Sadie by Courtney Summers | THE SUSPENSE IS REAL (ARC Review)

Content warning: murder, sexual abuse/pedophilia, drug abuse

THIS BOOK WAS WILD. I absolutely loved it! Sadie tells the story of a girl by the name of (you guessed it) Sadie who has run away following the murder of her thirteen year-old sister. It’s told in two narrations: half of the chapters are from Sadie’s point of view on her quest for revenge, and the other half are in the form of a podcast transcript created by a man who sets out to discover what happened to Sadie months later.

Reasons why I loved Sadie:

1. The format

I found Sadie’s format to be incredibly clever and it made the story so much more interesting then it would have been without it. The dual narration adds so much suspense because the reader has more information than either narrator but still doesn’t know how the story will end. I couldn’t put this book down!

2. The writing

COURTNEY SUMMERS IS SUCH A GOOD WRITER. From the weird flashbacks that blend with the present to the figurative language that adds depth to the writing but isn’t too lush, Summers is shown to be an exceedingly talented author.

3. The complex sister relationship

The reader gradually finds out more about Sadie’s relationship with her sister Mattie and I loved how complex their dynamic is. Sister relationships in books are the best. Sadie basically took care of Mattie but she was still a teenager too and it was just SO heartbreaking to read! I also loved May Beth, who is like a grandmother to Sadie and Mattie and looks after them since their mother is an addict and doesn’t really take care of her daughters.

4. The mystery

I HAD TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. And that ending was totally wild. This book is SO intense, and I loved how suspenseful it was, but please make note of the content warnings so you’re prepared! At times, it can be totally gruesome and brutal but if you’re up for it, definitely give this a read because it is so so good.