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1-800-Where-R-You #5
Missing You
Ever since a walk home on a particularly stormy day, Jessica Mastriani has had an ability like no other. She became known worldwide as Lightning Girl—a psychic who could find the location of anyone, dead or alive. Jess finally had no choice but to embrace her newfound talent, and ended up lending her skills to the U.S. government.
But her work for them has taken a terrible toll, and Jess resurfaces months later a shadow of her former self, her powers gone, Lightning Girl no more. Her only hope is starting over in a new place, a big city where nobody knows her. It's only when Rob Wilkins unexpectedly shows up on her doorstep that she's forced to face her past. Rob, all the way from back home, needs her help. But how can Jess, her powers gone, find anyone, let alone the sister of a man she once loved . . . when she can't even find herself?
Missing You, the fifth and final book in the 1-800-Where-R-You series
Audiobook
First published December 26, 2006
About the author
Meg Cabot
203 books35.7k followersLibrarian note: AKA Jenny Carroll (1-800-Where-R-You series), AKA Patricia Cabot (historical romance novels).
Meg Cabot was born on February 1, 1967, during the Chinese astrological year of the Fire Horse, a notoriously unlucky sign. Fortunately she grew up in Bloomington, Indiana, where few people were aware of the stigma of being a fire horse -- at least until Meg became a teenager, when she flunked freshman Algebra twice, then decided to cut her own bangs. After six years as an undergrad at Indiana University, Meg moved to New York City (in the middle of a sanitation worker strike) to pursue a career as an illustrator, at which she failed miserably, forcing her to turn to her favorite hobby--writing novels--for emotional succor. She worked various jobs to pay the rent, including a decade-long stint as the assistant manager of a 700 bed freshmen dormitory at NYU, a position she still occasionally misses.
She is now the author of nearly fifty books for both adults and teens, selling fifteen million copies worldwide, many of which have been #1 New York Times bestsellers, most notably The Princess Diaries series, which is currently being published in over 38 countries, and was made into two hit movies by Disney. In addition, Meg wrote the Mediator and 1-800-Where-R-You? series (on which the television series, Missing, was based), two All-American Girl books, Teen Idol, Avalon High, How to Be Popular, Pants on Fire, Jinx, a series of novels written entirely in email format (Boy Next Door, Boy Meets Girl, and Every Boy's Got One), a mystery series (Size 12 Is Not Fat/ Size 14 Is Not Fat Either/Big Boned), and a chick-lit series called Queen of Babble.
Meg is now writing a new children's series called Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls. Her new paranormal series, Abandon, debuts in Summer of 2011.
Meg currently divides her time between Key West, Indiana, and New York City with a primary cat (one-eyed Henrietta), various back-up cats, and her husband, who doesn't know he married a fire horse. Please don't tell him.
Series:
* Airhead
* The Princess Diaries
* Mediator
Meg Cabot was born on February 1, 1967, during the Chinese astrological year of the Fire Horse, a notoriously unlucky sign. Fortunately she grew up in Bloomington, Indiana, where few people were aware of the stigma of being a fire horse -- at least until Meg became a teenager, when she flunked freshman Algebra twice, then decided to cut her own bangs. After six years as an undergrad at Indiana University, Meg moved to New York City (in the middle of a sanitation worker strike) to pursue a career as an illustrator, at which she failed miserably, forcing her to turn to her favorite hobby--writing novels--for emotional succor. She worked various jobs to pay the rent, including a decade-long stint as the assistant manager of a 700 bed freshmen dormitory at NYU, a position she still occasionally misses.
She is now the author of nearly fifty books for both adults and teens, selling fifteen million copies worldwide, many of which have been #1 New York Times bestsellers, most notably The Princess Diaries series, which is currently being published in over 38 countries, and was made into two hit movies by Disney. In addition, Meg wrote the Mediator and 1-800-Where-R-You? series (on which the television series, Missing, was based), two All-American Girl books, Teen Idol, Avalon High, How to Be Popular, Pants on Fire, Jinx, a series of novels written entirely in email format (Boy Next Door, Boy Meets Girl, and Every Boy's Got One), a mystery series (Size 12 Is Not Fat/ Size 14 Is Not Fat Either/Big Boned), and a chick-lit series called Queen of Babble.
Meg is now writing a new children's series called Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls. Her new paranormal series, Abandon, debuts in Summer of 2011.
Meg currently divides her time between Key West, Indiana, and New York City with a primary cat (one-eyed Henrietta), various back-up cats, and her husband, who doesn't know he married a fire horse. Please don't tell him.
Series:
* Airhead
* The Princess Diaries
* Mediator
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 470 reviews
May 9, 2012
OH. MY. GOD.
Five fucking stars.
This was so good I'm gonna cry! Scratch that-- I am crying.
Meg Cabot is one of my most favorite authors ever! I don't know what the book world would do without her and her writing, because damn does this woman know how to write a book!
I loved each and every second of it! I LOVED Jess, I loved Rob, I loved Dougie, I loved Ruth, I LOVED Mr. Mastriani, I thought Karen Sue was an alrighty at the end-- I didn't hate her.
OVERALL I loved everything!
I just hated Boobs-As-Big-As-My-Head and wanted to crack her skull open, along with Randy Sr. and Jr.
But man I'm so sad the series is over! This is probably the 4th time (Yes, Im counting) I have ever laughed so much in my entire life after finishing a book series! (The others being TMI + TID and The Hex Hall series)
Meg Cabot is a natural and I love that about her. I love how she portrays the character herself and engages with the reader through text, because I could feel and understand Jess with what she was doing. I absolutely adore Jess, I can't stop saying it.
I'm so glad I read this series after finishing The Mediator series which I also adored! :")
I really hope Meg writes more books like these-- and I really do hope that Authors can try and make characters as amazing as Jessica!
Forget Katniss dudes, this girl is my MY NEW GIRL CRUSH.
I LOVE YOU JESS.
LOVED IT. I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED THIS SERIES.
Five fucking stars.
This was so good I'm gonna cry! Scratch that-- I am crying.
Meg Cabot is one of my most favorite authors ever! I don't know what the book world would do without her and her writing, because damn does this woman know how to write a book!
I loved each and every second of it! I LOVED Jess, I loved Rob, I loved Dougie, I loved Ruth, I LOVED Mr. Mastriani, I thought Karen Sue was an alrighty at the end-- I didn't hate her.
OVERALL I loved everything!
I just hated Boobs-As-Big-As-My-Head and wanted to crack her skull open, along with Randy Sr. and Jr.
But man I'm so sad the series is over! This is probably the 4th time (Yes, Im counting) I have ever laughed so much in my entire life after finishing a book series! (The others being TMI + TID and The Hex Hall series)
Meg Cabot is a natural and I love that about her. I love how she portrays the character herself and engages with the reader through text, because I could feel and understand Jess with what she was doing. I absolutely adore Jess, I can't stop saying it.
I'm so glad I read this series after finishing The Mediator series which I also adored! :")
I really hope Meg writes more books like these-- and I really do hope that Authors can try and make characters as amazing as Jessica!
Forget Katniss dudes, this girl is my MY NEW GIRL CRUSH.
I LOVE YOU JESS.
LOVED IT. I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED THIS SERIES.
November 26, 2018
This is my favourite series by Meg Cabot. There is something endearing about Jess Mastriani, a dedicated flute player with anger management problems and quick fists, and Rob Wilkins, who just happens to be one of the sexiest characters this author has created ( a guy who knows his mind, works hard and above all, waits for the girl ). It's great to see how all the loose ends get tied in this final book, although I am going to miss this series.
April 6, 2012
Before we get into this review, there are some things you should probably know.
I LOVE Jess Mastriani.
I adore Rob Wilkins.
I have loved this series from the first book.
I am soooooooo sad that its over.
I was apparently absent the day in 4th grade where they though you not to start every sentence with "I".
Now that the business has been taking care of, I just adore this series. I can't say enough how much I love a good spunky and snarky heroine, and Jess definitely has that down. She is funny, silly, feisty, and really makes me relate to her. I get hot and flustered with Rob when she does too, because I am soooo right there with her. And if Rob is half as hot in real life as he is in my head, then DAMN.
I didn't buy this series at first, I got it from the library, all except for this book, which I was planning on donating to the library- but now I think I'll keep them and just buy them all. Yes that's how much I love them. But as Levar Burton says, "You don't have to take my word for it"
I LOVE Jess Mastriani.
I adore Rob Wilkins.
I have loved this series from the first book.
I am soooooooo sad that its over.
I was apparently absent the day in 4th grade where they though you not to start every sentence with "I".
Now that the business has been taking care of, I just adore this series. I can't say enough how much I love a good spunky and snarky heroine, and Jess definitely has that down. She is funny, silly, feisty, and really makes me relate to her. I get hot and flustered with Rob when she does too, because I am soooo right there with her. And if Rob is half as hot in real life as he is in my head, then DAMN.
I didn't buy this series at first, I got it from the library, all except for this book, which I was planning on donating to the library- but now I think I'll keep them and just buy them all. Yes that's how much I love them. But as Levar Burton says, "You don't have to take my word for it"
April 29, 2008
Reviewed by Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen for TeensReadToo.com
After a very long wait, readers will be able to find closure with the last book in one of Meg Cabot's hit series, 1-800-WHERE-R-YOU. Ms. Cabot begins the novel almost two years after the last book. Jessica Mastriana is now at Julliard after the long, tedious days she spent helping the U.S. government find the bad guys during war. Although it did help her country, the things she saw as she was overseas took a toll on her. Instead of being able to dream about missing people, now Jess only dreams about the horrible scenes she saw during the war. This ultimately leads to her losing her powers.
But now that is all behind her. It's summer and Jess is living with her best friend, Ruth, along with Michael and Skip, and is helping to teach kids how to play a musical instrument. All Jess wants to do is to forget about the past and start over.
Unfortunately, her plans are ruined when her ex-boyfriend Rob flies all the way to New York to see her. But it's not to ask her to get back together with her--more like Rob needs Jess to help him find his sister, who just went missing. Before she knows it, all the things that Jess wanted to forget come crashing back. But with her powers supposedly gone, how can she help Rob, the one person she especially wants to forget about?
After the long wait, we expected for this series to end with a bang, and Ms. Cabot does not disappoint. MISSING YOU is the perfect ending to the 1-800-WHERE-R-YOU series, tying up all loose ends and resolving all problems, leaving the reader with no unanswered questions. Most characters return in the story, and even a surprise romance begins. Readers will root for Jess until the very end, while falling head-over-heels for Rob all over again. The only sad part is, now the series is completely over!
After a very long wait, readers will be able to find closure with the last book in one of Meg Cabot's hit series, 1-800-WHERE-R-YOU. Ms. Cabot begins the novel almost two years after the last book. Jessica Mastriana is now at Julliard after the long, tedious days she spent helping the U.S. government find the bad guys during war. Although it did help her country, the things she saw as she was overseas took a toll on her. Instead of being able to dream about missing people, now Jess only dreams about the horrible scenes she saw during the war. This ultimately leads to her losing her powers.
But now that is all behind her. It's summer and Jess is living with her best friend, Ruth, along with Michael and Skip, and is helping to teach kids how to play a musical instrument. All Jess wants to do is to forget about the past and start over.
Unfortunately, her plans are ruined when her ex-boyfriend Rob flies all the way to New York to see her. But it's not to ask her to get back together with her--more like Rob needs Jess to help him find his sister, who just went missing. Before she knows it, all the things that Jess wanted to forget come crashing back. But with her powers supposedly gone, how can she help Rob, the one person she especially wants to forget about?
After the long wait, we expected for this series to end with a bang, and Ms. Cabot does not disappoint. MISSING YOU is the perfect ending to the 1-800-WHERE-R-YOU series, tying up all loose ends and resolving all problems, leaving the reader with no unanswered questions. Most characters return in the story, and even a surprise romance begins. Readers will root for Jess until the very end, while falling head-over-heels for Rob all over again. The only sad part is, now the series is completely over!
November 4, 2014
I think the rating for this one holds. I actually liked it better than the third and fourth book now, but it is fairly weak still. The characters just feel odd post time jump. And really I feel like Jess should be older than 19 for this story.
Also, it really annoys me how every YA character that Meg has post YA time period is involved with something with kid's-Jess teaches music, Suze is a freaking guidance counselor (which was probably the worst of the lot of the careers), and Mia has that stupid tutoring center. While the career sort of works for Jess it doesn't work for the other characters and it makes me roll my eyes.
Also, the stupid elementary school plot is sort of rehashed in the Boy is Back.
Anyway, may have to take a break from my Cabot reread binge and read something else. I pray to God that the Mediator series holds because 1800 Where R U was a bit of a disappointment to say the least.
To see full review click here.
This isn’t a bad book but there is a big disconnect between it and the other four books.
To be fair there were a lot of outside factors contributing to the disconnect. The fact that this book was published years after book four. The fact that it was originally intended on being a long series and Cabot had to stuff the end into one book.
So, those factors contributed it was a nice send off.
Not the best send off though.
I really wish the 1800 series would’ve been given two books not one by Harper to finish things off. But beggars can’t be choosers.
I think by itself Missing You isn’t that bad. It has a nice well rounded plot (perfectly predictable, but good enough). And the characters aren’t awful.
But they aren’t themselves either.
It almost seems like during the years in between the publication of Sanctuary and Missing You, Meg sort of lost sense of these characters. And I know, it was probably because of the time jump, but I just didn’t like it.
I didn’t like Jess’s mad punching skills being reduced to nothing (seriously, she can’t defend herself at the end, Cabot, for reals?). And Rob was acting just weird.
Sorry, the more I reflect on it that scrapbook thing was sort of creepy.
It’s not the worst finale in the world, but after binging on the four previous installments it just sort of sticks out.
And I’ll admit, when I first read this book I was in awe but now I’m just sort of over it.
Also, it really annoys me how every YA character that Meg has post YA time period is involved with something with kid's-Jess teaches music, Suze is a freaking guidance counselor (which was probably the worst of the lot of the careers), and Mia has that stupid tutoring center. While the career sort of works for Jess it doesn't work for the other characters and it makes me roll my eyes.
Also, the stupid elementary school plot is sort of rehashed in the Boy is Back.
Anyway, may have to take a break from my Cabot reread binge and read something else. I pray to God that the Mediator series holds because 1800 Where R U was a bit of a disappointment to say the least.
To see full review click here.
This isn’t a bad book but there is a big disconnect between it and the other four books.
To be fair there were a lot of outside factors contributing to the disconnect. The fact that this book was published years after book four. The fact that it was originally intended on being a long series and Cabot had to stuff the end into one book.
So, those factors contributed it was a nice send off.
Not the best send off though.
I really wish the 1800 series would’ve been given two books not one by Harper to finish things off. But beggars can’t be choosers.
I think by itself Missing You isn’t that bad. It has a nice well rounded plot (perfectly predictable, but good enough). And the characters aren’t awful.
But they aren’t themselves either.
It almost seems like during the years in between the publication of Sanctuary and Missing You, Meg sort of lost sense of these characters. And I know, it was probably because of the time jump, but I just didn’t like it.
I didn’t like Jess’s mad punching skills being reduced to nothing (seriously, she can’t defend herself at the end, Cabot, for reals?). And Rob was acting just weird.
Sorry, the more I reflect on it that scrapbook thing was sort of creepy.
It’s not the worst finale in the world, but after binging on the four previous installments it just sort of sticks out.
And I’ll admit, when I first read this book I was in awe but now I’m just sort of over it.
October 27, 2009
The perfect ending for s series that was so amazing.
I am trying to decide which one I like the most The mediator series or 1-800-where-r-you.
I just realized my review was full of spoiler.
----
4 Years later (2014) and I still think Rob Wilkins is a sexy, caring, one of a kind character. While, I do always connect this series to the Mediator series, Jesse and Rob are as unique as Suze and Jess.
I am trying to decide which one I like the most The mediator series or 1-800-where-r-you.
I just realized my review was full of spoiler.
----
4 Years later (2014) and I still think Rob Wilkins is a sexy, caring, one of a kind character. While, I do always connect this series to the Mediator series, Jesse and Rob are as unique as Suze and Jess.
March 10, 2015
Original review posted here.
3.5
Okay, so for those who don't know 1-800-Where-R-You is a series about Jess, who was a normal girl until she got hit by a lighting and started finding people and this is the last book of the series.
The first thing that put me off on this book was the fact that it had passed so much time since the last one! On the fourth one Jess isn't even finished with high school or is old enough to officially date Rob but them we start this one and years had passed, Jess had went to the army (!!) and was all messed up and I didn't even knew why she was messed up (I mean, in theory I knew, but I would have liked to read about that time too).
Taking that away I had a great time with this book, as I always have with the books on this series (or just Meg Cabot books in general, really). We have a new case and Jess has a lot of things to cover but most important, SHE IS FINALLY OLD ENOUGH TO DATE ROB!!! So yeah, lots of interesting things, super recommended to lovers of this series or of Meg Cabot books.
3.5
Okay, so for those who don't know 1-800-Where-R-You is a series about Jess, who was a normal girl until she got hit by a lighting and started finding people and this is the last book of the series.
The first thing that put me off on this book was the fact that it had passed so much time since the last one! On the fourth one Jess isn't even finished with high school or is old enough to officially date Rob but them we start this one and years had passed, Jess had went to the army (!!) and was all messed up and I didn't even knew why she was messed up (I mean, in theory I knew, but I would have liked to read about that time too).
Taking that away I had a great time with this book, as I always have with the books on this series (or just Meg Cabot books in general, really). We have a new case and Jess has a lot of things to cover but most important, SHE IS FINALLY OLD ENOUGH TO DATE ROB!!! So yeah, lots of interesting things, super recommended to lovers of this series or of Meg Cabot books.
May 31, 2009
Where to begin! This book was wonderful! It's about Jess Mastriani, Lightning Girl as she is known to the world, she went off to work for the government but it took a cost. She lost her powers to find people. She came home and saw her boyfriend being kissed by some chick. So she left. Her and Ruth went to New York. Jess is empty, she hasn't felt anything in a long time. She screams in her sleep. Rob shows up saying he needs her help finding his little sister. Rob yells at her saying that she was broken and that she won't let anyone close enough to help her. Her powers come back, so she comes home and finds Rob's sister. Jess's mother is still putting her on this pedistal of this normal girl. Jess's dad and her have a cute moment. She cries saying she can't go back to the government and she doesn't want to be a concert player and doens't want to marry Skip as her mother wants her to. Rob shows Jess that he fixed his life and got money all for her and to prove to her parents that he's worthy enough for their daughter. They get engaged. It's really good! Loved this story! Great ending for the series!
February 15, 2010
I posted a short review of the first book in this series, and now I'll post a short review of the series as a whole.
I've read nearly everything that Meg Cabot has written. While some parts of this series were familiar to me as a Cabot fan (the tough heroine, ready with a punch, the parents that simply don't understand), this series was a real departure from her norm.
In her blog, Cabot has written that 9/11 never happened in Mia's world (the heroine of the Princess Diaries). 9/11 did happen here--and so did the war in Afghanistan, if not in Iraq. Unlike her other works, Cabot confronts real issues and real life problems in this book--internet predators, porn, post traumatic stress syndrome. Jess' brother has schizophrenia, and this series could be said to be about his recovery as much as Jess'. These real problems make the stakes in Jess' life seem even more powerful.
I would highly recommend this book to any Cabot fan that would like to see her stretch beyond what's familiar.
I've read nearly everything that Meg Cabot has written. While some parts of this series were familiar to me as a Cabot fan (the tough heroine, ready with a punch, the parents that simply don't understand), this series was a real departure from her norm.
In her blog, Cabot has written that 9/11 never happened in Mia's world (the heroine of the Princess Diaries). 9/11 did happen here--and so did the war in Afghanistan, if not in Iraq. Unlike her other works, Cabot confronts real issues and real life problems in this book--internet predators, porn, post traumatic stress syndrome. Jess' brother has schizophrenia, and this series could be said to be about his recovery as much as Jess'. These real problems make the stakes in Jess' life seem even more powerful.
I would highly recommend this book to any Cabot fan that would like to see her stretch beyond what's familiar.
May 30, 2011
A tacked-on final book to this series solely to produce a true HEA for Jess and Rob
At the beginning of this novel we learn that, at age 17 and barely out of high school, Jess could not resist offering her patriotic service to the military to track down terrorists in Afghanistan in the early days of that war after 9/11. She spent a devastating year in the Middle East in the midst of an active war zone and came back with PTSD and a sense that she had lost her paranormal ability to find people.
As a setup for the primary focus of this novel to be a reunion romance, Jess dumped Rob two years ago, when she had just got back to her Indiana hometown after returning from Afghanistan. She witnessed, and totally misinterpreted what was happening, a buxom woman who had gotten her car repaired at Rob's mechanic shop throw her arms around his neck and kiss him in an inappropriate excess of affectionate gratitude. Jess leaped to the unsavory conclusion that Rob had been carrying on an affair behind her back, and nothing he could say would convince her of his innocence. She dumped him and fled to New York City because she had around that time received an offer of a full-ride scholarship for Juilliard as a brilliant flute player.
At the present moment, Jess is sharing a small apartment in NYC with her lifetime BFF Ruth while Jess attends Juilliard, and Ruth attends Columbia. Jess is completely shocked, after no communication between them for two years, when Rob shows up on her doorstep begging her to help him find his half-sister, who only recently appeared in his life.
As is the case with the other four books in the series, this novel is entirely from Jess's first-person POV. Though she is quite active while using her recovered paranormal ability to rescue some runaway teenage girls, in her relationship with Rob she is frustratingly passive. The only romantic conflict between them is her inability to simultaneously believe that Rob could actually love her and that he is a man of integrity whom she can trust. It is not until the final few pages of the book that she gets over herself so that they can reconcile.
Rob remains an outstanding love interest, a hard-working, honorable Cinnamon Roll. There is a well foreshadowed path to the two of them creating a believable HEA and, for me, it is the most satisfying part of the novel. Unfortunately, it is extremely short. It would have been a huge plus, that would have upped my rating of this book at least 1 star, if there had been an epilogue set four or five years in the future.
By the way, Jess's two brothers and Ruth all get an HEA of their own within some briefly described, warm-hearted, secondary romances.
At the beginning of this novel we learn that, at age 17 and barely out of high school, Jess could not resist offering her patriotic service to the military to track down terrorists in Afghanistan in the early days of that war after 9/11. She spent a devastating year in the Middle East in the midst of an active war zone and came back with PTSD and a sense that she had lost her paranormal ability to find people.
As a setup for the primary focus of this novel to be a reunion romance, Jess dumped Rob two years ago, when she had just got back to her Indiana hometown after returning from Afghanistan. She witnessed, and totally misinterpreted what was happening, a buxom woman who had gotten her car repaired at Rob's mechanic shop throw her arms around his neck and kiss him in an inappropriate excess of affectionate gratitude. Jess leaped to the unsavory conclusion that Rob had been carrying on an affair behind her back, and nothing he could say would convince her of his innocence. She dumped him and fled to New York City because she had around that time received an offer of a full-ride scholarship for Juilliard as a brilliant flute player.
At the present moment, Jess is sharing a small apartment in NYC with her lifetime BFF Ruth while Jess attends Juilliard, and Ruth attends Columbia. Jess is completely shocked, after no communication between them for two years, when Rob shows up on her doorstep begging her to help him find his half-sister, who only recently appeared in his life.
As is the case with the other four books in the series, this novel is entirely from Jess's first-person POV. Though she is quite active while using her recovered paranormal ability to rescue some runaway teenage girls, in her relationship with Rob she is frustratingly passive. The only romantic conflict between them is her inability to simultaneously believe that Rob could actually love her and that he is a man of integrity whom she can trust. It is not until the final few pages of the book that she gets over herself so that they can reconcile.
Rob remains an outstanding love interest, a hard-working, honorable Cinnamon Roll. There is a well foreshadowed path to the two of them creating a believable HEA and, for me, it is the most satisfying part of the novel. Unfortunately, it is extremely short. It would have been a huge plus, that would have upped my rating of this book at least 1 star, if there had been an epilogue set four or five years in the future.
By the way, Jess's two brothers and Ruth all get an HEA of their own within some briefly described, warm-hearted, secondary romances.
July 30, 2016
Again, the mystery element was kind of --pardon the pun-- missing. The plot is similar to the last book (and grown-up instalment) in the Mediator series Remembrance. It seems Meg Cabot has a thing for pedo/porn rings. There are other types of crimes, you know...
Her villains are unmemorable and nearly always males in her paranormal mysteries.
Our heroine, "Lightning Girl", Jess Mastriani is 19 years old and no longer working for the FBI. After coming back home broken from war service in Afghanistan, she just wants to be normal and imagines herself settling down in the future. Unfortunately, her ex Rob Wilkins travels from Indiana to New York, where she is studying at music school Juilliard, and disrupts her plans because his sister is missing.
Jess recovers the use of her latent powers and helps him find the brattish girl. Side characters from the previous four books in the series make a tiny appearance like Jess's brothers, her parents and her best friend Ruth.
The romance element is strained and there isn't much chemistry between Jess and Rob. She seemed wingy, brittle and closed off while he didn't seem like the bad boy he was made out to be in earlier books, especially after we found out what he was convicted of.
Everyone had the same speech patterns and phrases so dialogue isn't Cabot's strong point. Neither is the text description heavy, which makes it a fast read, if not exactly evocative in place and tone.
This is a better resolution than Remembrance, so it wasn't all bad. But Meg Cabot definitely needs to be adventurous in her plots because they're all starting to resemble each other.
Her villains are unmemorable and nearly always males in her paranormal mysteries.
Our heroine, "Lightning Girl", Jess Mastriani is 19 years old and no longer working for the FBI. After coming back home broken from war service in Afghanistan, she just wants to be normal and imagines herself settling down in the future. Unfortunately, her ex Rob Wilkins travels from Indiana to New York, where she is studying at music school Juilliard, and disrupts her plans because his sister is missing.
Jess recovers the use of her latent powers and helps him find the brattish girl. Side characters from the previous four books in the series make a tiny appearance like Jess's brothers, her parents and her best friend Ruth.
The romance element is strained and there isn't much chemistry between Jess and Rob. She seemed wingy, brittle and closed off while he didn't seem like the bad boy he was made out to be in earlier books, especially after we found out what he was convicted of.
Everyone had the same speech patterns and phrases so dialogue isn't Cabot's strong point. Neither is the text description heavy, which makes it a fast read, if not exactly evocative in place and tone.
This is a better resolution than Remembrance, so it wasn't all bad. But Meg Cabot definitely needs to be adventurous in her plots because they're all starting to resemble each other.
December 12, 2011
Meeeehhh....I can't help but feel like this is sort of a disappointing ending to this series. It's just so removed from the rest of it. I suppose it doesn't help that we've skipped ahead three years. The pacing is off, too. It's like Ms. Cabot just didn't want to continue this series. But I'm thankful she finished it and gave us some sense of closure regarding Jessie, Rob, and the rest. Despite its strange, out-of-place feel in regards to the rest of the series, I still enjoyed it.
January 27, 2022
Koronawirusowy reread z dzieciństwa - absolutnie uwielbiam książki Meg Cabot. Jest to kwintesencja guilty pleasure ❤️❤️
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May 16, 2020Reread the series: 2020
So, my faith in Meg Cabot has been restored until shaken otherwise.
Overall I quite enjoyed the series. Jess is a fun character to follow - at times I wished she would be less flippant and that we could get to see a more emotional side to her - but I feel like in this book which reads as an epilogue to the series, we finally got to see that.
I loved that the romance was a secondary thread in the story and was only really brought to the forefront in this last book. Rob is by far one of my favourite Meg Cabot male leads.
I wouldn't say I was completely invested in the side characters but at the same time I didn't dislike them. In the end it was nice knowing where everyone was in their lives and seeing how they'd all matured and grown. Although I do wish Jess's relationship with her Mum was fleshed out a bit more since they clearly had major communication issues.
My biggest gripe is I wish that in earlier books certain events hadn't been so implausible. Biker gangs blowing up a FBI/military helicopter and busting onto a military base to save Jess or biker gangs going head to head with an armed and dangerous cult...firstly this would never happen and secondly definitely not without consequence. But in Jess's world things always seem to work out alright in the end if you were one of the good guys.
(Speaking of implausible - I don't know how I felt about Jess going to Afghanistan. To me it didn't really fit in to the story or the character. I much prefer the route which the television series took where Jess trained to become an actual FBI agent and had a partner, etc.)
To sum up, a fun read as long as you ignore implausible events and the occasional offensive line (like both Jess and Rob offensively mentioning Ruth's weight in Book 1- why?? Just why? I just remembered this and now I feel weird about saying Rob is one of my fav male leads. Sigh).
So, my faith in Meg Cabot has been restored until shaken otherwise.
Overall I quite enjoyed the series. Jess is a fun character to follow - at times I wished she would be less flippant and that we could get to see a more emotional side to her - but I feel like in this book which reads as an epilogue to the series, we finally got to see that.
I loved that the romance was a secondary thread in the story and was only really brought to the forefront in this last book. Rob is by far one of my favourite Meg Cabot male leads.
I wouldn't say I was completely invested in the side characters but at the same time I didn't dislike them. In the end it was nice knowing where everyone was in their lives and seeing how they'd all matured and grown. Although I do wish Jess's relationship with her Mum was fleshed out a bit more since they clearly had major communication issues.
My biggest gripe is I wish that in earlier books certain events hadn't been so implausible. Biker gangs blowing up a FBI/military helicopter and busting onto a military base to save Jess or biker gangs going head to head with an armed and dangerous cult...firstly this would never happen and secondly definitely not without consequence. But in Jess's world things always seem to work out alright in the end if you were one of the good guys.
(Speaking of implausible - I don't know how I felt about Jess going to Afghanistan. To me it didn't really fit in to the story or the character. I much prefer the route which the television series took where Jess trained to become an actual FBI agent and had a partner, etc.)
To sum up, a fun read as long as you ignore implausible events and the occasional offensive line (like both Jess and Rob offensively mentioning Ruth's weight in Book 1- why?? Just why? I just remembered this and now I feel weird about saying Rob is one of my fav male leads. Sigh).
April 15, 2011
Missing You, the fifth and final book in Meg Cabot's 1-800-Where-R-You series, takes place several years after the events of the first four books. Jess, now nineteen, is at the lowest point of her life. Having agreed to use her freaky psychic power for finding people (gained when she was hit by lighting) in the service of the U.S. Government - specifically Dr. Cyrus Krantz and his group of psychic special operatives - Jess has recently returned from the war in Afghanistan exhausted, emotionally scarred and devoid of her psychic powers. Despite suffering from post-traumatic stress, Jess is relatively normal for the first time since the fateful lighting strike three years before.
Jess isn't sure what she expected when she moved to New York to study music at Juilliard, but she surely expected to be a whole lot happier than she currently is. In fact, she's not only dissatisfied, she's restless, at loose ends and not sure what she wants to do with her life. When she opens her apartment door one evening and finds her ex, Rob Wilkins (the boy Jess was once convinced was the love of her life) standing on her doorstep, Jess isn't even sure if she's happy to see him. As it turns out, Rob isn't in New York for a happy reunion. He needs Jess to try and reawaken her powers so he can find his missing sister.
Missing You is a fitting finale for this thoroughly enjoyable series. In keeping with the maturity of the characters, the themes are more adult and somewhat darker and Jess is a little less exuberant and slightly more cerebral (although no one would ever call her subdued). I love that Meg Cabot wrote this book for all of the readers who wanted to know what happened to Jess and Rob. Missing You not only delivers a wholly satisfactory ending to this series, it's a great story all on its own.
Jess isn't sure what she expected when she moved to New York to study music at Juilliard, but she surely expected to be a whole lot happier than she currently is. In fact, she's not only dissatisfied, she's restless, at loose ends and not sure what she wants to do with her life. When she opens her apartment door one evening and finds her ex, Rob Wilkins (the boy Jess was once convinced was the love of her life) standing on her doorstep, Jess isn't even sure if she's happy to see him. As it turns out, Rob isn't in New York for a happy reunion. He needs Jess to try and reawaken her powers so he can find his missing sister.
Missing You is a fitting finale for this thoroughly enjoyable series. In keeping with the maturity of the characters, the themes are more adult and somewhat darker and Jess is a little less exuberant and slightly more cerebral (although no one would ever call her subdued). I love that Meg Cabot wrote this book for all of the readers who wanted to know what happened to Jess and Rob. Missing You not only delivers a wholly satisfactory ending to this series, it's a great story all on its own.
April 7, 2009
This book is the final book in the 1-800-where-r-you series, by meg cabot. I think it's definitely the best one. After Jessica Mastriani is hit by lightening, she discovers that she has unique powers to find the location of any body, whether they are dead, or alive. After using her powers to find missing people she can't help but know their whereabouts, she ends up helping the US government, with the war. Working for them does not work for long, because 6 months later, struck by the horrors of war, Jess's powers disappear, and she returns home, a shadow of her old self. She's attending Juilliard, and sharing an apartment with her best friend and brother, lying to herself about what she really wants, and she hasn't had much contact with her family and friends back home. Then Rob Wilkins shows up, her old boyfriend who she has always loved- and asks for her help. They go on a mission to find Rob's missing sister, and along the way, Jess begins to "repair" herself, and start to understand things she's never understood about Rob before.
So it's a very good book. There's some mystery, fantasy, and romance in it, and I really reccomend it!!! (You should read the whole series, but this one is the best of them all)
:):):)
So it's a very good book. There's some mystery, fantasy, and romance in it, and I really reccomend it!!! (You should read the whole series, but this one is the best of them all)
:):):)
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December 12, 2024Every Meg Cabot heroine has head empty disease but Jess is on her own special level
also I have to share that between books 4 and 5 she went to AFGHANISTAN to look for members of AL QAEDA and returns now with severe PTSD
also I have to share that between books 4 and 5 she went to AFGHANISTAN to look for members of AL QAEDA and returns now with severe PTSD
April 15, 2018
I was literally crying when I finished this last book in the series. It was something out of this world. Beautiful.
They don't write books like these anymore.
They don't write books like these anymore.
September 22, 2019
Posledny diel som si strasne uzivala! Az na malu drobnost, ze sa v tom ich malom mestecku za tie roky stalo prilis vela veci:)
June 7, 2009
This book was about a girl named Jessica Mastriani who got hit by lightening when she was a few years younger, and she became known as Lightening Girl, because in her sleep she was able to contact where missing people were. She helped the FBI find criminals and she helped the NAVY find bad guys like Osama Bin Laden, and guys like that.
Jess lives in a one bedroom apartment with her best friend since grade school, Ruth. Unfortunately, Ruth's twin brother Skip, and her brother Mike, which isn't good for Jess because Mike and Ruth sleep together.
Jessica's ex-boyfriend Robert Wilkins, who was caught kissing another blond-haired-babe who Jess called two different names: 1) Miss-Thanks-For-Fixing-My-Carburetor, and 2) Miss-Breasts-Bigger-Than-My-Head." comes to New York from Indiana to find Jessica to ask her to help him find his sister, Hannah, who he never knew existed. She came to live with him claiming that her mother was a druggie, and that she wanted him to become her legal guardian until she was 18 (she was 15 in the book), turns out that she was staying with a 27 year old guy, named Randy Whitehead Junior, who would have sex with young girls and tape it and when he would dump them off (which he told Hannah he wouldn't do with her because he loved her), and sell the porn tapes internationally.
She got him arrested by talking to his father, him and his girlfriend, Kristen in his father's office, where her other brother Douglas and his girlfriend Tasha met them with the police.
In the end Rob gives Jess the ring that he would have given her if she didn't run off and let him explain why the blond was kissing him. And if her mother (who didn't approve of him because he was older than Jess), saw that he was doing better because he had his own place and his uncle sold him his garage. Then when he comes to get the ring back from her because he thinks that she won't marry him, she asks him to marry her.
This book was okay, I mean I thought there was going to be much more action, but I was wrong. I liked how her ex came back into her life and kind of screwed it up afterwards but it was cool to find out that they got back together and he changed just for her.
Jess lives in a one bedroom apartment with her best friend since grade school, Ruth. Unfortunately, Ruth's twin brother Skip, and her brother Mike, which isn't good for Jess because Mike and Ruth sleep together.
Jessica's ex-boyfriend Robert Wilkins, who was caught kissing another blond-haired-babe who Jess called two different names: 1) Miss-Thanks-For-Fixing-My-Carburetor, and 2) Miss-Breasts-Bigger-Than-My-Head." comes to New York from Indiana to find Jessica to ask her to help him find his sister, Hannah, who he never knew existed. She came to live with him claiming that her mother was a druggie, and that she wanted him to become her legal guardian until she was 18 (she was 15 in the book), turns out that she was staying with a 27 year old guy, named Randy Whitehead Junior, who would have sex with young girls and tape it and when he would dump them off (which he told Hannah he wouldn't do with her because he loved her), and sell the porn tapes internationally.
She got him arrested by talking to his father, him and his girlfriend, Kristen in his father's office, where her other brother Douglas and his girlfriend Tasha met them with the police.
In the end Rob gives Jess the ring that he would have given her if she didn't run off and let him explain why the blond was kissing him. And if her mother (who didn't approve of him because he was older than Jess), saw that he was doing better because he had his own place and his uncle sold him his garage. Then when he comes to get the ring back from her because he thinks that she won't marry him, she asks him to marry her.
This book was okay, I mean I thought there was going to be much more action, but I was wrong. I liked how her ex came back into her life and kind of screwed it up afterwards but it was cool to find out that they got back together and he changed just for her.
March 28, 2016
Gosh what a beautiful way to end a series. Even though it's sad to think that I won't see jess or rob again . It was pure beauty. I'm crying..... rob I love u . Jess ill miss u and love u aswell.
I always loved Rob Wilkens very much. And I loved jess so much too. And after reading this instalment I think my love for them has become immortalised.
Jeez it was terrible to hear the problems she had to go through. The main reason I love her Is cause she's unique , loving , boyish and ultimately she has gone through so much than anyone her age. The war. As rob said left her broken. Poor thing. I thought I wa gonna die we I read that they broke up and she shifted to new york. But true love never stops. She then had to use her powers to help him find an idiotic sister. But again I thought she lost her psychic powers. Yet she does and she helps him. And stays in Indiana itself. Jeez poor thing she missed home so much. It was terrible. I can so understand homesickness. I was screaming jess pls don't leave this t
Her so called non violence was so cool. Utter genius as my love pointed out. Yuck that Randy guy sucks. But jess was pure smarty. All head and no fists.
And oh my god that part where she goes to c him and he tells her about the ring. Jeez I couldn't breathe ....... He wanted to propose. And miss boobsasbigashead bitch. ...kissed him. Oh god 2 yrs of misunderstanding. But she took it and left.
Oh my god the best part was the pebbles on the window. Again . I was so happy. I was so excited. I was like yes.... and that part was so sweet and romantic and tearful. Such a pure love. And when he came to rescue her oh god I wish he was my boyfriend. And then she decided to marry him and stay there..she's gonna do what her heart told her to do. Jeez stop crying alida. Pls stop..
I love u meg. One of the best series ever. And pls write it again if u can. I ll miss them so much. It's so awesome. Best series evr. One of the best ones.
I always loved Rob Wilkens very much. And I loved jess so much too. And after reading this instalment I think my love for them has become immortalised.
Jeez it was terrible to hear the problems she had to go through. The main reason I love her Is cause she's unique , loving , boyish and ultimately she has gone through so much than anyone her age. The war. As rob said left her broken. Poor thing. I thought I wa gonna die we I read that they broke up and she shifted to new york. But true love never stops. She then had to use her powers to help him find an idiotic sister. But again I thought she lost her psychic powers. Yet she does and she helps him. And stays in Indiana itself. Jeez poor thing she missed home so much. It was terrible. I can so understand homesickness. I was screaming jess pls don't leave this t
Her so called non violence was so cool. Utter genius as my love pointed out. Yuck that Randy guy sucks. But jess was pure smarty. All head and no fists.
And oh my god that part where she goes to c him and he tells her about the ring. Jeez I couldn't breathe ....... He wanted to propose. And miss boobsasbigashead bitch. ...kissed him. Oh god 2 yrs of misunderstanding. But she took it and left.
Oh my god the best part was the pebbles on the window. Again . I was so happy. I was so excited. I was like yes.... and that part was so sweet and romantic and tearful. Such a pure love. And when he came to rescue her oh god I wish he was my boyfriend. And then she decided to marry him and stay there..she's gonna do what her heart told her to do. Jeez stop crying alida. Pls stop..
I love u meg. One of the best series ever. And pls write it again if u can. I ll miss them so much. It's so awesome. Best series evr. One of the best ones.
September 17, 2009
I have very mixed feeling about this finale. I always like happy endings, especially neat and tidy happy endings. Especially when the neat and tidy happy endings can be believable. But I'm not sure I thought this one was believable. I guess it wasn't unbelievable, but.... Couldn't the FBI still be all annoying and persistent? Maybe not Dr. Krantz, but what about an even-higher-up? I'm not thrilled with the cover art, but I hate all the new cover art people are coming up with. And I'm not thrilled with the non-marital "relations," but I am aware that not everyone views these things the same way I do. And at least they were engaged. Which is better than the nothing one so often hears about. But, despite these nit-picky whats-its of mine and my inability to decide how believable I find the neat and tidy package things got all wrapped up in, I still enjoyed reading the book (three hours), and may one day decide to reread the series, for nostalgia's sake.
{8/13/22:} I just finished the nostalgic re-read. I would no longer complain about any of the above, though now that I mention it, maybe there should have been a Dr. Krantz superior that Dr. Krantz was running interference on....
{8/13/22:} I just finished the nostalgic re-read. I would no longer complain about any of the above, though now that I mention it, maybe there should have been a Dr. Krantz superior that Dr. Krantz was running interference on....
April 29, 2010
I’ve read this book so many times that some of the lines in this book are imprinted in my head. I’ve always like Meg Cabot and her series of Mediator as much as I loved this series. As I’ve been reading the last book of 1-800-where-r-u, I saw how much the story had evolve from simply a girl crushing on a guy who she thinks is hot because he rides a motorcycle and that he goes to detention like her adds to the hotness in him, the girl who punches everyone who irritates her, to the girl who is civilized, I’ve seen how Cabot had developed Jess from a girl to a growing woman.
I’ve also seen how Rob had loved Jess all through the years and that kind of thing makes me wish that I find someone like him. Hahaha. Seriously, he even made a scrapbook of her even if they weren’t together yet, and continues to do so even if they are not together yet. That’s the love that’s worth fighting for. This book added to Meg Cabot’s great works.
very nice ending..thought rob and jess won't have their happy ending after all that happened.fooled me,:)
March 20, 2014
Source: I own an ebook copy of this book.
Cost: Free
Title: Missing You
Series: 1800-WHERE-R-U #5
Author: Meg Cabot
Overall Rating: 4 stars
I really liked this conclusion to the series.
It takes place roughly two/three years after the conclusion of the last and Jess has been through a lot after battling the war in Afghanistan and the war on terror, she's a mess. And it isn't helping that Rob has just shown up at her house asking for her to help find his little sister.
There was a lot of character development in this one, the Lightning Girl wasn't so angry anymore. She truly seemed mature enough to deal with her problems and I loved Rob. I've always loved Rob, but he honestly was so nice in this one. We also finally found out what his probation was for, hilarious. No wonder he didn't want to tell Jess.
I loved this series and I'm sad that it's over.
Cost: Free
Title: Missing You
Series: 1800-WHERE-R-U #5
Author: Meg Cabot
Overall Rating: 4 stars
I really liked this conclusion to the series.
It takes place roughly two/three years after the conclusion of the last and Jess has been through a lot after battling the war in Afghanistan and the war on terror, she's a mess. And it isn't helping that Rob has just shown up at her house asking for her to help find his little sister.
There was a lot of character development in this one, the Lightning Girl wasn't so angry anymore. She truly seemed mature enough to deal with her problems and I loved Rob. I've always loved Rob, but he honestly was so nice in this one. We also finally found out what his probation was for, hilarious. No wonder he didn't want to tell Jess.
I loved this series and I'm sad that it's over.
June 21, 2010
I thought this book was really funny. I love Meg Cabot as an author, she is my favorite. The narrative is spoken like a person is actually talking to you and so it is very relaxed. The plot was really intersting. I think I accidentally read the last book of the series but I wasn't confused when I read it so I don't think it matters.
The book is about a girl who was hit by lightning and then has some kind of psychic power that enables her to find people. But she loses her power after she spent a year and a half in Afghanistan helping the marines. She came back with Post-Tramatic-Stress Disorder which had caused her to lose her powers. That's where the story starts, only a year later. She describes how she gets her powers back by helping her friend, Rob, find his sister. Rob was her ex-boyfriend.
The book is about a girl who was hit by lightning and then has some kind of psychic power that enables her to find people. But she loses her power after she spent a year and a half in Afghanistan helping the marines. She came back with Post-Tramatic-Stress Disorder which had caused her to lose her powers. That's where the story starts, only a year later. She describes how she gets her powers back by helping her friend, Rob, find his sister. Rob was her ex-boyfriend.
August 3, 2018
AWWWEEE MY HEART!!!! It was so lovely reading this lovely, easy series. I mean, I’m reading this series 12 years after it was published...so it was quite the blast from the past. But it was still enjoyable nonetheless.
I’m quite happy-ecstatic- about where Jess and Rob’s relationship ended up, but there still wasn’t enough detailed affection for me, since I’ve read more modern day YA novels. But I’ll let that slide, for now...hehe.
This book is great, with just the right amount of shocking events and action for it being a small novel. Definitely read it!
I’m quite happy-ecstatic- about where Jess and Rob’s relationship ended up, but there still wasn’t enough detailed affection for me, since I’ve read more modern day YA novels. But I’ll let that slide, for now...hehe.
This book is great, with just the right amount of shocking events and action for it being a small novel. Definitely read it!
March 8, 2016
Read the first two chapters on the subway and then finished the book on the train back from NYC--kind of fitting. I was upset that it jumped ahead, but ultimately I think it was a pretty good conclusion to an awesome series. I wish the Cyrus Krantz thing had amounted to something cooler, but that would've been a different story altogether. I'll miss Jess Mastriani.
October 14, 2018
This book seemed rushed, and some of the things that happened were a little hard to swallow. I did enjoy seeing Rob finally confess his feelings for Jess. I would have preferred a book about the work she did for the government during the war, but that was completely glossed over. The conspiracy that she uncovers was resolved a little too easily to be believable.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 21, 2016
A great conclusion to the series.
September 23, 2026
3.25
I don’t think this book needed to be written. I don’t think it had the same humorous, fun qualities as the rest of the books. I also did not like the characters as much in this… it was still enjoyable, but idk it also could be because this is my first time reading it I don’t have an attachment to it like the previous books.
I don’t think this book needed to be written. I don’t think it had the same humorous, fun qualities as the rest of the books. I also did not like the characters as much in this… it was still enjoyable, but idk it also could be because this is my first time reading it I don’t have an attachment to it like the previous books.
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