Girl Last Seen Paperback – 1 Mar. 2016

Kadence and Lauren used to be best friends. They also formed a duo together and were a big success on YouTube. Unfortunately Lauren can't sing anymore due to an infection that affected her vocal cords. Kadence went solo and left her friend behind. Music wasn't the only reason they aren't hanging out any longer though. They had a fight about Kadence's boyfriend. Many things went wrong between them and now Lauren is working in a coffee shop while Kadence is becoming a star on her own. When Kadence disappears people assume Lauren's got something to do with it. All of a sudden she's no longer the talented YouTube star, but a girl who can't be trusted. She's a suspect in a strange case. Where is Kadence and what happened to her? Lauren has to find out the truth so she can clear her name, but evidence piles against her. Help comes from an unexpected source, Jude, the best friend she had before Kadence took his place. Can she trust him to actually help her just like that and can he trust her?Girl Last Seen is a gripping read about two girls who have a complicated history together. They used to be a big hit on YouTube, but when Lauren loses her voice everything changes between them. They both have an opinion about the situation and the reader doesn't know who to trust. That was the best part of the book for me. I liked that the truth is being revealed bit by bit, clue by clue. It was like following a trace and that was fun, even though most of the topics are really serious.I loved the easy flow and the different voices. They're all equally strong and interesting. The ending is fantastic and surprising. I think this book is absolutely fantastic. I enjoyed how the main characters all changed at some point, how they can reinvent themselves because they either want to or have to. I loved this book from the first sentence. It starts with a song, which is a strong and original opening. If you're looking for an amazing, fast-paced and thrilling YA story, get this book immediately. I'm one hundred percent sure you're going to love it.

Eighteen-year-old Lauren DeSanto was loving the attention. She and her best friend, Kadence (Kady), were putting their songs on YouTube and they were going viral. Then, there was a lapse to the recordings. Lauren had succumbed to a throat infection and after several weeks, her beautiful voice had still not returned. Instead, it was now more of a croaking sound. Eventually, in order to keep their fans happy, Kady began singing solo. Lauren even talked her manager into allowing Kady to sing before their Cuppa Cuppa (coffee shop) crowd. But, by the time Kady took the stage, she and Lauren were no longer on good terms. Lauren put on a good front for the crowd, but Jude was watching her. He could tell she wasn’t happy. He used to know her well … back when they were friends.When Kady goes missing, there is no shortage of suspects, but Lauren is a primary one because of a recent boyfriend double cross issue. All of a sudden Jude comes back into Lauren’s life. He was Nathan back when they were friends. Now he’s using his middle name, Jude. Nathan had severe acne. Lauren stood by him … until Kady ruined their friendship, even causing Lauren to harshly snub him. Jude, with the help of medicine, has overcome his acne and recovered from the physical scars. Lauren now finds him to be ‘exciting’. Can Jude help Lauren to clear the suspicion on her? She must solve the mystery of Kady’s disappearance.This is a wonderfully twisty teen thriller (age range 14 – 18). The reader will wonder who is trustworthy; who is not? I liked the various narration shifts giving us different character perspectives. It allows us to see what each character was really thinking. Even teens can pretend to like someone. The author has constructed characters that are both likable and abhorrent. They are, by no means, cut and dry. However, a portion of the novel does require the reader to suspend believability.FictionzealBreakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.

Got from Netgalley for honest reviewGirl Last Seen by Heather Anastasiu & Anne Greenwood Brown (release date 1st March 2016)Lauren DeSanto and Kadence Mulligan become Youtube stars when their music video goes viral. Then, Lauren contracts a virus that stops her singing and everything changes. Kadence decides to go it on her own, leaving Lauren working in a coffee bar. Throw in an angry youth thwarted by the girls, a jealous boyfriend and Kadence's disappearance and you have a thrilling psychological thriller with a series of well plotted twists

Essentially a fairly simple story, this is a truly intriguing story in the vein of such adult offerings as Girl on a Train and the ever present spectre of Gone Girl. While readers may feel that they have the plot all figured out early on, the multi-narrative structure will have them second guessing their assumptions to almost the last page. Girl Last Seen is not about to set the world alight but is a solid mystery that should appeal to those with a fondness for unreliable narrators last and pleasingly tangled narratives.