocean beyond it” (272). Here, Ellie describes San Francisco as looking peaceful and beautiful. These examples illustrate the journey on which Ellie embarks to find Nina. This book’s plot is very adventurous because there is a lot of traveling and mystery solving. Some of the most popular types of books among teenage girls are books that have adventurous plots. Therefore, one can assume that Wherever Nina Lies was most likely written for teenage girls.

Teenage girls are the best kind of readers for Wherever Nina Lies because there is a sufficient amount of romance involved. Before Ellie discovers Sean’s secrets, there is quite a bit of romance between them that is created during the road-trip. When Ellie first sees Sean’s face, she thinks, “Our eyes meet and I feel something inside me flash” (61). This demonstrates Ellie’s belief that they had an “instant connection”. Shortly after they meet, Ellie thinks, “It’s like here, in this car with Sean, is the only safe place left on the earth” (71). This quote plainly illustrates Ellie’s dramatic sense of security and her reasons behind it. Later on in the story, Ellie thinks she’s fallen in live with Sean. She tells herself, “This is it, this is what it’s like to be falling in love” (217). This quote couldn’t state Ellie’s feelings more clearly. She obviously cares about Sean very much. Usually, teenagers enjoy romance novels more than adults. To break up the readers even more, teenage girls are typically more interested in romance novels than guys. Since Wherever Nina Lies includes plenty of romance, teenage girls are its best kind of readers.

Readers can tell that Wherever Nina Lies was most likely written for teenage girls because a shocking secret is discovered. When Ellie is feeling like the only one who cares about Nina’s absence, she meets Sean. He says that he’s gone through something similar to Ellie’s situation and because of this she begins to trust him. Ellie embarks on a journey across the country to find Nina, and Sean accompanies her. Reflecting on Sean’s behavior, Ellie says, “No on else I’ve ever talked to has ever really gotten it before” (70). This shows how Ellie can relate to Sean. They build a friendship and during the road-trip they share stories. Sean seems to want to find Nina almost as desperately as Ellie. Towards the end of the book, Ellie discovers that Sean hasn’t been honest with her, and that he did know Nina. Ellie learns that Sean is the reason why Nina disappeared and that he lied about having experienced the same things as her. She thinks, “My brain is spiraling out of control. I feel my lips parting. I can’t breathe. I look down” (244). Books that involve the uncovering of secrets are especially enjoyable to teenage girls because they are suspenseful to read about and sometimes the girls can relate to the text. Wherever Nina Lies involves the uncovering of many secrets, and therefore is most enjoyable to teenage girls.

One can assume that Wherever Nina Lies was written for teenage girls because it has an adventurous plot, there’s a sufficient amount of romance and a shocking secret is discovered. I would rate this book at two out of five stars because it was not very challenging to me, but the plot was definitely original. In Wherever Nina Lies, Ellie makes several references to the times she spent with Nina before she disappeared. Ellie makes it clear that Nina was very close to her. When Nina randomly disappears, Ellie is heartbroken. She feels so alone, even when she’s with other people. I lost someone close to me once and I felt the same way. When I was little and we still lived in Alaska, my family had a black lab named Flag. He was full of energy, but extremely disobedient. We loved him anyway, of course. Flag really was my best friend. However, when we were preparing to move here, we found out that we would not be able to bring Flag with us. Fortunately, we were able to give him to a close family friend who we knew would take good care of him, but I was too young to fully understand that when I said goodbye to him it would be for the last time. When we arrived at our new house without Flag, I was crushed. Getting used to not having him around was extremely difficult. From completing this assignment I learned that when you predetermine that you will do your best no matter what on a specific goal, you will achieve it. This is because Ellie decides right when her sister disappears that she will find her, and she does.

I think that I deserve an A on this assignment because I put a lot of energy into it. I’ve been working hard to complete it in the last few days. For me, it was easy to come up with ideas to support my thesis. However, it was difficult to find evidence to build my body paragraphs. Also, this was a busy week for me, so it was hard to focus on this assignment while I was working on it. If I had more time, I would create a stronger thesis. On future book reviews, I plan to improve by managing my working time better. Speaking of working time, I was wondering how much time we are supposed to spend writing a book review.
(less)

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Nov 13, 2010 Sydney Chan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: advisory-2010-2011

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Everyone knew that Nina Wrigley was reckless, beautiful and artistic but it was forgotten after she never came home one day. Her younger sister, Ellie, denied that Nina was dead even though everyone else thought so. Two years later, Ellie finds a drawing by her sister tucked between a book’s pages in a thrift store. She traces it to a house that holds parties almost every night and finds out that Nina used to go there. At the house, she meets an attractive guy named Sean who is the brother of N...more

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Jul 20, 2010 Runa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

If there's one thing I've got to say about this book, it's that it's misleading marketed. Look at the cover. Does it scream "plot-twisty horror thriller" to you? The cut-out ransom letters do look suspicious, but the color-scheme just makes the book look like another fluffy teen YA. NOT SO. (Although I actually do really love the cover, I just find it misleading.) I'm in no way saying that John Green's Paper Towns was a gender-specific book, but this really read like a version of Paper Towns (pl...more

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Jul 19, 2010 Sarai rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult-fiction

Someone told me this was a good book, and then I heard at a conference that it was a good book so I checked it out. I did not find it so good. The book started out very s-l-o-w. Then when it got fast, everything happened all at once. The ending had one of those mystery tv show wrap-ups where everything is explained, and I was not satisfied with the explanation. There were just a lot of things that ended up not making sense.

Product Description
Nina was beautiful, wild, and adored by her younger s...more

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Jun 09, 2010 Denise rated it 2 of 5 stars

2.0 out of 5 stars This one should go back to the drawing board......, September 29, 2008

This review is from: Wherever Nina Lies (Hardcover) YA FICTION

I am a high school librarian and I'm always looking for new YA authors and new books to add to our school shelves. This novel won't be one that I purchase. I wanted to like it - the ingredients seemed to be there - the premise: an older sister, Nina, has vanished without a trace and has been missing for 2 years. The sister is portrayed as being a...more 2.0 out of 5 stars This one should go back to the drawing board......, September 29, 2008

This review is from: Wherever Nina Lies (Hardcover) YA FICTION

I am a high school librarian and I'm always looking for new YA authors and new books to add to our school shelves. This novel won't be one that I purchase. I wanted to like it - the ingredients seemed to be there - the premise: an older sister, Nina, has vanished without a trace and has been missing for 2 years. The sister is portrayed as being a bit wild, sneaking out at night, etc. The younger sister, Ellie, finds a clue (that happens to be a drawing) and sets off to find her in what I thought would be a suspenseful and mysterious search. Unfortunately, this story just never got off the ground. The rest of the plot was thin, contrived, and unrealistic as it evolved. The character of Ellie was the only one that was somewhat developed; the supporting cast was totally stereotypical -- from the absent, completely clueless mother to the gay boss at the coffee shop. The cross country trek Ellie takes with a stranger, a "hot guy" named Sean, was intrinsically unbelievable and relied on some assumptions about the ability of teenagers to rent hotel rooms at their age and have access to that kind of time away from home, school, jobs and also the amount of money needed. I don't mind a stretch of credulity in a teen novel now and again, but this was way too much from start to finish.

The story fell apart for me as Sean and Ellie start on their harebrained journey in his car, meeting up with random people following a band - the clues or whatever these drawings are just made no sense. There was never any mention of the family enlisting detectives or police to look for this missing girl, the mother's lack of interest in the whereabouts of her daughter, the denouement and revelation of the reason for the disappearance and the lack of contact - well it just didn't work. I had to force myself to finish. There was no suspense in the book. Ellie was immature with very poor judgment, her friendship with Amanda didn't feel realistic, and the way the book ended all added up to a forgettable read by a debut author.

Recommendation: Skip it. (less)

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Mar 07, 2010 Kari rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-or-review-from-publisher-author, books-i-own, read-teen

This was a quick read with a fast paced plot although admittedly predictable. Red flags went off in my mind far earlier than they ever did for Ellie but given her situation, I didn't find it irritating or uncharacteristic at all. Her wild, artsy sister who had a habit of sneaking out left one night and never returned. Her mother more or less lives in denial, sometimes even coming off as relieved, forcing the burden of finding her to fall on Ellie- at least in Ellie's mind it does.

When she starts...more
This was a quick read with a fast paced plot although admittedly predictable. Red flags went off in my mind far earlier than they ever did for Ellie but given her situation, I didn't find it irritating or uncharacteristic at all. Her wild, artsy sister who had a habit of sneaking out left one night and never returned. Her mother more or less lives in denial, sometimes even coming off as relieved, forcing the burden of finding her to fall on Ellie- at least in Ellie's mind it does.

When she starts finding clues, Ellie runs with it because maybe it has been 2 years but this is her sister. I very much loved how determined Ellie was to find Nina- even after 2 years. When everyone else pushed her to give up, she kept going even though that would bring even more pain and disappointment than giving up. Ellie's character was smart, despite some if the situations she dragged herself into but I blame that on love more than anything because despite everything, she's still a teenaged girl. Finally, someone wanted to help her and someone was seeing her. When her sister left and her mother was somewhat of a ghost, there was somebody to focus on her and see her.

The road trip aspect of this book was definitely interesting. It starts with a picture Nina happens on that was undoubtedly drawn by her sister. The pictures are included in the book and the artwork is absolutely stunning and they give the reader an even better idea of who Nina was. I think that addition is fantastic and really helped pull things together. Along the way, more drawings and pieces of art are incorporated, each one leading Ellie closer to the truth about her sister.

Again, while predictable, I really enjoyed both this book and the ending. While I didn't guess the entire plot, things start falling into place and enough pieces are given early enough for the reader to wager a close bet. Will I read this one again though? Absolutely because it is well written, it's fast paced with enough plot twists thrown in to keep me going. It grabbed me pretty early and with a cast of very colorful characters, this book made for a great red.(less)

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Nov 10, 2009 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya

Ellie’s sister Nina disappeared two years ago. Although most people in her life have given up hope and moved on, Ellie can’t stop thinking about Nina. When a clue to Nina’s disappearance surfaces in Ellie’s world, she cannot help by follow the trail, suddenly finding herself on a cross country road trip with a near strange named Sean, possibly the only person who understands what Ellie is going through. As each clue leads her to another, the mystery of Nina’s disappearance grows deeper…and Ellie...more

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Jul 21, 2009 Alex rated it 4 of 5 stars

Wherever Nina Lies isn't really what I expected. It was more. It's a dangerous book that can often be creepy and thrilling. I rushed through parts just to figure out what happened. And then I slowed down towards the end because I didn't want the story to be over. It's that good.

Ellie herself as the main character, I didn't find very memorable. But then, I felt like I became Ellie in a way, seeing through her eyes and feeling what she feels. When she was happy, I was happy. When she was scared ou...more Wherever Nina Lies isn't really what I expected. It was more. It's a dangerous book that can often be creepy and thrilling. I rushed through parts just to figure out what happened. And then I slowed down towards the end because I didn't want the story to be over. It's that good.

Ellie herself as the main character, I didn't find very memorable. But then, I felt like I became Ellie in a way, seeing through her eyes and feeling what she feels. When she was happy, I was happy. When she was scared out of her mind, so was I. So I really feel the the author did a good job with Ellie, if I was able to relate to her and become her.

Nina, for the most part, isn't actually real and there in the story. But it feels like she is there the whole time because Ellie feels like that. Nina is the sort of character and person one could get addicted to, the person everyone wants to be or be with. She's an artist. She's crazy and fun. She's an extraordinary character to read about. Sean is really great too, it seems. He's different, absolutely, but also romantic, handsome, and rich.

The search for Nina is spontaneous and wild. Ellie first finds a clue in her city, and Sean, the boy who she has a crush on, joins her in the road trip of a hunt. They find clues that lead to the next clue, hopefully piecing together the mystery that is Nina.

What happened to Nina isn't the only shocker in the story. Sean is mysterious and his past and involvement in the story is a surprise. Or at least, it was to me. It wasn't what I thought. The climax of the story is heart-pounding and intense and I was pretty much holding my breath for all of it. And while the truth about Sean is a surprise, it's not a complete 180 twist. It slowly creeps up on you like the worst of nightmares and the best of twists.

Wherever Nina Lies is a mystery, a cautionary tale, a romance, a story of relationships, a thriller, and much more, all rolled into one. I don't really know what else to say, but that Wherever Nina Lies is really really absorbing and amazing. I couldn't put it down. It's Lynn Weingarten's first novel also! I'll seriously be on the lookout for more books by this author. :)(less)

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Oct 28, 2012 Neariah Mandisa rated it 3 of 5 stars

As Far As You Can Go: A Book Review of Wherever Nina Lies

Wherever Nina Lies Point, 2009, 311pp., $8.99
Lynn Weingarten ISBN 978-0-545-06633-4

Do you know where Nina lies? No? Well, neither does Ellie-and she needs to. Ellie, an ordinary teenage girl, desperately searches for her missing sister in this book. When Ellie meets Sean, a boy who’s very interested in helping her find Nina, the adventure begins. As the journey continues, the truth finally reveals itself and Ellie discovers some shocking...more

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May 08, 2012 Daniella rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: road-trips

Oh my Gosh! At first when I picked up this book, I thought I would be reading a very lighthearted book about a girl whose sister ran away two years prior taking a road trip with this guy she had a crush on. Then (Spoiler alert!) the story takes a MAJOR turn. Well there were minor clues along they way to help you figure it out but I honestly didn't think much of it. So, one minute you think that this guy, Sean, and this girl, Ellie, are happily in puppy love, but No! This guy is just crazy. He go...more

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Aug 20, 2010 Hannah rated it 4 of 5 stars

It's been two long years since Nina, Ellie's older sister has disappeared and pretty much everyone have lost all hope that she will return. That is, except Ellie. Ellie remembers so much about Nina from her childhood. Nina was her sister..she idolized her and she has not given up hope that Nina has not forgotten about her and her mother. Nina meets Sean, a cute yet mysterious boy at a party and together they set out on a road trip. Using clues that Nina has left along the way, together they try...more

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Apr 22, 2010 Julie Graves rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010-reads

Nina disappeared two years ago. Leaving her mother and sister to wonder where she went or if she is even still alive.

Ellie, Nina’s sister, works at a coffee-house her friend Amanda works at a shop called Attic. When the girls are going through a box of junk dropped off for “crap day” a drawing falls out of a book. The drawing is one that Ellie recognizes as her sister’s. While reviewing the video camera they spot the person that dropped the box of junk off leaving a flyer on the public bulletin...more

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Oct 05, 2011 Deidre rated it 4 of 5 stars

Beware, spoilers ahead:

Ellie is a sixteen year old girl who is on an epic quest to find her long lost older sister, Nina. Almost everyone else has given up on Nina coming back after two long years, but Ellie KNOWS she's still out there. When she finds a mysterious drawing by her sister, her adventure begins. Soon she meets Sean, a heartbreakingly beautiful guy who know how to make her blush. Suddenly, after having just met, they are an amazing journey cross country to find Nina. Following her si...more

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Oct 06, 2010 Briana712 ♥ rated it 5 of 5 stars

this was such a good book!!! i couldnt put it down! it was like one thing would happen then something else would happen and change the entire story from there on. wherever nina lies is a book about eliies older sister going missing. two years later she starts to find clues to where her sister might be. ellie goes to a party and meets a guy. sean. they start talking and hanging out and stuff and as soon as she tells sean about nina he instantly wants to go out and help ellie look for her. towards...more

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Mar 30, 2010 Diana rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 10th-advisory

Wherever Nina Lies
By Lynn Weingarten
316 pgs
Scholastic Point $16.99
ISBN-10: 0-545-06631-X

Nina was an indescribable teen, who was extremely adored by her younger sister, Ellie. All of a sudden, Nina disappeared. During this time that Nina disappeared, Ellie couldn't stop thinking about her. She thought about all the times she had with her beloved sister and her mind is only filled with situations that revolve around her. Even if everyone else around her assumes that her sister isn't here anymore,...more

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Aug 31, 2009 E. Anderson rated it 3 of 5 stars

When she was fourteen, Ellie's sister disappeared. Bescause Nina was a wild child, everyone assumed she was doing her thing would come home eventually. But she didn't, and now it's been two years - Ellie is still dealing with the loss. She is sure Nina is out there somewhere, and when she finds one of Nina's drawings in an old book, she is sure this is the clue will lead her to her sister. Ellie's best friend is hesitant to help - she's seen Ellie's disappointment too many times. But handsome st...more

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Sep 05, 2012 Olivia rated it 3 of 5 stars

When I pick out a summer reading book, I tend to pick the ones with the mysteries, mainly because I love putting the puzzle together. So when I chose to read Wherever Nina Lies, it ended up being a great choice.
Wherever Nina Lies is about a girl named Ellie, who is still wrapped up in the mystery of what exactly happened to her sister Nina when she went missing a short while before. Ellie will do whatever it takes to find her sister... which clearly shows when she goes on a road trip to Nebrask...more

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Feb 23, 2010 Eleni ( La Femme Readers ) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Wherever Nina Lies was a fun, fast-paced and suspenseful novel. Ellie was a likable character and it didn't take me long to get a gist of her personality. She was a loving person whose mission was to find her missing sister Nina. No one seemed to care about Nina's disappearance, not even her own mother, so she took it upon herself to look for her. Ellie was very courageous and brave, I really admired her determination even though she dealt with crazy hardships during the trip. I don't want to gi...more

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Jan 27, 2010 Trisha W. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: my-books

I can not say enough good things about this book. This is Lynn Weingarten's first book, and it will not be the last I will read by her in the future.

I loved Ellie's character in this book. The book starts off with Ellie working at the coffee shop, she goes to a party with her friend only to meet a guy who shows up at the coffee shop the next day and gives Ellie a ride home. After talking for a little while he offers to drive her to find her sister. And the story really takes off. The guy who dri...more

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Nov 24, 2012 Brook rated it 4 of 5 stars

At first I was so terribly bored with this book but then all of a sudden it go so interesting. I adored Sean, and the second he started to try and convince Ellie to stop looking for Nina I KNEW something was up. I really tried not to believe it but I knew it was Sean. This book was seriously the ultimate plot twist. I had chills reading it. I kept going back to re-read stuff that suddenly made sense and tied to Sean. I really still cannot believe Sean was the bad guy, in a way I feel bad for him...more

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Apr 25, 2010 Chioma rated it 4 of 5 stars

I am officially addicted...to mystery books. What book is it that caused my sudden relapse in this addiction (which I got over after I read every single Nancy Drew book), Wherever Nina Lies by. Lynn Weingarten. This book is so compelling, that I couldn't help but get sucked in after the first few chapters. The mystery and intrigue begins from the very beginning and plays out like a mystery game, where you use the clues you are given throughout the book to try and make your own conclusion on the...more I am officially addicted...to mystery books. What book is it that caused my sudden relapse in this addiction (which I got over after I read every single Nancy Drew book), Wherever Nina Lies by. Lynn Weingarten. This book is so compelling, that I couldn't help but get sucked in after the first few chapters. The mystery and intrigue begins from the very beginning and plays out like a mystery game, where you use the clues you are given throughout the book to try and make your own conclusion on the ultimate question: is Nina dead?

The book is told through Nina's little sister Ellie, whom after 2 years still has not given up the will to find her sister and the hope that she is still somewhere out there. And once she finds 1 clue, just one little thing that adds to her reassurance that her sister is still out there, she sets out on a rode trip in search of her. And what memento accompanies her on her instantaneous desire to drive to another state in search of her missing sister; a hot guy whom she has known for two days. But you know, finding yourself suddenly a little closer to solving the mystery of your missing sister will cloud your judgement that way.

I admire Ellie's character so much. I mean many people might have gave up or lost hope of ever seeing their loved one again, but Ellie never really gave up in trying to find her sister. And she chose not to let anything come in the way of her figuring out what happened. I could really tell that throughout the book, it wasn't only about finding her sister. It was about restoring the faith in someone she had admired her whole life, finding an answer to how, if her sister was still alive, how she could just abandon her and their mother in that way.

Overall, I loved this book. I loved it so much because it made me think. It really was like a game where you use the clues to come up with your own conclusion while comparing it to what the main character's is coming up with. It was a fun, emotional, and still very deep mystery book that I will definitely be re-reading over and over again.

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About Lynn Weingarten

Lynn Weingarten is a writer of books, eater of snacks, and friend of dogs. Hello!

Her first young adult novel, Wherever Nina Lies, was published by Scholastic Point. It was a NYPL Book for the Teen Age and a YALSA Teens’ Top Ten Nominee, an ALA Top Ten Popular Paperback for Young Adults, was nominated for the 2011-2012 Oklahoma Library Association’s Sequoyah Book Award, and has been translated into...more

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Books by Lynn Weingarten

The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers (The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers, #1)

The Book of Love (The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers, #2)

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“He delivered his hand to my ass, so I delivered my knee to his balls." -- Nina Wrigley” — 24 people liked it

“Finally! You're here!"
Uh....Do I know you?"
Well, no....But you're here, all the same...” — 13 people liked it

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