Book Review: Missing Since Monday by Ann M. Martin

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Missing Since Monday by Ann M. Martin follows Maggie and her older brother when their father and stepmother leave on a long-delayed honeymoon, trusting the siblings to care for their four-year-old half sister, Courtenay. When Courtenay fails to come home from daycare one Monday afternoon, Maggie and her brother are thrust into a frightening mystery. With no adults around to help, they must piece together what happened and find a way to alert their parents before it’s too late. This standalone novel for readers ages eight to twelve was one I completely missed as a kid, but as an adult and a longtime fan of Ann M. Martin’s The Baby-Sitters Club  series, I couldn’t resist picking it up. The first chapter or two felt a bit choppy to me at first, but once the story found its footing, everything began to come together nicely . Because this is a short children’s book, the characters aren’t deeply developed, which is to be expected. That said, Martin does an excellent job conveying Maggie’...
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Book Review: 214 Palmer Street by Karen McQuestion

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book review 214 palmer street karen mcquestion

Cady and Josh Caldwell are away from their house, so when neighbor Maggie sees the Venetian blinds move, she becomes concerned. A woman named Sarah answers the door reveals she's an old friend of the Caldwells and is house-sitting for them. What Maggie doesn't realize is that Sarah is panicking because no one was supposed to see her at 214 Palmer Street.

I'd like to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for the Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of 214 Palmer Street by Karen McQuestion. I was thrilled to receive a copy for free in exchange for my honest review.

Gripping. Thrilling. Heart Pounding. Fast Paced. These are all words I would use to describe Karen McQuestion's novel 214 Palmer Street. From the very beginning, I was sucked into the story line and couldn't wait to see what would happen. 

I loved the way the author set up the different chapters. Part of it went back and forth between the past and present. It also switched back and forth between the main character and another character simply known as "her". This may sound like the book would be hard to follow, but it wasn't confusing at all. The first half of the book, I thought I knew who "her" was, but I quickly realized it couldn't be who I thought it was and figured it out.

There were many twists and turns that kept me guessing, and I wasn't sure who the "bad guy" was going to be. I'll say that I was happy with who it turned out to be . . . I don't want to spoil it for those who haven't read it yet. The ending was a bit bittersweet, but I was delighted with the way Karen McQuestion wrapped it up.

Even though this novel was somewhat reminiscent of Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, 214 Palmer Street by Karen McQuestion is a step above it. This novel was well-written and kept me on the edge of my seat. I completely lost track of time and was surprised at the time when I finished reading this story. Five out of five stars is what I gave 214 Palmer Street by Karen McQuestion.

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