Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

After losing her best friend in a car wreck, Alex spirals out of control, despite her own best intentions to get her life back together. Meg and Jacob, her parents, are dealing with struggles of their own. In the background, a web of secrets and hidden emotions separates them from each other and those around them. When Alex goes missing during a paid transport to a therapeutic program, what has been hidden is brought to light, with unanticipated results. As someone who works with troubled children/teens and their families, I enjoyed reading this book. I feel the author did a good job of depicting the complexity of the characters' emotions and motivations, managing to present a nuanced picture of a family that is falling apart. The novel is narrated in alternating perspectives between Alex (the teenage daughter), Meg (her mother), and Carl (the paid transporter). I found each of the narrators to be complex and easy to emotionally relate to as a reader. The author's writing style flowed well, and the story kept me engaged throughout the novel, which I ended up reading over the course of about four and a half hours. I went into this book expecting to read about a defiant, troubled teen who runs from help, but found much, much more. The story maintains thread of redemption and healing that was very positive. Overall, this book should appeal to fans of literary fiction that addresses dysfunctional family dynamics. I was reminded of the style of Jodi Picoult and Catherine Ryan Hyde as I was reading. This is a very nice KindleFirst Pick!