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Sophie Last Seen
Six years ago, ten-year-old Sophie Albright disappeared from a shopping mall. Her mother, Jesse, is left in a self-destructive limbo, haunted by memories of her intense and difficult child, who was obsessed with birds. Trapped in her grief and guilt, Jesse stumbles through her workdays at a bookstore and spends her off hours poring over Sophie’s bird journals or haunting the mall to search for the face of her missing child.
When Star Silverman, Sophie’s best friend, starts working at the bookstore, Jesse is uncomfortable around the sarcastic teen, who is a constant reminder of her daughter. But Star has secrets of her own, and her childhood memories could be the key to solving Sophie’s disappearance.
With help from Star and Kentucky “Tuck” Barnes, a private detective on the trail of another missing girl, Jesse may finally get some closure, one way or the other.
When Star Silverman, Sophie’s best friend, starts working at the bookstore, Jesse is uncomfortable around the sarcastic teen, who is a constant reminder of her daughter. But Star has secrets of her own, and her childhood memories could be the key to solving Sophie’s disappearance.
With help from Star and Kentucky “Tuck” Barnes, a private detective on the trail of another missing girl, Jesse may finally get some closure, one way or the other.
280 pages, Paperback
First published November 20, 2018
About the author
Marlene Adelstein
4 books130 followersAfter twenty-three years in New York City, working as a film development executive for top Hollywood producers, Marlene Adelstein began earning her living as a freelance editor working on novels and memoirs.
When she’s not reading other people’s manuscripts or writing her own, Marlene can be found walking local trails, thinking about new stories. Comfortable and energized in a big city but preferring to make her home in a small town filled with other writers and artists, Marlene lives in the beautiful Hudson Valley where she loves to listen to the noise of the birds.
When she’s not reading other people’s manuscripts or writing her own, Marlene can be found walking local trails, thinking about new stories. Comfortable and energized in a big city but preferring to make her home in a small town filled with other writers and artists, Marlene lives in the beautiful Hudson Valley where she loves to listen to the noise of the birds.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 108 reviews
February 14, 2019
Not just another story of a missing child.
Sophie Albright has been missing for six years, since she was ten years old. She was last seen at a shopping mall, and her mother, Jesse, is at odds with herself constantly. Sophie was a challenging child, and Jesse is left haunted by memories of her daughter.
Sophie was obsessed with birds and had beautiful journals dedicated to them. Jesse spends hours searching through these journals and visiting the mall for answers or Sophie.
Jesse works at a bookstore, and Sophie’s best friend, Star, comes to work there, too. This makes Jesse even more uncomfortable and tests her mood. Star has not had the best childhood, and she’s holding back secrets…some of which may help solve just where Sophie is now.
Jesse seeks help from Star and a private detective in hopes of finally finding her daughter.
Adelstein’s depiction of Jesse is vivid and raw. I could feel Jesse’s emotions of grief as she felt them. The pacing was on point, and there were some quirky, interesting characters I loved. Jesse needs change. She needs hope. I wished it so strongly for her, probably more than she did for herself. The book has a haunting feel, a tension that was palpable, and I was absorbed in it from start to finish.
I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
Sophie Albright has been missing for six years, since she was ten years old. She was last seen at a shopping mall, and her mother, Jesse, is at odds with herself constantly. Sophie was a challenging child, and Jesse is left haunted by memories of her daughter.
Sophie was obsessed with birds and had beautiful journals dedicated to them. Jesse spends hours searching through these journals and visiting the mall for answers or Sophie.
Jesse works at a bookstore, and Sophie’s best friend, Star, comes to work there, too. This makes Jesse even more uncomfortable and tests her mood. Star has not had the best childhood, and she’s holding back secrets…some of which may help solve just where Sophie is now.
Jesse seeks help from Star and a private detective in hopes of finally finding her daughter.
Adelstein’s depiction of Jesse is vivid and raw. I could feel Jesse’s emotions of grief as she felt them. The pacing was on point, and there were some quirky, interesting characters I loved. Jesse needs change. She needs hope. I wished it so strongly for her, probably more than she did for herself. The book has a haunting feel, a tension that was palpable, and I was absorbed in it from start to finish.
I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
January 25, 2019
4 Stars!
Six years ago, Jesse was at the mall with her ten year old daughter Sophie shopping for clothes. Sophie really wants a specific shirt but her mom says no and Sophie throws a tantrum. Jesse lets go of her hand for not even 2 minutes and Sophie disappears. They launch an investigation but nothing is found. Jesse and her husband get divorced, Jesse can't even talk to Sophie's best friend and her parents anymore and Jesse is convinced Sophie keeps dropping signs that she is around and they need to come find her.
Sophie loves loves LOVES birds. She even tells people what kind of bird they are based on how they are acting. She also has some behavior problems, but birds seem to be the trick to keep her calm or calm her down. Six years later, Jesse is still convinced she can find Sophie. She starts to go through an old journal she found that has entries related to bird clues. This story is so much more than finding Sophie though. It's about a mother who is mourning as well as a Father, best friend and all of their friends. It's about how tragedy can reconnect you with old friends and connect you with new people that pop up in your life. This story is truly a story of how to grieve and move on.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and found that I was able to read it pretty quickly, plus it's under 300 pages. I enjoyed the fact that this was not just a family grieving over a lost child and then we have a super happy resolution. It has a lot of rawness and realness to it that made me feel emotional for Jessie and Sophie's best friend, Star. It does a great job showing us different perspectives of different people who grieve.
There were some parts/characters that I wasn't sure I understood their purpose. April for example is still a mystery and the end of her story ended real fast with me wanting to ask many questions. Maybe April wasn't supposed to have a huge story line but it seemed that it would be larger when I started.
If you like stories that about grief, families and a little bit of mystery then this book would be for you.
Thank you to Suzy Approved Book Tours, Marlene Adelstein and Red Adept Publishing for my review copy of this book.
Finally she knew what happened to Sophie, at least some of the horrific truth, but was the knowing better than the not knowing? It wasn't closure. That would never really come, but one thread of the story had an end. It was time to move on
Six years ago, Jesse was at the mall with her ten year old daughter Sophie shopping for clothes. Sophie really wants a specific shirt but her mom says no and Sophie throws a tantrum. Jesse lets go of her hand for not even 2 minutes and Sophie disappears. They launch an investigation but nothing is found. Jesse and her husband get divorced, Jesse can't even talk to Sophie's best friend and her parents anymore and Jesse is convinced Sophie keeps dropping signs that she is around and they need to come find her.
Sophie loves loves LOVES birds. She even tells people what kind of bird they are based on how they are acting. She also has some behavior problems, but birds seem to be the trick to keep her calm or calm her down. Six years later, Jesse is still convinced she can find Sophie. She starts to go through an old journal she found that has entries related to bird clues. This story is so much more than finding Sophie though. It's about a mother who is mourning as well as a Father, best friend and all of their friends. It's about how tragedy can reconnect you with old friends and connect you with new people that pop up in your life. This story is truly a story of how to grieve and move on.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and found that I was able to read it pretty quickly, plus it's under 300 pages. I enjoyed the fact that this was not just a family grieving over a lost child and then we have a super happy resolution. It has a lot of rawness and realness to it that made me feel emotional for Jessie and Sophie's best friend, Star. It does a great job showing us different perspectives of different people who grieve.
There were some parts/characters that I wasn't sure I understood their purpose. April for example is still a mystery and the end of her story ended real fast with me wanting to ask many questions. Maybe April wasn't supposed to have a huge story line but it seemed that it would be larger when I started.
If you like stories that about grief, families and a little bit of mystery then this book would be for you.
Thank you to Suzy Approved Book Tours, Marlene Adelstein and Red Adept Publishing for my review copy of this book.
December 26, 2018
It has been six years since Jesse Albright’s daughter disappeared at the local shopping mall. Since then, her marriage has crumbled and she has been obsessed with collecting objects with any connection to Sophie. Her divorce, along with her hoarding, has severed most of her relationships in her community.
Sophie was a unique child who was obsessed with birds at a young age and always carried around binoculars. She was also strong-willed and at times her outbursts stressed out her parents. Her friendship with her friend Star brought the two families together, but since the disappearance, Jesse has not been in contact. A chance meeting brings Jesse and Star together and they begin to unravel the secrets of Sophie's disappearance.
”Sophie Last Seen” is an engaging novel about a mother who has trouble moving forward after a tragedy. The raw emotions depicted in this story make you connect with the mother as she struggles with her grief. This well-paced story is the debut from Marlene Adelstein.
Sophie was a unique child who was obsessed with birds at a young age and always carried around binoculars. She was also strong-willed and at times her outbursts stressed out her parents. Her friendship with her friend Star brought the two families together, but since the disappearance, Jesse has not been in contact. A chance meeting brings Jesse and Star together and they begin to unravel the secrets of Sophie's disappearance.
”Sophie Last Seen” is an engaging novel about a mother who has trouble moving forward after a tragedy. The raw emotions depicted in this story make you connect with the mother as she struggles with her grief. This well-paced story is the debut from Marlene Adelstein.
February 27, 2019
Emotionally, this book got me right in the feels! Marlene Adelstein’s debut novel Sophie Last Seen tells the story of a mother stuck in a perpetual state of grieving after the disappearance of her daughter Sophie 6 years previously. I found this book to be extremely engaging—it read so quickly for the genre. Adelstein is a great voice in women’s fiction, who writes compelling characters with messy lives who are loveable in all of their flaws.
Reflection
The protagonist Jesse is in so much pain, it is almost hard to face her scenes. In the wake of her daughter’s disappearance, her marriage slowly crumbled and everyone seems to have moved on but Jesse. Instead, Jesse is stuck in a perpetual cycle of trying to make sense of Sophie’s disappearance. She gathers items that she believes “found” her—she is convinced they are messages from Sophie. She crafts the objects together into stories, certain they hold the answer to what happened to Sophie that day.
The alienation I felt when reading Jesse’s scenes was so compelling, because truly that must be how it would feel to be in Jesse’s shoes. Everyone wants Jesse to move on, but Jesse isn’t ready to. How can she move on when she doesn’t know what happened to Sophie? Jesse is also an artist, though she stopped her drawing and painting after Sophie disappeared. But the objects and stories Jesse puts together are their own type of art. They are what is helping Jesse process the lack of answers in her life.
One thing that Adelstein did well was make Sophie an imperfect—but loved—daughter and friend. I find in a lot of books about a missing child, the child is inevitably glorified. How sweet they were. Sophie was by all accounts an incredibly difficult child. And the guilt Jesse feels for knowing that sometimes, despite loving Sophie, she felt frustrated by her. She wished at times for Sophie to be an easier child. None of that detracts from how strongly Jesse loved Sophie.
There were some stories that seemed compelling but didn’t land as well. The story of the runaway that opens the book works as a great catalyst for where we are in Jesse’s story, because for a moment the reader feels, like Jesse does, that maybe this girl will end up being Sophie. However, the story of this girl carries through about half the book to ultimately sort of tie up and fade quickly. This is a really minor critique, because there is so much to love about the ending to this book. I must admit I forgot about this story until I was reflecting on the novel as a whole!
Star is also an interesting character. She’s so broken. She seems to be one of the few people besides Jesse who loved Sophie purely, despite her flaws and challenges. Star is having a rough time, and her chapters are an important view into the struggles of adolescents. It’s easy to think that she was young and the disappearance won’t still be effecting her.
Overall I found this a quick, emotional read with a fantastic story and a fascinating but fitting conclusion. Thank you to the author for my copy. Opinions are my own.
Reflection
The protagonist Jesse is in so much pain, it is almost hard to face her scenes. In the wake of her daughter’s disappearance, her marriage slowly crumbled and everyone seems to have moved on but Jesse. Instead, Jesse is stuck in a perpetual cycle of trying to make sense of Sophie’s disappearance. She gathers items that she believes “found” her—she is convinced they are messages from Sophie. She crafts the objects together into stories, certain they hold the answer to what happened to Sophie that day.
The alienation I felt when reading Jesse’s scenes was so compelling, because truly that must be how it would feel to be in Jesse’s shoes. Everyone wants Jesse to move on, but Jesse isn’t ready to. How can she move on when she doesn’t know what happened to Sophie? Jesse is also an artist, though she stopped her drawing and painting after Sophie disappeared. But the objects and stories Jesse puts together are their own type of art. They are what is helping Jesse process the lack of answers in her life.
One thing that Adelstein did well was make Sophie an imperfect—but loved—daughter and friend. I find in a lot of books about a missing child, the child is inevitably glorified. How sweet they were. Sophie was by all accounts an incredibly difficult child. And the guilt Jesse feels for knowing that sometimes, despite loving Sophie, she felt frustrated by her. She wished at times for Sophie to be an easier child. None of that detracts from how strongly Jesse loved Sophie.
There were some stories that seemed compelling but didn’t land as well. The story of the runaway that opens the book works as a great catalyst for where we are in Jesse’s story, because for a moment the reader feels, like Jesse does, that maybe this girl will end up being Sophie. However, the story of this girl carries through about half the book to ultimately sort of tie up and fade quickly. This is a really minor critique, because there is so much to love about the ending to this book. I must admit I forgot about this story until I was reflecting on the novel as a whole!
Star is also an interesting character. She’s so broken. She seems to be one of the few people besides Jesse who loved Sophie purely, despite her flaws and challenges. Star is having a rough time, and her chapters are an important view into the struggles of adolescents. It’s easy to think that she was young and the disappearance won’t still be effecting her.
Overall I found this a quick, emotional read with a fantastic story and a fascinating but fitting conclusion. Thank you to the author for my copy. Opinions are my own.
December 24, 2018
Having a child disappear is a parent’s worst nightmare, and Jesse has been living the nightmare for six years.
Jesse lost Sophie at the local mall and goes back nearly every day to look for clues that might tell where she is. She went a bit too far one day and was banned from the mall.
Jesse and her husband Cooper had divorced shortly after Sophie’s disappearance. Cooper moved on, remarried, and isn’t as obsessed as Jesse. Jesse lives in the house where Sophie grew up, and she doesn’t want to leave in case Sophie comes back.
Jesse’s obsession with finding her daughter turned into hoarding everything she found that she thought was a clue to her daughter’s disappearance. She thought notes, shirts, grocery lists, pages from dictionaries, and bird trivia were signs from her daughter.
The reader follows Jesse through her days along with Sophie’s friend Star as they both can’t forget her and hope she will return. Star sees Sophie as Sophie taunts her, and Jesse sees Sophie as she reads to her and talks to her.
SOPHIE LAST SEEN flows smoothly with some odd, but likable characters. The book addresses many issues and is a book that will tug at your heartstrings. The town of Canaan is a town that helps each other out in any crisis.
I enjoyed the book and also felt the pain Jesse was going through with her obsession of finding her daughter, with remembering her daughter and the secret about her, with her hoarding, and with the fact that she did need to move on and change her current life. I kept hoping it would happen for her.
The tension and suspense ramped up as the book continued.
If you enjoy a bit of oddity, a fast-paced story line, a few ghosts, and characters that will stay with you, then SOPHIE LAST SEEN will be a book you will want to read. 5/5
This book was given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
November 30, 2018
My Rating: 3.5 Stars
Sophie’s disappearance will send her mother and her best friend into a tailspin of self-destruction, but while one will hide her pain, the other will build dungeon of self-flagellation, torment and guilt. Sophie’s disappearance was the straw that broke her mother’s life, her marriage and her relationship with the world as she hunts for any clue, any secret meaning in what she saw as “signs” or “clues” that would lead her to her young daughter.
SOPHIE LAST SEEN by Marlene Adelstein is dark, edgy and holds an atmosphere of brittle desperation and bitter hope. How far would you go to find your lost child? Would you give up living? Would you stop living in reality to live in the world of what-ifs and if-only? How many years would it take to finally accept help, or accept the fact that your child may never come back or that your marriage was broken long before?
Certainly not a light or fast-moving tale, we are witness to a woman lost in her own shattered world and it is not pretty. For me, this tale was a little overlong and slightly repetitive in some places, while not quite developed enough in others, but it does add to Jesse’s chaotic mental health and her identifying only with HER pain. The magical touch at the end and the revelations of how special Sophie truly was what made this book for me.
I received a complimentary copy from Red Adept Publishing, LLC.
Publisher: Red Adept Publishing, LLC (December 4, 2018)
Publication Date: December 4, 2018
Genre: Women's Fiction
Print Length: 308 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Sophie’s disappearance will send her mother and her best friend into a tailspin of self-destruction, but while one will hide her pain, the other will build dungeon of self-flagellation, torment and guilt. Sophie’s disappearance was the straw that broke her mother’s life, her marriage and her relationship with the world as she hunts for any clue, any secret meaning in what she saw as “signs” or “clues” that would lead her to her young daughter.
SOPHIE LAST SEEN by Marlene Adelstein is dark, edgy and holds an atmosphere of brittle desperation and bitter hope. How far would you go to find your lost child? Would you give up living? Would you stop living in reality to live in the world of what-ifs and if-only? How many years would it take to finally accept help, or accept the fact that your child may never come back or that your marriage was broken long before?
Certainly not a light or fast-moving tale, we are witness to a woman lost in her own shattered world and it is not pretty. For me, this tale was a little overlong and slightly repetitive in some places, while not quite developed enough in others, but it does add to Jesse’s chaotic mental health and her identifying only with HER pain. The magical touch at the end and the revelations of how special Sophie truly was what made this book for me.
I received a complimentary copy from Red Adept Publishing, LLC.
Publisher: Red Adept Publishing, LLC (December 4, 2018)
Publication Date: December 4, 2018
Genre: Women's Fiction
Print Length: 308 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
February 5, 2019
Sophie Last Seen is a compelling and heart-tugging story of grief and guilt, and how the disappearance of a little girl is still impacting the lives of the two people who were closest to her. It was intriguing to me that the story was told from two points of view; the mother, Jesse, and the best friend, Star. Jesse and Star are both still reeling from losing Sophie, neither one of them able to move on from the events of That Day. The book is written with raw honesty, no sugar-coating the depth of despair and the lengths to which both Jesse and Star resort as a way of coping with their self-condemnation. This is also a beautiful tribute to a bright, sometimes difficult little girl who loved birds, and who teaches us all to be patient and to really listen...
December 25, 2018
Lindas Book Obsession Reviews “Sophie Last Seen” by Marlene Adelstein, Red Adept Publishing
Marlene Adelstein, Author of “Sophie Last Seen” has written an amazing, captivating, intense, intriguing, suspenseful and edgy novel. Marlene Adelstein is an amazing writer, and vividly describes the characters, birds, scenery and landscape. Utilizing all of my senses, I could see, hear, feel, touch, taste and smell many of the events described. The Genres for this story are Fiction, Mystery, Suspense and Thriller. The author describes her colorful and quirky characters as complex, complicated and dysfunctional. The timeline for this story is in the present and goes to the past where is pertains to the characters and events in the story.
Jesse has lived other mother’s nightmares for the last six years. Can you imagine your daughter disappearing? Jesse had taken her daughter Sophie shopping, and within a few minutes Sophie disappears. Sophie is ten years old with a fascination and obsession with birds. Sophie often compares the characteristics of birds to people. Sophie has shown her mother that crows are extremely intelligent. After feeding them, the crows often leave Sophie shiny and small objects as gifts. Sophie can also have tantrums if she doesn’t get her way. On this particular day, Sophie is upset that Jesse won’t stop to see a certain bird, and then becomes upset that Jesse won’t let her have a certain shirt from the store.
Star, one of the few friends that Sophie had, is reminded that she broke a promise to go with Sophie shopping the day that Sophie was last seen. Star also has tremendous guilt. Both Jesse and Star are working in Star’s father used bookstore, and struggle with Sophie’s loss.
Both Jesse and Star haven’t found closure with Sophie’s loss, and live dysfunctional lives. They both try to use Sophie’s bird journals for clues to what could have happened to Sophie.
The author discusses the importance of forgiveness, acceptance, faith, hope and love. I would highly recommend this suspenseful novel for those readers who enjoy this genre.
Marlene Adelstein, Author of “Sophie Last Seen” has written an amazing, captivating, intense, intriguing, suspenseful and edgy novel. Marlene Adelstein is an amazing writer, and vividly describes the characters, birds, scenery and landscape. Utilizing all of my senses, I could see, hear, feel, touch, taste and smell many of the events described. The Genres for this story are Fiction, Mystery, Suspense and Thriller. The author describes her colorful and quirky characters as complex, complicated and dysfunctional. The timeline for this story is in the present and goes to the past where is pertains to the characters and events in the story.
Jesse has lived other mother’s nightmares for the last six years. Can you imagine your daughter disappearing? Jesse had taken her daughter Sophie shopping, and within a few minutes Sophie disappears. Sophie is ten years old with a fascination and obsession with birds. Sophie often compares the characteristics of birds to people. Sophie has shown her mother that crows are extremely intelligent. After feeding them, the crows often leave Sophie shiny and small objects as gifts. Sophie can also have tantrums if she doesn’t get her way. On this particular day, Sophie is upset that Jesse won’t stop to see a certain bird, and then becomes upset that Jesse won’t let her have a certain shirt from the store.
Star, one of the few friends that Sophie had, is reminded that she broke a promise to go with Sophie shopping the day that Sophie was last seen. Star also has tremendous guilt. Both Jesse and Star are working in Star’s father used bookstore, and struggle with Sophie’s loss.
Both Jesse and Star haven’t found closure with Sophie’s loss, and live dysfunctional lives. They both try to use Sophie’s bird journals for clues to what could have happened to Sophie.
The author discusses the importance of forgiveness, acceptance, faith, hope and love. I would highly recommend this suspenseful novel for those readers who enjoy this genre.
December 17, 2018
Suspense on Steroids
Writers write; editors edit. So they say. But not in this case. Marlene Adelstein can write. She crafted her first mystery novel like she had been doing it for years. Suspense that builds from the first paragraph. Good job.
Guy S. Fasciana, author of On Becoming Us, Amazon and Who Speaks for the Dead? in production.
Writers write; editors edit. So they say. But not in this case. Marlene Adelstein can write. She crafted her first mystery novel like she had been doing it for years. Suspense that builds from the first paragraph. Good job.
Guy S. Fasciana, author of On Becoming Us, Amazon and Who Speaks for the Dead? in production.
January 9, 2019
--- End of Review - contains a spoiler which I have added as could be a trigger for readers ----
Lately, I have been getting back into my love of mystery novels after a huge stint where I read mainly New Adult and Romances. Six years ago, Sophie went missing when she was ten years old from the local mall. She was out shopping with her mum Jesse at a shop called the Zone. Now six years later, Jesse is barely coping - she has lost everything as her daughter's case went cold , her husband moved on and married his secretary and has a son and another on the way, her house is like an episode of hoarders inside and the outside looks like no-one has lived there for years. There is one room that has never been touched and that is her daughter's room. Jesse lives in her own world, where every little piece of paper she finds in her path is a clue from Sophie and she gets out her pain by having an affair with a friend. When a local P.I turns up investigating another missing girl who is sixteen - the same age that Sophie would be now, she feels compelled to help with the hope that if he can find this girl he might be able to find her Sophie. The P.I aka Tuck also has sparked some underlying romance and life into Jesse as they start a potential relationship. Meanwhile, Sophie's childhood friend Star is on a spiral downwards as she is being haunted by Sophie's ghost and the hauntings are getting more intense. When Tuck finds an old diary of Sophie's it reconnects Star and Jesse back together and a road trip begins as they go on a search to discover who might have killed Sophie. When the person is revealed at the end, I felt the book had a Lovely Bones feeling. Reader's if you are wanting a happy ending with Sophie's return then this isn't the read for you ( I have added this as it might be a trigger to some readers), but it does have it's own happy ending just not the one you expect. Sophie Last Seen though having the mystery aspect was also a lot about moving on after tragedies and the aftermaths of everyone related to the incident and how different people process their emotions.
Lately, I have been getting back into my love of mystery novels after a huge stint where I read mainly New Adult and Romances. Six years ago, Sophie went missing when she was ten years old from the local mall. She was out shopping with her mum Jesse at a shop called the Zone. Now six years later, Jesse is barely coping - she has lost everything as her daughter's case went cold , her husband moved on and married his secretary and has a son and another on the way, her house is like an episode of hoarders inside and the outside looks like no-one has lived there for years. There is one room that has never been touched and that is her daughter's room. Jesse lives in her own world, where every little piece of paper she finds in her path is a clue from Sophie and she gets out her pain by having an affair with a friend. When a local P.I turns up investigating another missing girl who is sixteen - the same age that Sophie would be now, she feels compelled to help with the hope that if he can find this girl he might be able to find her Sophie. The P.I aka Tuck also has sparked some underlying romance and life into Jesse as they start a potential relationship. Meanwhile, Sophie's childhood friend Star is on a spiral downwards as she is being haunted by Sophie's ghost and the hauntings are getting more intense. When Tuck finds an old diary of Sophie's it reconnects Star and Jesse back together and a road trip begins as they go on a search to discover who might have killed Sophie. When the person is revealed at the end, I felt the book had a Lovely Bones feeling. Reader's if you are wanting a happy ending with Sophie's return then this isn't the read for you ( I have added this as it might be a trigger to some readers), but it does have it's own happy ending just not the one you expect. Sophie Last Seen though having the mystery aspect was also a lot about moving on after tragedies and the aftermaths of everyone related to the incident and how different people process their emotions.
December 14, 2018
Really good, fast paced thriller. Jesse’s 11 year old daughter went missing from a mall 6 years ago and there still have been no leads or word from Sophie. Star, Sophie’s best friend is made to work at her dads used book store, and she is then forced to see Jesse once again. The two begin to re-connect as the story unravels and things that were never questioned or looked into are now being brought up. Jesse and Star work together to try and find Sophie but Jesse “betrays” Star, meanwhile a private investigator comes into Jesse’s life that helps to turn things around. I really enjoyed this book, and didn’t see the ending coming. I received a free ebook from the author in exchange for my honest review.
January 25, 2019
All the feels for this one. This book was thrilling, and heartbreaking, and frustrating, and uplifting ... there just aren't enough adjectives. It's a slow burn, that makes you feel the pain and sadness, but relish in the sweet moments and memories.
Quirky, difficult, bird-loving 10 year old Sophie has been gone for 6 years now. For 6 years now, her mother Jesse has mourned, so deeply, she's not sure she'll ever resurface. She dwells on even the slightest of clues, and hoards every sign and signal of Sophie she thinks her little girl is sending her. Ever since that day Sophie disappeared from the local shopping mall, she's been on a downward spiral of self-destruction and has lost everything else that was ever important to her.
Star was Sophie's best friend. She is haunted by her, almost literally, aching with the sorrow of missing her friend, and trying to keep her head above water, navigating life with her best friend missing. Although the search has fizzed out, people have started calling Jesse, who wanders the mall every day searching for Sophie - "Bird Mom" - but she's convinced she is closer everyday to finding her daughter, and together with Star, the start to unravel clues. Clues that just may help find Sophie after all this time.
This one is a genuinely captivating story, that feels so real life. Every ache is felt, every clue sparks hope, and the grief is so raw and revealing. I grasped at every sign of Sophie and I connected with every characters emotions. An incredible debut by Marlene Adelstein!
Quirky, difficult, bird-loving 10 year old Sophie has been gone for 6 years now. For 6 years now, her mother Jesse has mourned, so deeply, she's not sure she'll ever resurface. She dwells on even the slightest of clues, and hoards every sign and signal of Sophie she thinks her little girl is sending her. Ever since that day Sophie disappeared from the local shopping mall, she's been on a downward spiral of self-destruction and has lost everything else that was ever important to her.
Star was Sophie's best friend. She is haunted by her, almost literally, aching with the sorrow of missing her friend, and trying to keep her head above water, navigating life with her best friend missing. Although the search has fizzed out, people have started calling Jesse, who wanders the mall every day searching for Sophie - "Bird Mom" - but she's convinced she is closer everyday to finding her daughter, and together with Star, the start to unravel clues. Clues that just may help find Sophie after all this time.
This one is a genuinely captivating story, that feels so real life. Every ache is felt, every clue sparks hope, and the grief is so raw and revealing. I grasped at every sign of Sophie and I connected with every characters emotions. An incredible debut by Marlene Adelstein!
February 15, 2020
Jesse, a mother, loses her daughter Sophie whilst they are out shopping. Jess is a broken woman. Her marriage dissolves (he then remarries and has two more children) she is an emotional and physical wreck. Her home looks like she has started a re-cycling business, she no longer paints. Her time is spent looking for clues to her daughter's disappearance and working in a 2nd hand book shop.
Jess spends a lot of time hanging out at the Zone clothes shop, as this was the place that Sophie went missing from. Jess always told Sophie if she gets lost, to go back to the last place they had been together. It is at one of these visits to the shop that she sees a girl that catches her attention. She looks familiar AND she is chewing watermelon gum (Sophie's favourite). Could this be Sophie grown-up? She also finds the girls phone, which she had dropped in the change room.
Jess picks up"lost things" that obviously have a connection to her daughter's disappearance. This is why her home looks like it does.
Over the course we learn a bit more about Sophie. She has an obsessive interest in birds and begins to describe people who have certain "bird traits" by that birds breed. We also learn that Sophie was a difficult child, she had been tested by many specialists and they were unable to come up with a diagnosis. Then we find out that Sophie's parents begin to fall-apart due in part to Sohpie's behaviour.
One of her daughter's childhood friends starts to work at the bookshop(she is actually the owners daughter) and whilst Jess and this girl used to be close, after the disappearance they drifted apart.They eventually come together again and through forgotten memories of THAT last summer and a road trip they set out to find out what happened to Sophie.
They get so close many times just to have their investigation shut down by circumstance.
Jess spends a lot of time hanging out at the Zone clothes shop, as this was the place that Sophie went missing from. Jess always told Sophie if she gets lost, to go back to the last place they had been together. It is at one of these visits to the shop that she sees a girl that catches her attention. She looks familiar AND she is chewing watermelon gum (Sophie's favourite). Could this be Sophie grown-up? She also finds the girls phone, which she had dropped in the change room.
Jess picks up"lost things" that obviously have a connection to her daughter's disappearance. This is why her home looks like it does.
Over the course we learn a bit more about Sophie. She has an obsessive interest in birds and begins to describe people who have certain "bird traits" by that birds breed. We also learn that Sophie was a difficult child, she had been tested by many specialists and they were unable to come up with a diagnosis. Then we find out that Sophie's parents begin to fall-apart due in part to Sohpie's behaviour.
One of her daughter's childhood friends starts to work at the bookshop(she is actually the owners daughter) and whilst Jess and this girl used to be close, after the disappearance they drifted apart.They eventually come together again and through forgotten memories of THAT last summer and a road trip they set out to find out what happened to Sophie.
They get so close many times just to have their investigation shut down by circumstance.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 24, 2019
Jesse Albright’s daughter disappeared six years ago at the shopping mall, in that time her marriage started to fall apart which led to a divorce. Jesse became very obsessed with collecting things with a connection or reminded her of her daughter Sophie, so obsessed she began hoarding. Sophie was 10 years old and a lover of birds; birds seemed to keep Sophie calm considering she had some behavior issues. Jesse spends a lot of time going through Sophie’s bird journals, it is another way to keep Sophie close to her. Star was Sophie’s best friend, she too has not been able to move on or just forget about Sophie. Jesse runs into Star and they start to work together to unravel clues that may lead them to Sophie’s disappearance.
The books reads at a good pace and kept me wanting to get to the next page; written with vivid detail this is a must read for suspense lovers. I was gifted a copy of the book for my honest opinion. The book can be purchased on Amazon.com.
The books reads at a good pace and kept me wanting to get to the next page; written with vivid detail this is a must read for suspense lovers. I was gifted a copy of the book for my honest opinion. The book can be purchased on Amazon.com.
November 5, 2019
Jesse is a broken woman, forever lost in the cycle of searching for her lost ten-year-old little girl Sophie. She sees her everywhere. In the tiny bird patterns in shirts and in the walk of every teenage girl that passes her. Star, Sophie’s best friend, also sees her friend everywhere she goes. When both women embark on a journey for answers, they find the horrible truth.
This book was a roller-coaster of raw emotion, exploring the pain and grief of a mother’s loss. The trauma experienced by the main characters bonds them, making them stronger as they must live with the loss of Sophie. Star and Jesse were very easy characters to sympathize with and throughout the story, their vibrant emotions were incredibly well-written. Through and through, this is a very haunting story.
The narrator did an excellent job of weaving the emotions, especially the pain and grief, into each character. Every emotion that she demonstrated was very realistic, adding that extra level to the book which made it all the more impacting.
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
This book was a roller-coaster of raw emotion, exploring the pain and grief of a mother’s loss. The trauma experienced by the main characters bonds them, making them stronger as they must live with the loss of Sophie. Star and Jesse were very easy characters to sympathize with and throughout the story, their vibrant emotions were incredibly well-written. Through and through, this is a very haunting story.
The narrator did an excellent job of weaving the emotions, especially the pain and grief, into each character. Every emotion that she demonstrated was very realistic, adding that extra level to the book which made it all the more impacting.
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
July 3, 2021
What a great book! I thought the author did a great job of making the reader feel the grief and loss that the mother, Jesse, was feeling. This book wasn’t so much about finding the missing girl as it was about the mother finding her way and getting her life back but also not giving up on finding her daughter. I highly recommend this one!
December 31, 2018
This book moves slowly but it is not a bad thing. Usually, moving slowly through a story can be a bad thing as it means that the pacing has slowed down but this is not the case with this story. Yes, the events that take place within the story are subtle but that is because the story is meant to really slow down and focus on the characters "raw" emotions. Jesse and Star are the main leads. Although, Tuck is instrumental in helping Jesse to find peace. Truly, it was Jesse and Star that healed one another. They were both grieving and hurting inside. By the end of the story, a weight had been lifted off their shoulders and they could start to move forward.
Because of how wounded everyone is in the story; the tone of the story could have been very depressing but it wasn't. The author did a very good job of keeping this from happening. Instead, I felt for Jesse and Star. While, Sophie was already missing at the beginning, through both women, I felt as if I got a good glimpse into who Sophie was. She was loved and a joyous girl. If you enjoy reading books in the vein of Nicholas Sparks and Jodi Picoult than, you need to pick up a copy of this book, Sophie Last Seen by Marlene Adelstein.
Because of how wounded everyone is in the story; the tone of the story could have been very depressing but it wasn't. The author did a very good job of keeping this from happening. Instead, I felt for Jesse and Star. While, Sophie was already missing at the beginning, through both women, I felt as if I got a good glimpse into who Sophie was. She was loved and a joyous girl. If you enjoy reading books in the vein of Nicholas Sparks and Jodi Picoult than, you need to pick up a copy of this book, Sophie Last Seen by Marlene Adelstein.
April 4, 2019
#FirstLine ~ The feel of the smooth glass stone between her index finger and thumb could always calm Jesse Albright, especially when she felt the start of a panic attack.
This book was intense, an emotional roller coaster. I was totally immersed in this story, in the characters and their struggles. It was one of those reads that made me feel something instantly. This book is based around a fear that every parent has or has had at one point in their lives, to have their child disappear. What lengths would you go through to find your child? Could you move on or would the loss consume you? This story broke me apart and eventually put me back together. It was a tearjerker and one I will not soon forget! Such a deeply moving story and a great book club choice.
This book was intense, an emotional roller coaster. I was totally immersed in this story, in the characters and their struggles. It was one of those reads that made me feel something instantly. This book is based around a fear that every parent has or has had at one point in their lives, to have their child disappear. What lengths would you go through to find your child? Could you move on or would the loss consume you? This story broke me apart and eventually put me back together. It was a tearjerker and one I will not soon forget! Such a deeply moving story and a great book club choice.
February 18, 2019
2.5 STARS
Jesse’s challenging ten-year-old daughter Sophie, goes missing from the mall. Affectionately known as Bird Girl for her obsession with all things avian, Sophie’s behavioral and social difficulties have doctors debating Aspergers, bipolar, spirited. Six years later, Jesse roams the mall, follows teenage girls and drinks too much. On the other side of town, Sophie’s best friend Star struggles with her mental health and hallucinates Sophie. When PI Tuck comes to town looking for another missing girl. Jesse, Star and Tuck will play a part in discovering what happened to Sophie.
Marlene Adelstein’s debut is part character study (Jesse and Star) and part mystery. Sophie, her difficult personality and her obsession with birds, was the most interesting character in the book. Readers only see her through the third person points of view of Jesse and Star. I would have loved to get inside her head. Star and Jesse were difficult to embrace because of how they treated others. I understood from where their self destructive behaviors arose, but I couldn’t champion either character.
The mystery of SOPHIE LAST SEEN is less central to the story than the journeys of Jesse and Star. I guessed the perp as soon as the character was mentioned and the resolution was more of a yawn than a bang. I didn’t feel anything while reading Adelstein’s words, not excitement or sadness or anger.
SOPHIE LAST SEEN is an okay read, nothing to rush to read. If it was an emoji, this book would be a shrug.
Jesse’s challenging ten-year-old daughter Sophie, goes missing from the mall. Affectionately known as Bird Girl for her obsession with all things avian, Sophie’s behavioral and social difficulties have doctors debating Aspergers, bipolar, spirited. Six years later, Jesse roams the mall, follows teenage girls and drinks too much. On the other side of town, Sophie’s best friend Star struggles with her mental health and hallucinates Sophie. When PI Tuck comes to town looking for another missing girl. Jesse, Star and Tuck will play a part in discovering what happened to Sophie.
Marlene Adelstein’s debut is part character study (Jesse and Star) and part mystery. Sophie, her difficult personality and her obsession with birds, was the most interesting character in the book. Readers only see her through the third person points of view of Jesse and Star. I would have loved to get inside her head. Star and Jesse were difficult to embrace because of how they treated others. I understood from where their self destructive behaviors arose, but I couldn’t champion either character.
The mystery of SOPHIE LAST SEEN is less central to the story than the journeys of Jesse and Star. I guessed the perp as soon as the character was mentioned and the resolution was more of a yawn than a bang. I didn’t feel anything while reading Adelstein’s words, not excitement or sadness or anger.
SOPHIE LAST SEEN is an okay read, nothing to rush to read. If it was an emoji, this book would be a shrug.
February 26, 2019
If you are wanting a suspense/mystery novel based on a parent's worse fear, a missing child, then this is your book! What I liked most about this story is that it really focused on the mother's desire to never give up on the search for her daughter & the emotional toll of having to live with this mystery for six years while she finds "clues" that she believes her daughter is leaving for her. The story also throws in how Sophie's best friend lives with her own secrets about what happened leading up to the day her friend disappears. A very good read & I love how all the pieces come together in the end! A perfect Book Club pick!Thank you @marlene.adelstein @suzyapprovedbooktours & Red Adept Publishing for this great opportunity to read such a good book!
May 12, 2019
Why is this book acted so high? It was awful!
June 21, 2019
**This review is for the audiobook on Audible.**
Sophie Last Seen by Marlene Adelstein, narrated by Madeline Mrozek kept me listening, almost nonstop, through to the end! I really enjoyed listening! If you have read any of my other reviews, you know I LOVE listening to Madeline Mrozek perform as a narrator. Needless to say, I was very excited when I saw this one. It is the first time I've read/listened to a book by Marlene Adelstein; I'm definitely her newest fan!
Part psychological thriller, part suspenseful mystery, Sophie Last Seen is about a mother's desperate and obsessive search for the truth, regarding her 10-year-old daughter's disappearance from a shopping mall years ago, while the two of them were together. Not knowing what happened to her daughter Sophie that day has caused Jesse (the mother) years of guilt, sadness, and regret. In addition, her inability to move forward with her life has resulted in failed relationships and friendships. Once another girl goes missing, Jesse is more determined than ever to find the answers she been searching for. With the help of a dectective and Sophie's best friend, Jesse takes the signs and clues she's gathered over the years, along with Sophie's old journals - that detail her love for and knowledge of birds - and sets off to find the truth about the day Sophie was last seen.
Adelstein did a great job with character development and transformation. She shows what grief and tragedy can do to one's life, while indirectly teaching readers and listeners many important life lessons. Told in present day, bits and pieces of the characters' lives and events from the past are revealed through flashbacks. I found this very effective, from a listener's standpoint, because it kept the storyline moving at a good pace. It did take me a few chapters to get into the book, but once it hit a certain point, I was fully engaged and could not put it down! Through to the very end, there wasn't a dull moment. Loved it!
Madeline Mrozek was made for this book! I always say that books with a certain intensity, in order to keep listeners interested in the storyline, need a narrator whose voice and tone are consistently calm and inviting. That's Mrozek! She pulled me into the story, and that's where I stayed. I could easily visualize everything, like I was right there, watching it unfold before me. My emotions went from high to low as she played out the events and transformed herself into these characters. Their thoughts, feelings, and emotions became my own, and I found myself rooting for them every step of the way. My overall experience was made better as a result of her outstanding performance. Bravo - well done!
Overall, Sophie Last Seen by Marlene Adelstein, narrated by Madeline Mrozek gets 5 out of 5 stars. The book is professionally recorded, edited, and 100% free from error, unnecessary pauses/sounds, and/or distracting moments. The beginning of the book took a minute to pull me in, but once it did, I loved it. The characters are believable, and the storyline, though being a mother's worst nightmare, is completely realistic. I also love that the author draws awareness to a variety of mental health issues throughout the book. I only listened to the audiobook, so I'm not sure if Adelstein included in the Kindle or print versions a section at the end for "where to go for help" (if dealing with depression, grief, loss, etc.), but it would be a great addition, and this would be the perfect book for it. I recommend this audiobook to those who enjoy reading about love, loss, hope, family relationships, and moving on after tragedy. If you are a fan of mystery, drama, suspense, and literary fiction, you will love Sophie Last Seen. I promise, you will not be disappointed!
Thank you for reading my review I hope it was helpful. Happy listening! :-)
Sophie Last Seen by Marlene Adelstein, narrated by Madeline Mrozek kept me listening, almost nonstop, through to the end! I really enjoyed listening! If you have read any of my other reviews, you know I LOVE listening to Madeline Mrozek perform as a narrator. Needless to say, I was very excited when I saw this one. It is the first time I've read/listened to a book by Marlene Adelstein; I'm definitely her newest fan!
Part psychological thriller, part suspenseful mystery, Sophie Last Seen is about a mother's desperate and obsessive search for the truth, regarding her 10-year-old daughter's disappearance from a shopping mall years ago, while the two of them were together. Not knowing what happened to her daughter Sophie that day has caused Jesse (the mother) years of guilt, sadness, and regret. In addition, her inability to move forward with her life has resulted in failed relationships and friendships. Once another girl goes missing, Jesse is more determined than ever to find the answers she been searching for. With the help of a dectective and Sophie's best friend, Jesse takes the signs and clues she's gathered over the years, along with Sophie's old journals - that detail her love for and knowledge of birds - and sets off to find the truth about the day Sophie was last seen.
Adelstein did a great job with character development and transformation. She shows what grief and tragedy can do to one's life, while indirectly teaching readers and listeners many important life lessons. Told in present day, bits and pieces of the characters' lives and events from the past are revealed through flashbacks. I found this very effective, from a listener's standpoint, because it kept the storyline moving at a good pace. It did take me a few chapters to get into the book, but once it hit a certain point, I was fully engaged and could not put it down! Through to the very end, there wasn't a dull moment. Loved it!
Madeline Mrozek was made for this book! I always say that books with a certain intensity, in order to keep listeners interested in the storyline, need a narrator whose voice and tone are consistently calm and inviting. That's Mrozek! She pulled me into the story, and that's where I stayed. I could easily visualize everything, like I was right there, watching it unfold before me. My emotions went from high to low as she played out the events and transformed herself into these characters. Their thoughts, feelings, and emotions became my own, and I found myself rooting for them every step of the way. My overall experience was made better as a result of her outstanding performance. Bravo - well done!
Overall, Sophie Last Seen by Marlene Adelstein, narrated by Madeline Mrozek gets 5 out of 5 stars. The book is professionally recorded, edited, and 100% free from error, unnecessary pauses/sounds, and/or distracting moments. The beginning of the book took a minute to pull me in, but once it did, I loved it. The characters are believable, and the storyline, though being a mother's worst nightmare, is completely realistic. I also love that the author draws awareness to a variety of mental health issues throughout the book. I only listened to the audiobook, so I'm not sure if Adelstein included in the Kindle or print versions a section at the end for "where to go for help" (if dealing with depression, grief, loss, etc.), but it would be a great addition, and this would be the perfect book for it. I recommend this audiobook to those who enjoy reading about love, loss, hope, family relationships, and moving on after tragedy. If you are a fan of mystery, drama, suspense, and literary fiction, you will love Sophie Last Seen. I promise, you will not be disappointed!
Thank you for reading my review I hope it was helpful. Happy listening! :-)
February 13, 2019
When ten-year-old Sophie went missing from a shopping mall, Jessie Albright’s life changed in an instant. She went from being a wife and mother to a desperate woman completely consumed with searching for her missing daughter. Six years later, her marriage has fallen apart, and she has becomes obsessed with seeing signs from her daughter in every piece of trash on the street, every scrap of paper and broken toy. The enormity of her grief is exemplified by the piles of items collecting in her house, threatening to take up all space and crowd her out. Meanwhile, Sophie’s former best friend, Star, is having an equally difficult time dealing with her loss. She is dressing differently, smoking, and cutting herself to try to relieve her pain. When a handsome private investigator comes to town and a stray dog shows up on Jesse’s doorstep, both Jesse and Star find the impetus to start healing so they can move on with their lives. Adelstein doesn't shy away from the horrible messiness of grief, illuminating the rawness of Jesse and Star’s emotions and how difficult it is for each of them to come to terms with their feelings of guilt. Because Sophie was an avid birdwatcher, birds play a major role in the story, the symbolism of each species a clever way to add meaning and significance. While there is a mystery around what happened to Sophie, this is really more a story about healing, forgiveness, and grief, about finding a way to begin life anew in the wake of terrible tragedy.
February 8, 2019
This is my first post as part of a Suzy Approved Blog Tour! I was excited when I got the great news that I was part of this tour too! When I saw that the author of today's book, Sophie Last Seen was Marlene Adelstein, is originally from Cleveland, Ohio, I was doing silent "YAY" hands in my head as a fellow former Cleveland, Ohio hometown gal myself!
Anyway, onto the story: Jesse was in the mall with her then ten-year old daughter, Sophie, six years ago. They were shopping for clothes and Sophie wanted a particular shirt. Jesse said no, Sophie threw a fit and Jesse let go of her hand for less than 2 minutes and suddenly, Sophie disappeared.
They begin to launch an investigation but they don't find anything. Jesse and her husband end up getting divorced over time. Jesse becomes convinced that Sophie is giving her signs that she is near and that they need to come find her. Jesse is convinced she can find Sophie and she starts to go through an old journal she found that has entries related to bird clues.
Readers will learn that this story is much more than a book about finding Sophie; they will realize that it's also a story about a mother grieving over the loss of her daughter. It's got a real and believable story line that draws readers to feel emotionally connected to the characters, especially Jesse.
I really enjoyed Sophie Last Seen and I especially loved that it was a quick and easy read. The author does a great job sharing different perspectives of different people who grieve with readers. We learn about forgiveness, romance, and acceptance as we follow one woman's journey in search of the truth about her missing daughter.
Thanks to Suzy Approved Book Tours, Marlene Adelstein and Red Adept Publishing for my review copy of this book and including me on this book tour!
Anyway, onto the story: Jesse was in the mall with her then ten-year old daughter, Sophie, six years ago. They were shopping for clothes and Sophie wanted a particular shirt. Jesse said no, Sophie threw a fit and Jesse let go of her hand for less than 2 minutes and suddenly, Sophie disappeared.
They begin to launch an investigation but they don't find anything. Jesse and her husband end up getting divorced over time. Jesse becomes convinced that Sophie is giving her signs that she is near and that they need to come find her. Jesse is convinced she can find Sophie and she starts to go through an old journal she found that has entries related to bird clues.
Readers will learn that this story is much more than a book about finding Sophie; they will realize that it's also a story about a mother grieving over the loss of her daughter. It's got a real and believable story line that draws readers to feel emotionally connected to the characters, especially Jesse.
I really enjoyed Sophie Last Seen and I especially loved that it was a quick and easy read. The author does a great job sharing different perspectives of different people who grieve with readers. We learn about forgiveness, romance, and acceptance as we follow one woman's journey in search of the truth about her missing daughter.
Thanks to Suzy Approved Book Tours, Marlene Adelstein and Red Adept Publishing for my review copy of this book and including me on this book tour!
January 11, 2019
A mother in a search to find her daughter. She has been missing for years but Jesse is certain it’s Sophie sending her little clues to help her be discovered. Jesse sees clues and connections in everything. Moving on without knowing the truth seems impossible and she will not let it go.
Star, who was Sophie’s best friend is also struggling to move on. She is dreaming of her friend and feels like she could have done more to find her. She has very few friends and has been struggling to get past the sadness of losing her friend.
Together Jesse and Star are trying to find out what happened to Sophie.
A book that has you continuously guessing and creating theories as to what happened all along the way.
Star, who was Sophie’s best friend is also struggling to move on. She is dreaming of her friend and feels like she could have done more to find her. She has very few friends and has been struggling to get past the sadness of losing her friend.
Together Jesse and Star are trying to find out what happened to Sophie.
A book that has you continuously guessing and creating theories as to what happened all along the way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 30, 2019
Although a mysteries lies at the heart of this psychological thriller (the disappearance of a young girl six years while shopping with her mother at a mall), the power and impact of the story comes in the character evolution. The main characters for me were Jesse, the bereaved and always grieving mother, and Star, once small Sophie's best friend, now an adolescent going through the usual adolescent turmoil plus trying to find her own way in the world and out of the parents' nest. There is also character evolution revealed in secondary characters, such as Sophie's father, who is mostly but not completely backstage. Author Marlene Adelstein digs deeply into her characters, even when they are less likable than we would hope.
February 10, 2019
For the past six years, Jesse has been living a nightmare after her ten year old daughter, Sophie, was taken from a shopping center. After declaring the case “cold”, Jesse refuses to believe the authorities and give up on the search for her beloved daughter, sending herself into a self-destructive paranoid state. Now, husbandless, daughterless, and friendless, Jesse looks for “signs” from Sophie in every stick, stone, and piece of trash she happens upon as she trolls the shopping center where her daughter was last seen. When a former friend of Sophie’s, Star, starts working at a bookstore with Jesse, she begins to uncover truths and secrets, uncomfortable as they may be. Together with the help of a private detective, Tuck, Jesse is determined to find her closure once and for all.
Every mother anticipates watching their child grow to independence and set off on their own. No mother ever anticipates having their child disappear unexpectedly, never to return. After reading this book, and falling in love with Sophie and her bird-loving idiosyncrasies, I have a much greater understanding of the psychological damage families of missing persons face.
This book explores the heartache and unrequited love a mother has for her offspring. Adelstein also does a beautiful job of sensitively exploring mental illness due to the loss of a loved one, while still creating a story spun of suspense and mystery. The relationship between Jesse and Tuck is one that is endearing and believable, and gave me hope for the ending of the story. This is not a typical psychological thriller as beneath the thrills there is an mature sense of love and humanity.
Every mother anticipates watching their child grow to independence and set off on their own. No mother ever anticipates having their child disappear unexpectedly, never to return. After reading this book, and falling in love with Sophie and her bird-loving idiosyncrasies, I have a much greater understanding of the psychological damage families of missing persons face.
This book explores the heartache and unrequited love a mother has for her offspring. Adelstein also does a beautiful job of sensitively exploring mental illness due to the loss of a loved one, while still creating a story spun of suspense and mystery. The relationship between Jesse and Tuck is one that is endearing and believable, and gave me hope for the ending of the story. This is not a typical psychological thriller as beneath the thrills there is an mature sense of love and humanity.
December 20, 2018
Sophie Last Seen
By
Marlene Adelstein
What it's all about...
Jesse is still recovering from the disappearance of her 10 year old daughter...this happened years ago. Her marriage has collapsed and she is stuck in a cycle of bad choices. Adultery, hoarding, and not one bit of growth or change since Sophie disappeared seems to be the pattern of her life. The only positive thing she has done is to adopt a dog.
Why I wanted to read it...
This book has a fascinating premise and tons of totally dysfunctional characters. Jesse was so stuck on a path of destruction that her life was literally falling to pieces. Star...Sophie’s friend...was on a destructive path, too. Something had to be a catalyst for change and that was what this book was about.
What made me truly enjoy this book...
I don’t necessarily like reading about sadness but this book allowed the characters to find their way out of the darkness that Sophie’s disappearance had put them through...but it took much out of them.
Why you should read it, too...
Readers who enjoy reading about characters who are distraught but manage to change their lives...should enjoy this book.
I received an advance reader’s copy of this book from the publisher. It was my choice to read it and review it.
By
Marlene Adelstein
What it's all about...
Jesse is still recovering from the disappearance of her 10 year old daughter...this happened years ago. Her marriage has collapsed and she is stuck in a cycle of bad choices. Adultery, hoarding, and not one bit of growth or change since Sophie disappeared seems to be the pattern of her life. The only positive thing she has done is to adopt a dog.
Why I wanted to read it...
This book has a fascinating premise and tons of totally dysfunctional characters. Jesse was so stuck on a path of destruction that her life was literally falling to pieces. Star...Sophie’s friend...was on a destructive path, too. Something had to be a catalyst for change and that was what this book was about.
What made me truly enjoy this book...
I don’t necessarily like reading about sadness but this book allowed the characters to find their way out of the darkness that Sophie’s disappearance had put them through...but it took much out of them.
Why you should read it, too...
Readers who enjoy reading about characters who are distraught but manage to change their lives...should enjoy this book.
I received an advance reader’s copy of this book from the publisher. It was my choice to read it and review it.
February 6, 2019
Heartbreaking story of the pain a family goes through with a missing child. How they try to move on but the blame game is always there. Finally being able to try to move on and redemption that it’s not your fault it’s just that there are evil people out there
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