Sadie by Courtney Summers
Sadie is only 19 but she has had a rough life. Her father is non-existent, her mother is a junkie. Sadie’s only bright light is her younger sister Mattie who she has basically raised as her own child. Their sister/mother figure relationship is complicated but Sadie loves Mattie more than anything in life. And then Mattie is murdered. This is not a spoiler. It is revealed in the very beginning. Sadie spends the book on an unwavering mission to track down Mattie’s killer and murder him.
“I’m going to carve my name into his soul.”
Ouch this book. It is raw and realistic and if you love a story full of grit and vengeance and despair, boy are you going to enjoy this one.
The way this story is told is unique, at least to me. It’s told from Sadie’s point of view but there’s also a podcast called “The Girls” that is attempting to provide insight into the story of Sadie and Mattie. I highly recommend listening to this book on audio because the podcast bits are exceptionally well done. The first few times “The Girls” podcast began I had to look down at my phone to make sure that I hadn’t hit my podcast app accidentally. If you’ve ever listened to a true crime podcast, these podcast segments sound just like one of them.
SADIE isn’t a typical YA book. In fact, I’d hesitate to throw it in that category at all. It is pitch black and stares down pedophilia, rape, abuse, and just some really rough stuff.
“His voice sounds like a knife that sharpens itself on other people.”
This is not a light and fluffy book no matter your age and it is likely going to break your heart. Sadie has a painful stutter but doesn’t let it slow her down. She’s brave, she’s smart and she is determined and you want her to win. I can’t tell you any more without ruining the entire thing for you. Just read it, if you want.
This one is going into the Baker Street Category
Bingo Calls:
9/1 Classic Horror
9/3 Cryptozoologist
9/5 Cozy Mystery (not on my card)
9/7 New Release
9/9 Southern Gothic
9/11 Terrifying Women
9/13 A Grimm Tale
9/15 Modern Masters of Horror
9/17 Creepy Carnivals
9/19 Relics and Curiosities
9/21 Diverse Voices
9/23 Murder Most Foul
9/25 Amateur Sleuth
9/27 Genre: Suspense
9/29 Supernatural
10/1 Ghost Stories
10/3 Doomsday
10/5 Shifters
10/7 13
10/9 Terror in a Small Town (not on my card)
10/11 Darkest London
Gothic
Genre Horror
Fear the Drowning Deep
Spellbound
Country House Mystery
I've Read These (none called):
Baker Street SADIE by Courtney Summers
Slasher Stories: THE HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY by John Everson
Read & Called!
Murder Most Foul: BIG LITTLE LIES
Terrifying Women: THE GRIP OF IT by Jac Jemc
Suspense: PREDATORS by Michael Brent Collings
Supernatural: IN THE MOUTH OF THE DARK
Doomsday: PATIENT ZERO by Jonathan Maberry
Free: CROSS HER HEART by Sarah Pinborough
New Release: WE SOLD OUR SOULS
Spellbound: BABY TEETH