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The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die
“Take her out back and finish her off.”
She doesn’t know who she is. She doesn’t know where she is, or why. All she knows when she comes to in a ransacked cabin is that there are two men arguing over whether or not to kill her.
And that she must run.
In her riveting style, April Henry crafts a nail-biting thriller involving murder, identity theft, and biological warfare. Follow Cady and Ty (her accidental savior turned companion), as they race against the clock to stay alive.
She doesn’t know who she is. She doesn’t know where she is, or why. All she knows when she comes to in a ransacked cabin is that there are two men arguing over whether or not to kill her.
And that she must run.
In her riveting style, April Henry crafts a nail-biting thriller involving murder, identity theft, and biological warfare. Follow Cady and Ty (her accidental savior turned companion), as they race against the clock to stay alive.
213 pages, Hardcover
First published June 11, 2013
685 people are currently reading
14602 people want to read
About the author
April Henry
34 books3,375 followersI write mysteries and thrillers. I live in Portland, Oregon with my family.
If you've read one of my books, I would love to hear from you. Hearing from readers makes me eager to keep writing.
When I was 12, I sent a short story about a six-foot tall frog who loved peanut butter to Roald Dahl, the author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. He liked it so much he arranged to have it published in an international children's magazine.
My dream of writing went dormant until I was in my 30s, working at a corporate job, and started writing books on the side. Those first few years are now thankfully a blur. Now I'm very lucky to make a living doing what I love. I have written 27 novels for adults and teens, with more on the way. My books have been on the New York Times bestseller lists, gotten starred reviews, been picked for Booksense, translated into seven languages, been named to state reading lists, won the Anthony award and won the Oregon Book Award.
If you've read one of my books, I would love to hear from you. Hearing from readers makes me eager to keep writing.
When I was 12, I sent a short story about a six-foot tall frog who loved peanut butter to Roald Dahl, the author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. He liked it so much he arranged to have it published in an international children's magazine.
My dream of writing went dormant until I was in my 30s, working at a corporate job, and started writing books on the side. Those first few years are now thankfully a blur. Now I'm very lucky to make a living doing what I love. I have written 27 novels for adults and teens, with more on the way. My books have been on the New York Times bestseller lists, gotten starred reviews, been picked for Booksense, translated into seven languages, been named to state reading lists, won the Anthony award and won the Oregon Book Award.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,727 reviews
May 27, 2021
Hm...
She probably should've died.
Rating: 😶😶😶 3.3 stars
This, unfortunately, didn't hold my love for long.
Since this is a rather short book, I'll keep this... thing, as close to a minimal word limit as possible. *snorts air intensely*
To be honest, I only read this in hope of cleansing myself from romance. Like, straight up chugging acid. I was sick and tired of lovey-dovey, mushy, musty and dusty lack of brain cells also known as, falling in love in about 6 paragraphs of knowing each other. So I really went in not really searching for anything wonderful nor overly detailed, in short, I wanted to be entertained.
Which I did. Just not enough for me to give a four-star rating.
The plot changed about three times, which I found interesting, but at the same time... not that good? Please don't get me wrong, I wasn't head over heels bored, however, I feel that if had it stayed with the initial premise of escaping kidnappers, it would've made the whole storyline more realistic and less... TV showy. (what does that even mean-) The pace was really fast, at times too fast for my liking, whereas halfway it almost took a stop for gasoline to change, yet again, the plot. Overall? The main idea could've had a better execution that wouldn't have left me in a state of confuzzlenes in 'what is this' type of mode. I would also say, that I got a little peeved in some chapters in which the 'working' class was mentioned, but I don't want to get too far into that. Goodness knows I'm no expert.
I would definitely mention that the writing kept me at least partly hooked into the story. At times, it was abrupt or repetitive, be that as it may, I wasn't really focusing on the words just the feelings those words were trying to convey. In other words (hehe), I wasn't reading to analyze everything. I never read smartly though. Hm... Moving on. I will definitely mention the fact that it let me imagine and picture the fight scenes, and what was occurring. Which I appreciate immensely. Just please? If a character has a broken hand, don't omit that. It takes a little of logic away from the actual logical things.
The characters were alright.
None of them had any distinctive personality, and it's quite surprising that I mildly enjoyed that factor. Why? Well, because I wasn't ready to be emotionally invested in a character after the disastrous things that that has brought upon me.
Mainly disappointment. *laughs in 'this is pain'*
I'm pretty sure the MC had four different personalities (oh, like me? Nahhh). I say this because of course, she was strong, but also not. But also, she wanted everyone to know she was strong. But also... not? I just wanted her to at least have a modicum of apparent personality apart from 'I survived'. Me is aliveth. Yada yada yada ya. In other cases I would be screaming for her to fight through and would feel proud of her accomplishments, however, everything felt a little rushed so what I ended up doing was a little 'yay' here and there. I would've loved to actually have seen her grow stronger, not just in physical state (because she was very strong) but in emotional. Does that make sense? Also, someone please tell her what stupid decisions look like. Because I think she forgot.
A little crash course:
•You don't get in a car with someone you met in McDonald's. No matter how good their sideburns look like.
•You don't get into a house with not one, but TWO strangers who could kill you.
•And thirdly, just make better decisions. Either that or call me, and I'll smack you so hard you'll start writing books about Good Choice Making skills.
The secondary characters were just that. Secondary. I regret not being able to connect with them nor being able to actually grow to care for them, honestly? I didn't care enough. And that is slightly depressing. I am avidly present for the fact that it would've probably been the same without them.
I would say that the love interest/romance, was sweet because it was barely mentioned. I don't think I would've enjoyed it as much if the romance had bloomed in 200 pages of action, betrayal and whatnot. It wouldn't even have made sense. Although it would've given me so much ammunition for future rantage.
The guy was sweet, albeit a bit boring. Average but a nice addition to an otherwise romance free story. And by nice, I mean don't let them get together, because chemistry? Yeah, we'll just JUMP over that tiny step.
On a closing note, the characters were just okay, the plot was engaging but ultimately didn't hold the amount of substance a 4-star read needs to have. At least for me. Everything could've been better if the storyline had been more developed but overall, I would say that it was a pleasant experience, a little lacking, nonetheless it was a good filler story for the next book that I hope will break me to some extent.
That last sentence sounded so messed up-
Ha! As if I'm not that messed up.
Crap, that got too deep.
*cackling*
I swear I'm actually not like this.
Continue Reading
She probably should've died.
Rating: 😶😶😶 3.3 stars
This, unfortunately, didn't hold my love for long.
Since this is a rather short book, I'll keep this... thing, as close to a minimal word limit as possible. *snorts air intensely*
To be honest, I only read this in hope of cleansing myself from romance. Like, straight up chugging acid. I was sick and tired of lovey-dovey, mushy, musty and dusty lack of brain cells also known as, falling in love in about 6 paragraphs of knowing each other. So I really went in not really searching for anything wonderful nor overly detailed, in short, I wanted to be entertained.
Which I did. Just not enough for me to give a four-star rating.
The plot changed about three times, which I found interesting, but at the same time... not that good? Please don't get me wrong, I wasn't head over heels bored, however, I feel that if had it stayed with the initial premise of escaping kidnappers, it would've made the whole storyline more realistic and less... TV showy. (what does that even mean-) The pace was really fast, at times too fast for my liking, whereas halfway it almost took a stop for gasoline to change, yet again, the plot. Overall? The main idea could've had a better execution that wouldn't have left me in a state of confuzzlenes in 'what is this' type of mode. I would also say, that I got a little peeved in some chapters in which the 'working' class was mentioned, but I don't want to get too far into that. Goodness knows I'm no expert.
I would definitely mention that the writing kept me at least partly hooked into the story. At times, it was abrupt or repetitive, be that as it may, I wasn't really focusing on the words just the feelings those words were trying to convey. In other words (hehe), I wasn't reading to analyze everything. I never read smartly though. Hm... Moving on. I will definitely mention the fact that it let me imagine and picture the fight scenes, and what was occurring. Which I appreciate immensely. Just please? If a character has a broken hand, don't omit that. It takes a little of logic away from the actual logical things.
The characters were alright.
None of them had any distinctive personality, and it's quite surprising that I mildly enjoyed that factor. Why? Well, because I wasn't ready to be emotionally invested in a character after the disastrous things that that has brought upon me.
Mainly disappointment. *laughs in 'this is pain'*
I'm pretty sure the MC had four different personalities (oh, like me? Nahhh). I say this because of course, she was strong, but also not. But also, she wanted everyone to know she was strong. But also... not? I just wanted her to at least have a modicum of apparent personality apart from 'I survived'. Me is aliveth. Yada yada yada ya. In other cases I would be screaming for her to fight through and would feel proud of her accomplishments, however, everything felt a little rushed so what I ended up doing was a little 'yay' here and there. I would've loved to actually have seen her grow stronger, not just in physical state (because she was very strong) but in emotional. Does that make sense? Also, someone please tell her what stupid decisions look like. Because I think she forgot.
A little crash course:
•You don't get in a car with someone you met in McDonald's. No matter how good their sideburns look like.
•You don't get into a house with not one, but TWO strangers who could kill you.
•And thirdly, just make better decisions. Either that or call me, and I'll smack you so hard you'll start writing books about Good Choice Making skills.
The secondary characters were just that. Secondary. I regret not being able to connect with them nor being able to actually grow to care for them, honestly? I didn't care enough. And that is slightly depressing. I am avidly present for the fact that it would've probably been the same without them.
I would say that the love interest/romance, was sweet because it was barely mentioned. I don't think I would've enjoyed it as much if the romance had bloomed in 200 pages of action, betrayal and whatnot. It wouldn't even have made sense. Although it would've given me so much ammunition for future rantage.
The guy was sweet, albeit a bit boring. Average but a nice addition to an otherwise romance free story. And by nice, I mean don't let them get together, because chemistry? Yeah, we'll just JUMP over that tiny step.
On a closing note, the characters were just okay, the plot was engaging but ultimately didn't hold the amount of substance a 4-star read needs to have. At least for me. Everything could've been better if the storyline had been more developed but overall, I would say that it was a pleasant experience, a little lacking, nonetheless it was a good filler story for the next book that I hope will break me to some extent.
That last sentence sounded so messed up-
Ha! As if I'm not that messed up.
Crap, that got too deep.
*cackling*
I swear I'm actually not like this.
Continue Reading
May 10, 2021
This book stood out enough to be noticed from the second you began it. It was quick and loaded with action. There indeed was definitely not a dull second in this book. There several things that I saw coming (simply minor subtleties); however, the story had turns that amazed me. It was somewhat of a secret to sorting out the thought process behind why these individuals were after her and needed to murder her.
Katie is a normal young lady who doesn't have the foggiest idea of what her identity is or where she is. All she knows is that two people are talking about executing her and disposing of her body and that she needs to figure out how to get out. She generally had an arrangement or thought in her mind all through the entire book. Ty is a typical person working in his shift and discovers a young lady being pursued and helps her out (from the thoughtfulness out of his heart). He helps and stays by Katie the entire time (even though it's perilous).
I like the characters. I mainly took a liking to TY. I discovered his character to be intriguing. I was a little shocked that he helped her so much when he didn't have any acquaintance with her. Yet, generally speaking, he is an entirely likable character. He is overall quite mindful. I likewise delighted in perusing Cady's perspective since she has amnesia, which is an alternate kind of perspective for me. It helped add secrets and some tension to the story.
I honestly was delighted to peruse this book. If you appreciate perusing thrill rides that have some secret and are fast perused, at that point, I recommend checking this book out.
Katie is a normal young lady who doesn't have the foggiest idea of what her identity is or where she is. All she knows is that two people are talking about executing her and disposing of her body and that she needs to figure out how to get out. She generally had an arrangement or thought in her mind all through the entire book. Ty is a typical person working in his shift and discovers a young lady being pursued and helps her out (from the thoughtfulness out of his heart). He helps and stays by Katie the entire time (even though it's perilous).
I like the characters. I mainly took a liking to TY. I discovered his character to be intriguing. I was a little shocked that he helped her so much when he didn't have any acquaintance with her. Yet, generally speaking, he is an entirely likable character. He is overall quite mindful. I likewise delighted in perusing Cady's perspective since she has amnesia, which is an alternate kind of perspective for me. It helped add secrets and some tension to the story.
I honestly was delighted to peruse this book. If you appreciate perusing thrill rides that have some secret and are fast perused, at that point, I recommend checking this book out.
May 15, 2017
This was a super quick read that I started while waiting to find out what my next challenge would be. I wasn't expecting much and was, therefore, pleasantly surprised.
Unlike all the problems I had with The Progeny, where the premise was faulty at best, Cady's story was totally believable. While she, too, had lost her memory, it was due to trauma, and this in no way prevented her from making reasonable, logic-based decisions.
The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die checks all the [read my] boxes:
+Intelligent, self-sufficient protagonist - check
+Sweet boy - check
+Character development - check
+Believable plot - check
+Fast-paced - check
+Happy ending - check
Unlike all the problems I had with The Progeny, where the premise was faulty at best, Cady's story was totally believable. While she, too, had lost her memory, it was due to trauma, and this in no way prevented her from making reasonable, logic-based decisions.
The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die checks all the [read my] boxes:
+Intelligent, self-sufficient protagonist - check
+Sweet boy - check
+Character development - check
+Believable plot - check
+Fast-paced - check
+Happy ending - check
January 12, 2019
*3.5*
The first hundred pages are an adrenaline-fueled ride. After that there are some bumps and near-misses, and the plot speeds past the warning lights.
April Henry spins a fun—but messy— ride that leads ultimately nowhere, but was worth the thrill.
I would’ve liked if the book had been a little longer and not as rushed, especially toward the end, to give us time to fully grasp the weight of the mystery and let the suspense simmer.
Not her best, but definitely not the worst.
The first hundred pages are an adrenaline-fueled ride. After that there are some bumps and near-misses, and the plot speeds past the warning lights.
April Henry spins a fun—but messy— ride that leads ultimately nowhere, but was worth the thrill.
I would’ve liked if the book had been a little longer and not as rushed, especially toward the end, to give us time to fully grasp the weight of the mystery and let the suspense simmer.
Not her best, but definitely not the worst.
November 15, 2015
A copy of The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die was provided to me by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)/Netgalley for review purposes.
'[...]my mind shut down. Went blank. Went someplace where I wouldn't have to remember.'
What would you do if you woke up to find you had been kidnapped? What would you do if you somehow manage to escape but realize you have no idea where you were? What would you do if you didn't have any idea who you were? The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die is a riveting thriller of a girl who has to piece together the past so she can live to see the future.
I've read April Henry's 'The Night She Disappeared' and it's an incredibly short yet fast-paced mystery which I really enjoyed. To me, 'The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die' is also short and fast-paced yet more complex and required more pages in order to properly flush out the mystery. The pieces of the puzzle don't start coming together until near the very end and once the pieces started forming they left me with an unnaturally rushed feeling that I felt could have been avoided with more explanation/pages.
There were a few issues I had in particular:
The 'bad guys' were inherently bad and lacked any sort of complexity thus making them quite a bore. Plus, it always makes me giggle when the bad guys completely reveal all their plans right before they intent on killing you.
Also, there was a strange and unnecessary reference to a gay character.
'His voice swoops up and down. He sounds more gay than before. I wonder if he's doing it deliberately - to make them think there would be no reason for him to give a girl shelter.'
Which... makes zero sense. Because he's a gay man he couldn't possibly have any 'girl' friends? Or even possible care about their well-being? That passage just struck me as completely irrelevant.
Also, there wasn't a love-interest exactly but there was a male character that became involved in herdrama trouble. After meeting him while trying to hide from the 'bad guys' he realizes she's in dire need of help and assists in getting her past them. In my opinion, that should have been the end of their relationship but instead this guy basically risks the possible destruction of any future he may have for this girl he doesn't know. It just wasn't plausible. There was a slight explanation given for his 'need' to help her and it kind of make sense but still didn't completely work for me in way of explanation.
Despite my issues, I did still mostly enjoy The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die. It is fast-paced, exciting, and definitely suspenseful.
*All quotes taken are from an uncorrected proof*
'[...]my mind shut down. Went blank. Went someplace where I wouldn't have to remember.'
What would you do if you woke up to find you had been kidnapped? What would you do if you somehow manage to escape but realize you have no idea where you were? What would you do if you didn't have any idea who you were? The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die is a riveting thriller of a girl who has to piece together the past so she can live to see the future.
I've read April Henry's 'The Night She Disappeared' and it's an incredibly short yet fast-paced mystery which I really enjoyed. To me, 'The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die' is also short and fast-paced yet more complex and required more pages in order to properly flush out the mystery. The pieces of the puzzle don't start coming together until near the very end and once the pieces started forming they left me with an unnaturally rushed feeling that I felt could have been avoided with more explanation/pages.
There were a few issues I had in particular:
The 'bad guys' were inherently bad and lacked any sort of complexity thus making them quite a bore. Plus, it always makes me giggle when the bad guys completely reveal all their plans right before they intent on killing you.
Also, there was a strange and unnecessary reference to a gay character.
'His voice swoops up and down. He sounds more gay than before. I wonder if he's doing it deliberately - to make them think there would be no reason for him to give a girl shelter.'
Which... makes zero sense. Because he's a gay man he couldn't possibly have any 'girl' friends? Or even possible care about their well-being? That passage just struck me as completely irrelevant.
Also, there wasn't a love-interest exactly but there was a male character that became involved in her
Despite my issues, I did still mostly enjoy The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die. It is fast-paced, exciting, and definitely suspenseful.
*All quotes taken are from an uncorrected proof*
September 16, 2022
A solid 3.5 star rating for me. To be completely transparent this wasn't as thrilling as I was hoping it would be but it was still a good read. Also the mystery of who was bad or good was a bit too easy to figure out. This was an Audible Daily Deal pick so I got this book for a less than $4 so think it was worth the price to try out a new author. I might check out more of Ms. Henry's books but she won't become my favorite author.
May 19, 2017
After waking up in a cabin with no memory of how she got there, Cady starts to panic. Soon after regaining consciousness, she hears her captors talking hears one of them tell the other to take her out back and “finish her off”. After managing to escape, she has no idea where to go…she has no money, doesn’t remember her name, and doesn’t know what happened to her.
In her run from these men, she meets Ty, who ends up accompanying her on her journey to get to safety. What Cady does know is that she’s still in danger, she just doesn’t know why.
I’ve had a few less than stellar reads lately, and I was hoping this quick thriller would be just the thing to break my drought. Unfortunately, it didn’t do it for me. It wasn’t quite what I was expecting, and felt more like an action book than a thriller. The end also took a turn I wasn’t expecting – very similar to The Outliers, which was another book I didn’t like.
What I did like was Cady and her friendship with Ty. I did find it a little unrealistic that they bonded so quickly and that Ty innately trusted Cady when she didn’t even know who she was or what happened to her, but they were good together and relied on each other, which while not always believable, was a nice add to the story, especially considering most of the characters weren’t super developed and were often flat.
Overall, I don’t have a ton to say about the book, which is probably fitting considering it was only ~200 pages long. It was a very quick read, and if you like action books/movies with a touch of biological warfare, this will be the perfect choice for you. Unfortunately, I was looking for something that was more of a thriller, and this wasn’t a winner for me.
In her run from these men, she meets Ty, who ends up accompanying her on her journey to get to safety. What Cady does know is that she’s still in danger, she just doesn’t know why.
I’ve had a few less than stellar reads lately, and I was hoping this quick thriller would be just the thing to break my drought. Unfortunately, it didn’t do it for me. It wasn’t quite what I was expecting, and felt more like an action book than a thriller. The end also took a turn I wasn’t expecting – very similar to The Outliers, which was another book I didn’t like.
What I did like was Cady and her friendship with Ty. I did find it a little unrealistic that they bonded so quickly and that Ty innately trusted Cady when she didn’t even know who she was or what happened to her, but they were good together and relied on each other, which while not always believable, was a nice add to the story, especially considering most of the characters weren’t super developed and were often flat.
Overall, I don’t have a ton to say about the book, which is probably fitting considering it was only ~200 pages long. It was a very quick read, and if you like action books/movies with a touch of biological warfare, this will be the perfect choice for you. Unfortunately, I was looking for something that was more of a thriller, and this wasn’t a winner for me.
June 14, 2013
This review is going to be uncharacteristically short for me, but the book itself is pretty short, so I suppose that's fitting. Since this is going to be one of those reviews that sort of reads like I didn't like the book, let me say this up front: I did like The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die. However, I'm giving it two stars here on GR, because overall I feel like it was an okay book, not an especially good one. I'm not generally a big fan of thrillers, but I previously quite enjoyed Henry's Girl, Stolen, so I hoped that I would like this one just as much. Still, TGWWSTD was a fun, quick read overall.
In general, I would say that April Henry accomplishes what she set out to do in this book. TGWWSTD entertains. The plot moves along at a fast pace, and it's certainly never boring. The reader can't help but be curious and the pages flip by quickly. TGWWWSTD serves as the literary equivalent of a fairly mindless action movie, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.
The techniques Henry uses to accomplish this are quite standard thriller fare, which is why my enjoyment of this one boils down purely to the sheer entertainment factor. The main character has amnesia for much of the book, waking up in a cabin as two men prepare to kill her. Sure, amnesia happens, but it's over-employed in such action plots to up the danger level, since the MC doesn't have any idea where to go or who to trust.
Henry's writing consists of simple sentences and fragments. This style does create a sense of rushing headlong through the story. Thriller authors employ this method to create a feeling of urgency. While I do think it does work, I just generally prefer complex, more ornate writing. The combination of the writing, short chapters, and fast pace will likely make this an excellent choice for reluctant readers.
Most every chapter ends on a mini-cliffhanger, immediately resolved on the next page. Yet again, this technique does keep the reader moving through the novel at a fast clip. It's designed to make TGWWSTD a one sitting read, because you have to keep going to answer the lingering question from the last chapter. Effective, but trite.
While not thoroughly fleshed out, Henry's characters are sufficiently realistic for her purposes. Cady and Ty are likable enough that the reader does want them to win out over the bad guys. The skills that Cady possesses seem a bit convenient, though some are explained, like her ability to fight. What really feels unlikely is that Cady met Ty, a boy just this side of destitution, who is willing to miss class, endangering his dream of being an EMT, and work, risking putting him on the streets, to help save her from men with guns. Sure, he's nice, but, really, who's going to do that? I can see helping her when they first meet, but he's with her to the end, and I just don't see that. He also just happens to have the right amount of cash saved up so they can do what they need to do.
The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die runs just 213 pages. With short chapters and a fast pace, it's an excellent choice when you want something you can read quickly for sheer entertainment value. Ultimately, though, it's not particularly memorable and I won't be revisiting it.
In general, I would say that April Henry accomplishes what she set out to do in this book. TGWWSTD entertains. The plot moves along at a fast pace, and it's certainly never boring. The reader can't help but be curious and the pages flip by quickly. TGWWWSTD serves as the literary equivalent of a fairly mindless action movie, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.
The techniques Henry uses to accomplish this are quite standard thriller fare, which is why my enjoyment of this one boils down purely to the sheer entertainment factor. The main character has amnesia for much of the book, waking up in a cabin as two men prepare to kill her. Sure, amnesia happens, but it's over-employed in such action plots to up the danger level, since the MC doesn't have any idea where to go or who to trust.
Henry's writing consists of simple sentences and fragments. This style does create a sense of rushing headlong through the story. Thriller authors employ this method to create a feeling of urgency. While I do think it does work, I just generally prefer complex, more ornate writing. The combination of the writing, short chapters, and fast pace will likely make this an excellent choice for reluctant readers.
Most every chapter ends on a mini-cliffhanger, immediately resolved on the next page. Yet again, this technique does keep the reader moving through the novel at a fast clip. It's designed to make TGWWSTD a one sitting read, because you have to keep going to answer the lingering question from the last chapter. Effective, but trite.
While not thoroughly fleshed out, Henry's characters are sufficiently realistic for her purposes. Cady and Ty are likable enough that the reader does want them to win out over the bad guys. The skills that Cady possesses seem a bit convenient, though some are explained, like her ability to fight. What really feels unlikely is that Cady met Ty, a boy just this side of destitution, who is willing to miss class, endangering his dream of being an EMT, and work, risking putting him on the streets, to help save her from men with guns. Sure, he's nice, but, really, who's going to do that? I can see helping her when they first meet, but he's with her to the end, and I just don't see that. He also just happens to have the right amount of cash saved up so they can do what they need to do.
The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die runs just 213 pages. With short chapters and a fast pace, it's an excellent choice when you want something you can read quickly for sheer entertainment value. Ultimately, though, it's not particularly memorable and I won't be revisiting it.
October 18, 2019
WHAT?! This book was amazing- let’s talk about this-
I loved all the characters (I mean, the ones I was supposed to love, and then I hated the characters I was supposed to hate).
The writing was great and I could hardly quit reading because of the intensity.
CONTENT:
There are a few suggestions that one character is gay, but nothing confirmed. H*** is used as a swear word a handful of times. Violence wise- a girl wakes up to find her nails have been pried off of her fingers (at least two of them). A few people get shot, nothing fatal. A girl breaks a man’s arm.
Suggested ages would be 13+ due to the content above
Happy reading guys!
I loved all the characters (I mean, the ones I was supposed to love, and then I hated the characters I was supposed to hate).
The writing was great and I could hardly quit reading because of the intensity.
CONTENT:
There are a few suggestions that one character is gay, but nothing confirmed. H*** is used as a swear word a handful of times. Violence wise- a girl wakes up to find her nails have been pried off of her fingers (at least two of them). A few people get shot, nothing fatal. A girl breaks a man’s arm.
Suggested ages would be 13+ due to the content above
Happy reading guys!
June 2, 2013
Wow what a short, intense read this was. I wasn’t too sure going into it how I would fare with it because it was such a short novel and the first I have read from Henry, but I’m happy I gave this one a try. This one does not let up from page one and I was on the edge of my seat as Katie ran her butt off and tried her best to find out who she was and who was after her.
We catch up with Cady right in the thick of things. She wakes up beaten and bruised on the floor of a cabin and has absolutely no recollection of who she was and how she got there. She also has no idea who the two men are standing above her saying to kill her because she knows nothing. Straight away my interest was piqued, I wanted to know who these men were and why they had tortured Cady for information. What worked very well for this one was how linear the plot was. There wasn’t much romance or friendship drama to bog it down though she does make one connection along the way. When she meets Ty I liked him immediately. You could tell that he had such a kind nature but it quickly comes to light that he hasn’t had the easiest life. While that was all fine and good I did find that the extent to which he was willing to put his life on the line was a little unbelievable. I get that he likes to help out his fellow man and pay it forward but he got himself into some serious legal issues for a girl that he just randomly met at McDonalds.
With very short chapters our attention never has the chance to stray with this one. Something is constantly happening and the tension is top notch. We don’t get a lot of layers to our bad guys as everything is revealed which is something that I would have liked a bit more of. I always appreciate when I get to see multiple sides of the bad guy and maybe even come to understand their motive. Here we get very little information about them and a head honcho who is incredibly typical. I think for what this story was, it worked. It kept the novel short and if you sit back and take it at face value too many details may have began to bog the story down a bit.
There isn’t too much to say about this one because of how short and linear the plot is but I can say this: The Girl Who Was Supposed To Die turned out to be a great, fun way to spend a few hours on a rainy Sunday morning. If you’re looking for a quick mystery to get you out of a paranormal rut then this one could be for you.
An Advanced Reader's Copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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You can read all of my reviews at Alluring Reads.
We catch up with Cady right in the thick of things. She wakes up beaten and bruised on the floor of a cabin and has absolutely no recollection of who she was and how she got there. She also has no idea who the two men are standing above her saying to kill her because she knows nothing. Straight away my interest was piqued, I wanted to know who these men were and why they had tortured Cady for information. What worked very well for this one was how linear the plot was. There wasn’t much romance or friendship drama to bog it down though she does make one connection along the way. When she meets Ty I liked him immediately. You could tell that he had such a kind nature but it quickly comes to light that he hasn’t had the easiest life. While that was all fine and good I did find that the extent to which he was willing to put his life on the line was a little unbelievable. I get that he likes to help out his fellow man and pay it forward but he got himself into some serious legal issues for a girl that he just randomly met at McDonalds.
With very short chapters our attention never has the chance to stray with this one. Something is constantly happening and the tension is top notch. We don’t get a lot of layers to our bad guys as everything is revealed which is something that I would have liked a bit more of. I always appreciate when I get to see multiple sides of the bad guy and maybe even come to understand their motive. Here we get very little information about them and a head honcho who is incredibly typical. I think for what this story was, it worked. It kept the novel short and if you sit back and take it at face value too many details may have began to bog the story down a bit.
There isn’t too much to say about this one because of how short and linear the plot is but I can say this: The Girl Who Was Supposed To Die turned out to be a great, fun way to spend a few hours on a rainy Sunday morning. If you’re looking for a quick mystery to get you out of a paranormal rut then this one could be for you.
An Advanced Reader's Copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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You can read all of my reviews at Alluring Reads.
December 30, 2014
I wasn't much of a fan of Henry's The Body in the Woods, so I was a bit hesitant of reading The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die. However, I am glad I did because, despite its flaws, The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die is a fast-paced and intense read just as the synopsis suggests.
A girl wakes up, tied to a chair, in a ransacked cabin. She doesn't remember anything about where she was, who she is, or why she's there. All she knows is that there's two men standing next to her, debating whether or not to kill her.
The writing style and characterization were rather simplistic. While sometimes such a simplistic writing style might be a disadvantage, somehow Henry manages to make it work here. Told in short, fragmented sentences with limited vocabulary, it's not a difficult read; and, when combined with the constant action and tension of the story, the 200 pages fly by quickly.
Our protagonist is one that I was a bit ambivalent to. It's quite difficult to write from the perspective of someone with amnesia, as not having memories takes away your personality, and you can't develop character without personality. Yet, in this case, this risky choice of narration certainly pays off. Henry's protagonist has an utterly realistic voice for a teenager without any memories. Watching our protagonist learn more and more about herself and her past was captivating.
The only thing I felt a bit ambivalent to is the romance. Our protagonist meets Ty when she's hiding out from the villains at McDonald's, and he offers to provide shelter for her. This leads to a refreshing and entertaining friendship between the two that progresses throughout the story. Yet, for some reason, they end up kissing on literally the last page. This display of romance seemed a bit misplaced and abrupt for two people who appeared to feel nothing but friendship for each other. I could have appreciated the romance if it began in the middle of the story, but having it appear at the last page made it feel to abrupt and forced for me.
The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die is a book that certainly captivates and thrills despite the minor flaws. You'll be on your toes trying to figure out what exactly happened to our protagonist.
A girl wakes up, tied to a chair, in a ransacked cabin. She doesn't remember anything about where she was, who she is, or why she's there. All she knows is that there's two men standing next to her, debating whether or not to kill her.
The writing style and characterization were rather simplistic. While sometimes such a simplistic writing style might be a disadvantage, somehow Henry manages to make it work here. Told in short, fragmented sentences with limited vocabulary, it's not a difficult read; and, when combined with the constant action and tension of the story, the 200 pages fly by quickly.
Our protagonist is one that I was a bit ambivalent to. It's quite difficult to write from the perspective of someone with amnesia, as not having memories takes away your personality, and you can't develop character without personality. Yet, in this case, this risky choice of narration certainly pays off. Henry's protagonist has an utterly realistic voice for a teenager without any memories. Watching our protagonist learn more and more about herself and her past was captivating.
The only thing I felt a bit ambivalent to is the romance. Our protagonist meets Ty when she's hiding out from the villains at McDonald's, and he offers to provide shelter for her. This leads to a refreshing and entertaining friendship between the two that progresses throughout the story. Yet, for some reason, they end up kissing on literally the last page. This display of romance seemed a bit misplaced and abrupt for two people who appeared to feel nothing but friendship for each other. I could have appreciated the romance if it began in the middle of the story, but having it appear at the last page made it feel to abrupt and forced for me.
The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die is a book that certainly captivates and thrills despite the minor flaws. You'll be on your toes trying to figure out what exactly happened to our protagonist.
June 19, 2017
In April Henry’s stand alone novel, ‘The girl who was supposed to die’, the readers are introduced to the narrator Cadence Scott (Cady). At the beginning of the novel Cady is woken up by loud voices and finds herself in an abandoned, ransacked cabin. The voices she hears are of two men arguing about whether or not they should kill her. However, Cady does not recall how she found herself in this predicament. She does not have any memories of her past including her own name. Having woken up with no recollection of the past and by men discussing her death, it is Cady’s first instinct to run.
The novel is set within the time period of two days, with Cadence running from the men she claims are still after her. Cady meets friends along the way, who help her discover her identity. It’s a cat and mice chase, as the people out hunting will stop at nothing; only, the police claim she is a runaway mentally ill patient. Cady does not know what to believe, she feels that she can’t trust anyone, including herself. She can’t decipher a truth from a lie, and questions herself if she is an ill patient, and if that could be the cause of her sudden memory loss. As the story unfolds, Cady unravels her past and every question is answered.
The girl who was supposed to die, is an original novel that is captivating through to the last page. It is a fast-paced, gripping novel that I read in one sitting. It surprised me to find that I immensely enjoyed reading this, as I do not usually appreciate genres of the like. Due to my low-expectations, my scoring was raised higher, as I did not believe a book could portray a traumatising event so well. Though like all books, as a reader, I found some scenes unnecessary. Some parts were unrealistic and there seemed to be a very unlikely chance of this happening. Though, I believe the plot and characters were planned well, and this caused me to have a similarity relationship with the protagonist. I felt the same way as Cady, and were banging my fists in protest in appropriate scenes, yelling at the book. By reading this novel, it has made me more conscious of what happens in today's society. In my opinion this book deserves a five out of five, and should be a must-read for everyone.
The novel is set within the time period of two days, with Cadence running from the men she claims are still after her. Cady meets friends along the way, who help her discover her identity. It’s a cat and mice chase, as the people out hunting will stop at nothing; only, the police claim she is a runaway mentally ill patient. Cady does not know what to believe, she feels that she can’t trust anyone, including herself. She can’t decipher a truth from a lie, and questions herself if she is an ill patient, and if that could be the cause of her sudden memory loss. As the story unfolds, Cady unravels her past and every question is answered.
The girl who was supposed to die, is an original novel that is captivating through to the last page. It is a fast-paced, gripping novel that I read in one sitting. It surprised me to find that I immensely enjoyed reading this, as I do not usually appreciate genres of the like. Due to my low-expectations, my scoring was raised higher, as I did not believe a book could portray a traumatising event so well. Though like all books, as a reader, I found some scenes unnecessary. Some parts were unrealistic and there seemed to be a very unlikely chance of this happening. Though, I believe the plot and characters were planned well, and this caused me to have a similarity relationship with the protagonist. I felt the same way as Cady, and were banging my fists in protest in appropriate scenes, yelling at the book. By reading this novel, it has made me more conscious of what happens in today's society. In my opinion this book deserves a five out of five, and should be a must-read for everyone.
March 2, 2015
I regret that Goodreads does not allow me to give zero stars. April Henry is the epitome of a worthless writer. Her concepts are cliche, and her ending was squashed into 10 pages. The random explosion at the end serves the one purpose of ending the story, which I appreciated, because the book was so bad. The writing was terrible, and the characters are shallow and undeveloped. Overall, I think that April Henry should pursue another career, such as operating a carnival station.
This is meant to be taken seriously. If you want a good book, go as far away from April Henry as possible.
This is meant to be taken seriously. If you want a good book, go as far away from April Henry as possible.
November 25, 2023
Honestly 😶😶😶
I didn’t like it as much as I thought I would… the plot twist of why she was wanted dead was pretty far-fetched and I’d have preferred if she’d been a drug dealer or involved in some psycho-er shit jajaja
Soooo 3 stars cabrón jajaja 🤪
I didn’t like it as much as I thought I would… the plot twist of why she was wanted dead was pretty far-fetched and I’d have preferred if she’d been a drug dealer or involved in some psycho-er shit jajaja
Soooo 3 stars cabrón jajaja 🤪
April 7, 2019
I thought that the book was really good. It had a bunch of twists and turns. And it made me really think," who's side am I on". But over all I thought the book," The Girl Who Was Supposed To Die" was good.
March 12, 2019
Trigger warnings: amnesia, torture, death, violence, death of a parent (in the past), , fire.
When I finished this last night, I gave it 3.5 stars but on reflection I'm bumping it down to 3 purely because the plot went to some bonkers places that I didn't see coming and it was a pretty weird choice for a YA book tbh.
So this girl wakes up with no memories, right? And there are two guys talking about how they're going to kill her. And she has to escape and work out who she is blah blah blah. But then
I mean, I liked the first two thirds of the story. I liked the protagonist and I liked Ty, although . So I liked it. It was a fast paced and action-packed thriller. It just went to a really strange place...
When I finished this last night, I gave it 3.5 stars but on reflection I'm bumping it down to 3 purely because the plot went to some bonkers places that I didn't see coming and it was a pretty weird choice for a YA book tbh.
So this girl wakes up with no memories, right? And there are two guys talking about how they're going to kill her. And she has to escape and work out who she is blah blah blah. But then
I mean, I liked the first two thirds of the story. I liked the protagonist and I liked Ty, although . So I liked it. It was a fast paced and action-packed thriller. It just went to a really strange place...
December 15, 2013
This book got your attention from the moment you started it. It was very fast and full of action. There really wasn't a dull moment in this book.
Katie is an average girl who doesn't know who she is or where she is. All she knows, is that two guys are discussing on killing her and getting rid of her body and that she has to find a way to get out. She always had a plan or idea in her head through out the whole book. Ty is a normal guy working in his shift and finds a girl being chased and helps her out (from the kindness out his heart). He helps and stays by Katie the whole time (even though it's dangerous).
The book didn't have romance in it (like who has the time to fall in love with someone while being hunted down by men). But we do get know what happens between Katie and Ty. The only thing that bugged me a little was how the book was divide. Other than it was a good book.
April 17, 2017
This review can also be found at http://fortheloveofbooksreviews.blogs...
She wakes up to two men arguing over whether or not to end her life. She doesn't know her name, she doesn't know where she is, and she doesn't know why one of her fingernails has been pried off of her hand.
She manages to escape, but her ordeal is far from over. As she investigates herself, who she is, and what is going on, she gets help from an acquaintance who is determined to solve this mystery with her. Only one thing is for certain...danger is around every corner.
It's hard to write a synopsis of this book without giving anything away. The complete mystery of what is going on made this book truly a five-star read, and as my second five-star April Henry novel, I know that I'll be reading her books again.
The main character's fear was absolutely palpable from start to finish. I love that the author started the story off with the two men discussing whether or not to murder her, this absolutely drew my attention in and it didn't let me go until I turned to the last page. The little touches, like the main character's injured finger (ouch!) really gave the book an eerie vibe and built suspense.
The characters themselves, from the main girl, to the boy who helps her figure out what is going on, worked well with the story, and I think that all of their personalities, relationships, and affiliations contributed to the awesome quality of this novel. As I mentioned, it's hard to say much without giving important pieces of the plot away, so trust me when I say that the explanations behind the characters' motives and situations were far from disappointing.
There truly isn't much else that I can say, except that if you like mysteries, you should read this book! I can't say much more because I worry that I'll spoil it somehow!
I recommend this to those who like mysteries and thrillers where a lot is at stake. If you're into suspenseful young adult books, this one is for you.
She wakes up to two men arguing over whether or not to end her life. She doesn't know her name, she doesn't know where she is, and she doesn't know why one of her fingernails has been pried off of her hand.
She manages to escape, but her ordeal is far from over. As she investigates herself, who she is, and what is going on, she gets help from an acquaintance who is determined to solve this mystery with her. Only one thing is for certain...danger is around every corner.
It's hard to write a synopsis of this book without giving anything away. The complete mystery of what is going on made this book truly a five-star read, and as my second five-star April Henry novel, I know that I'll be reading her books again.
The main character's fear was absolutely palpable from start to finish. I love that the author started the story off with the two men discussing whether or not to murder her, this absolutely drew my attention in and it didn't let me go until I turned to the last page. The little touches, like the main character's injured finger (ouch!) really gave the book an eerie vibe and built suspense.
The characters themselves, from the main girl, to the boy who helps her figure out what is going on, worked well with the story, and I think that all of their personalities, relationships, and affiliations contributed to the awesome quality of this novel. As I mentioned, it's hard to say much without giving important pieces of the plot away, so trust me when I say that the explanations behind the characters' motives and situations were far from disappointing.
There truly isn't much else that I can say, except that if you like mysteries, you should read this book! I can't say much more because I worry that I'll spoil it somehow!
I recommend this to those who like mysteries and thrillers where a lot is at stake. If you're into suspenseful young adult books, this one is for you.
September 9, 2013
Another thriller from April Henry! A complete page turner. I wouldn't recommend this to all of my readers; it was pretty intense and scary at times, but if you like non-stop action from the first paragraph, this is the book for you.
I loved Ty and so much want to believe that people like him exist in the world. My hope is that he's based on someone real, someone who's out there having a successful, happy life.
I loved Ty and so much want to believe that people like him exist in the world. My hope is that he's based on someone real, someone who's out there having a successful, happy life.
April 17, 2015
The suspense almost killed me. Lol. It's very good!
August 13, 2023
This is a genre that I have read many books from before.
It was a quick and intense read.
It instantly grabbed my attention from the very beginning of the story. I was so mesmerized by the world, the story, and the main character, Cady, and trying to find out what was going to happen next.
There were a couple of things that I saw coming (just minor details), but overall, the story had plenty of twists that surprised me. It was a bit of a mystery to figure out the motive behind why these people were after her and wanted to kill her.
I liked the characters. I especially liked Ty. I found his character to be interesting. I was a little surprised that he helped her so much when he didn't know her, but overall, he was a very likable character.
I also enjoyed reading from Cady's point of view because she had amnesia, which is a different type of point of view for me. It helped add mystery and a little suspense to the story.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. If you enjoy reading thrillers that have some mystery and are a very quick read, then I suggest giving this book a try. 4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️'s from me.
It was a quick and intense read.
It instantly grabbed my attention from the very beginning of the story. I was so mesmerized by the world, the story, and the main character, Cady, and trying to find out what was going to happen next.
There were a couple of things that I saw coming (just minor details), but overall, the story had plenty of twists that surprised me. It was a bit of a mystery to figure out the motive behind why these people were after her and wanted to kill her.
I liked the characters. I especially liked Ty. I found his character to be interesting. I was a little surprised that he helped her so much when he didn't know her, but overall, he was a very likable character.
I also enjoyed reading from Cady's point of view because she had amnesia, which is a different type of point of view for me. It helped add mystery and a little suspense to the story.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. If you enjoy reading thrillers that have some mystery and are a very quick read, then I suggest giving this book a try. 4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️'s from me.
October 27, 2022
What would you do if you woke up unable to see, unable to remember anything about who you are, where you are, and why in the world are there two men discussing your murder? Well, this is what happened to 16-year-old Cady. Now, she was being drug out back to her death. She needed to think fast and figure out how to get out of this but more importantly, she had to figure out who she was and why in the world is she in a ransacked cabin.
I honestly thought when I was reading this I was gonna have another murder mystery on my hands but this is not at all what it was. This was a really great book. I was completely blindsided by the plot twist but in a really good way. Don't be surprised if you find your heart rate going up and down, up and down while reading this. It is full of excitement, action, and even a few good laughs. The only reason I gave it 4 stars and not 5 is I found it to be just a little drawn out in the end. Other than that the book was great all the way through. It is an easy read and I finished it in one day.
I honestly thought when I was reading this I was gonna have another murder mystery on my hands but this is not at all what it was. This was a really great book. I was completely blindsided by the plot twist but in a really good way. Don't be surprised if you find your heart rate going up and down, up and down while reading this. It is full of excitement, action, and even a few good laughs. The only reason I gave it 4 stars and not 5 is I found it to be just a little drawn out in the end. Other than that the book was great all the way through. It is an easy read and I finished it in one day.
April 6, 2017
This is a book that started out with a bang and ended with a puff....
In the beginning I was super curious to find out what was going on, who was this girl, and what had happened... but then the reveal left me disappointed I guess.... also it was kind of abrupt, what happens now? What happens between Cady and Ty? This book was short but not as satisfying as it could have been....
In the beginning I was super curious to find out what was going on, who was this girl, and what had happened... but then the reveal left me disappointed I guess.... also it was kind of abrupt, what happens now? What happens between Cady and Ty? This book was short but not as satisfying as it could have been....
May 12, 2023
A super quick but forgettable read.
April 20, 2022
I read it very fast because there weren't really any slow moments. I still am not sure how I feel about the ending/why she was kidnapped.
October 25, 2018
I could not put this book down for about 2/3 of the way through; I read half of it in one sitting. It is a short book though so maybe that was not a huge win I was so excited to find a book that might be a top read for me this year. I have really liked April Henry's adult books but this fizzled out quite a bit at 2/3rd the way done and was so anti-climatic it ruined the ambiance of the story. So I gave it a 3 for this reason when I expected to give it a five. It still was a much better book than many I have read this year.
November 8, 2021
I really loved this book!! You are always wondering what will happen next and it has a really happy ending.
August 3, 2014
*3.5 star rating*
"Maybe it's because I'm average." I sniff back my tears. "Maybe it's because I'm like everyone else." Ty rolls his eyes. "I may not know you very well, but I'll tell you one thing: You aren't like anyone else."
Girl, Stolen was an amazing book. I couldn't wait for more from this daring, new author that's sure to leave thousands of other readers stunned with her plot-twisting mysteries. The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die wasn't as good as April Henry's other book, but it was something that left me thinking.
Imagine--you wake up in some cabin that you've never seen more. You don't remember your name or even have a clue who you are, and all you hear two men talking about how you don't know anything and how they're going to go and "finish you off." What would you do? This is what Cady went through.
Of course, this girl escapes. I'm not going to go into full detail on how she did it, but she did. She was supposed to die, but she made it out. People are saying that she "escaped from a mental hospital," which would've been super-cheesy, but she actually didn't. This book will keep you guessing until the very end and will get you thinking about these types of situations that occur all over the world.
I'm always interested in these types of mysteries where the book is taken place from the victim's POV. I don't like the detective-police sort of stories, but this is definitely awesome for my liking. I really loved the idea of a supposed-murder.
The first page of this book captivated me. I just couldn't believe that the author thought of something so unthinkable and so unbelievable. You just don't want to imagine any of these things happening, but April Henry needs us to. It's her job, haha. If you liked to get a little creeped out, then this book's perfect for you. You may or may not need an escort with you at all times and will need to make sure that your parents don't own an animal-disease lab. Other than that, you're all good.
And you may or may not have trouble breathing or claustrophobia because the amount of fresh air is fading away. :D
As I went on with the book, it was pretty good. By the end, I found it to be nothing special. The idea was petrifying, but something was missing and that slanted the whole book another way in another direction. Maybe this is because it's very similar to April Henry's Girl, Stolen. I just can't seem to figure out a reason why I'm feeling like this after reading it. By the end, I was still deciding what rating to give this book. A 3 was my first choice, but then I began counting the pros and cons, and well, let's just say the positives took over.
Cady was a very believable character. April Henry really made her voice stand out, and she was fairly realistic and understanding. You will feel sympathy for her 24/7 because of her situation, but because of her badass-ness, that sympathy kind of goes away a little.
I loved Ty, seriously. It was kind of unbelievable how he took Cady into his home and treated her like a princess even though he heard all of those bad things about her and how she's kind of a criminal, but those things aside, I loved him.
The ending of this book was predictable, but I guess we all saw it coming from the start. This is a touching story that will get you fawning for more! I can't wait to read The Body in the Woods!
"Maybe it's because I'm average." I sniff back my tears. "Maybe it's because I'm like everyone else." Ty rolls his eyes. "I may not know you very well, but I'll tell you one thing: You aren't like anyone else."
Girl, Stolen was an amazing book. I couldn't wait for more from this daring, new author that's sure to leave thousands of other readers stunned with her plot-twisting mysteries. The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die wasn't as good as April Henry's other book, but it was something that left me thinking.
Imagine--you wake up in some cabin that you've never seen more. You don't remember your name or even have a clue who you are, and all you hear two men talking about how you don't know anything and how they're going to go and "finish you off." What would you do? This is what Cady went through.
Of course, this girl escapes. I'm not going to go into full detail on how she did it, but she did. She was supposed to die, but she made it out. People are saying that she "escaped from a mental hospital," which would've been super-cheesy, but she actually didn't. This book will keep you guessing until the very end and will get you thinking about these types of situations that occur all over the world.
I'm always interested in these types of mysteries where the book is taken place from the victim's POV. I don't like the detective-police sort of stories, but this is definitely awesome for my liking. I really loved the idea of a supposed-murder.
The first page of this book captivated me. I just couldn't believe that the author thought of something so unthinkable and so unbelievable. You just don't want to imagine any of these things happening, but April Henry needs us to. It's her job, haha. If you liked to get a little creeped out, then this book's perfect for you. You may or may not need an escort with you at all times and will need to make sure that your parents don't own an animal-disease lab. Other than that, you're all good.
And you may or may not have trouble breathing or claustrophobia because the amount of fresh air is fading away. :D
As I went on with the book, it was pretty good. By the end, I found it to be nothing special. The idea was petrifying, but something was missing and that slanted the whole book another way in another direction. Maybe this is because it's very similar to April Henry's Girl, Stolen. I just can't seem to figure out a reason why I'm feeling like this after reading it. By the end, I was still deciding what rating to give this book. A 3 was my first choice, but then I began counting the pros and cons, and well, let's just say the positives took over.
Cady was a very believable character. April Henry really made her voice stand out, and she was fairly realistic and understanding. You will feel sympathy for her 24/7 because of her situation, but because of her badass-ness, that sympathy kind of goes away a little.
I loved Ty, seriously. It was kind of unbelievable how he took Cady into his home and treated her like a princess even though he heard all of those bad things about her and how she's kind of a criminal, but those things aside, I loved him.
The ending of this book was predictable, but I guess we all saw it coming from the start. This is a touching story that will get you fawning for more! I can't wait to read The Body in the Woods!
June 15, 2013
I loved the opening chapters of this book, as we meet Cady, who has no memory of who she is or why she's being held captive by men who want to kill her. The scenes are quick and short as she slowly comes to and gets an understanding of her surroundings, and tries to figure out how to get herself out. Watching Cady try to understand the situation only to have her escape be undermined by the people who are after her makes for some very tense ready, especially as she has to try to convince people that she's not crazy.
Despite the trauma Cady has endured, she is very smart and quick on her feet to help get her out of the situation and to safety. She winds up being helped out by Ty, who is an interesting character in his own right, and I wish we'd seen more of him. Despite getting a pretty thorough backstory, he sometimes feels a little flat, and I would have liked to see him get more fleshed out. Regardless, he's a huge help to Cady and while there's some flirtation between them, the bulk of the story is really focused on Cady's situation and getting her out of danger, so it's not distracting to the overall storyline.
For me, however, the story started to go downhill as Cady got closer to unraveling the mystery of her identity and why people were after her. Other than one red herring early in the story, the bad guys are all super obvious and not really believable at all, once their identities are revealed. The writing gets less tight and a little clunkier as the book finishes up, and, well, I guess this is a spoiler, but things go right into Happily Ever After land, which felt way, way too easy given all of the terrible things that happened.
As an aside, not to related to my enjoyment of the book or anything, but I definitely do not love this cover. Aside from the man's hand looking like it was poorly Photoshopped there, I think the image is menacing in a way that's very unappealing. The ARC cover is just text with a mottled blue/green/grey background -- while simple, it felt eerie and moody, like the opening chapters of the book. I would have preferred something a little more abstract than faceless-girl-with-hand-over-face.
Despite some scenes of violence, I would say this book is appropriate for readers on the younger age of the YA spectrum and up. It's written in a very simple, quick-paced way and more advanced readers will probably fly through it.
Despite the trauma Cady has endured, she is very smart and quick on her feet to help get her out of the situation and to safety. She winds up being helped out by Ty, who is an interesting character in his own right, and I wish we'd seen more of him. Despite getting a pretty thorough backstory, he sometimes feels a little flat, and I would have liked to see him get more fleshed out. Regardless, he's a huge help to Cady and while there's some flirtation between them, the bulk of the story is really focused on Cady's situation and getting her out of danger, so it's not distracting to the overall storyline.
For me, however, the story started to go downhill as Cady got closer to unraveling the mystery of her identity and why people were after her. Other than one red herring early in the story, the bad guys are all super obvious and not really believable at all, once their identities are revealed. The writing gets less tight and a little clunkier as the book finishes up, and, well, I guess this is a spoiler, but things go right into Happily Ever After land, which felt way, way too easy given all of the terrible things that happened.
As an aside, not to related to my enjoyment of the book or anything, but I definitely do not love this cover. Aside from the man's hand looking like it was poorly Photoshopped there, I think the image is menacing in a way that's very unappealing. The ARC cover is just text with a mottled blue/green/grey background -- while simple, it felt eerie and moody, like the opening chapters of the book. I would have preferred something a little more abstract than faceless-girl-with-hand-over-face.
Despite some scenes of violence, I would say this book is appropriate for readers on the younger age of the YA spectrum and up. It's written in a very simple, quick-paced way and more advanced readers will probably fly through it.
November 12, 2013
Act now. Be.
My mind shut down. Went blank. Went somewhere I wouldn’t have to remember. Even when they pulled out my fingernails, it wouldn’t come back.
She doesn’t know who she is. She doesn’t know where she is. And she doesn’t know what has happened to her. All she knows is that two guys want to kill her. So she must run.
I really enjoyed this book, it was interesting and really reached out and grabbed me. I liked the beginning, a girl who has lost her memory and people are out to kill her. It really grabs your attention. I liked the characterisation the most. While Cady didn’t have quite so much it was still good enough, but the characterisation of Ty and even James was really good!
All in all, and despite all those flaws that I mentioned (if you peeked), the book was really amazing. So suspenseful and engaging. I highly recommend it.
My mind shut down. Went blank. Went somewhere I wouldn’t have to remember. Even when they pulled out my fingernails, it wouldn’t come back.
She doesn’t know who she is. She doesn’t know where she is. And she doesn’t know what has happened to her. All she knows is that two guys want to kill her. So she must run.
I really enjoyed this book, it was interesting and really reached out and grabbed me. I liked the beginning, a girl who has lost her memory and people are out to kill her. It really grabs your attention. I liked the characterisation the most. While Cady didn’t have quite so much it was still good enough, but the characterisation of Ty and even James was really good!
All in all, and despite all those flaws that I mentioned (if you peeked), the book was really amazing. So suspenseful and engaging. I highly recommend it.
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