Tension runs high in GIRL LAST SEEN, the new novel from Heather Anastasiu and Anne Greenwood Brown!
I became interested in Girl Last Seen the minute I read the synopsis. The tagline seriously caught my attention:
First she went viral, then she went missing.
I’m actually always surprised that books about internet fame don’t get more attention, as the subject is so relevant to many YA readers today. Fun fact: I read this entire book in one sitting.
Why? I just had to know how it ended.
Kadence Mulligan and Lauren DeSanto are best friends-turned-YouTube sensations. The two had a major falling out when Lauren lost her voice and Kadence was a little too eager to go solo. When Kadence goes missing and Lauren is the last one to see her, the only person who seems to believe Lauren is innocent is someone who has his own vendetta against Kady. As the book states: “Are they both really on a quest for the truth? Or is one of them playing an elaborate game to cover up a crime?”
Needless to say, I was enthralled by the plot & mystery of this book. I’m going to be careful not to give anything away for that reason but seriously, I was invested before I even realized I was invested. I felt real concern and unease for my favorite characters, and when I went to put it down, I just couldn’t. Every time I predicted something, I was wrong; when I thought a big twist happened, a bigger one came next. I don’t enjoy when I can predict every plot turn of a book, so the shock value in Girl Last Seen was awesome for me as a reader.
Keep in mind that the book frequently jumps POVs. The main character, Lauren – or I’d call her the main character – is really intriguing. Her characterization is interesting and often times unpredictable, which made her my favorite perspective to read. The others are all different and unique in their own ways; I really enjoyed hearing the perspective of Mason, Kadence’s (ex?)boyfriend. On the other hand, Jude, the resident “loner turned bad boy,” frequently made me uncomfortable — but that’s all I say for the sake of spoilers.
Unfortunately, I can’t say I loved the writing style of Girl Last Seen. Although it has a consistent style, the sentences most often felt pretty choppy. I’m a big comma fan and was distracted by the short sentences, so it was truly the plot that kept me reading rather than the writing style.
I’d suggest checking out an excerpt from the book to confirm you enjoy the style, but overall this plot is awesome, dramatic, and full of twists.