Persist. Escape. Survive.Macy has faced horrors worse than she ever imagined at the hands of her kidnapper, Chester Woodran. She's played the part of the daughter he sought to replace. It's becoming more and more apparent that her only chance to survive may involve a risky escape attempt.As her friends and family deal with their own dark secrets, Macy must risk everything to have one last chance at freedom.Over is the third and final installment of the Gone saga, a series of psychological suspense thrillers. If you like haunting characters and an intense mystery, then you'll love Stacy Claflin's compelling conclusion to what readers are calling "one of the best series to come along in a while."Read the stunning conclusion of the Gone series today!
Stacy Claflin writes about complex women overcoming incredible odds. Whether it's her Gone trilogy of psychological thrillers, her ongoing Transformed paranormal saga, or her Seaside Hunters sweet romance series, Stacy's three-dimensional heroines shine through.
Decades after she wrote her first stories on construction paper and years after typing on an inherited green screen computer that weighed half a ton, Stacy realized her dream of becoming a full-time author.
When she's not busy writing or educating her kids from home, Stacy enjoys watching TV shows like Supernatural, Pretty Little Liars, and Once Upon a Time.
I read all three books in this series over a weekend. I couldn't put them down. The first book gave me nightmares. As a mother, it hit a little too close to the heart -- and my own fears. I found myself emotionally invested in Macey and her family. The second book sagged a little in the middle, but it was worth it by the time I got to the third . The third book had me holding my breath, tearing up, and... well, you have to read it for yourself to learn the emotional end.
Read this in one sitting because I couldn't put it down. I wasn't sure if Stacy Claflin would be able to tie up all the lose ends from each of the storylines but she did and each one had a satisfying and natural ending. Great read!
Overall, I really like this book (and the entire series). Claflin has created interesting, memorable characters in doppelgangers Macy and Heather, and a great villain in Chester. However, he didn't seem smart enough to concoct the elaborate plan that kept Heather in a mental institution (labeled "crazy" when she really was telling the truth about her dad). Also, how did someone not notice that there were two "Heathers" in the mental hospital (until they pointed it out)? Otherwise, this is an excellent thriller mystery.
A great final book to this series. Every emotion seemed to have been touched. This book met every expectation I could have had. I totally recommend this to anyone.
This book had less grammatical errors than the last two so that made me happy. Claflin wraps up the conclusion to this story very well. You get all your questions answered.
I have to say that the best character development happened with Macy's father, Chad. At first it seemed he was self-absorbed with his blog and uninvolved with his family (he did have an affair after all) but the entire experience of losing his daughter sent him on a journey of self-discovery. Every time he bumped into Lydia I thought here is a chance for him to slip back into old habits but he didn't.
I recommend reading this series and just ignore all the grammatical errors. If I could get through them, anyone can!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
The first part of the story was ok but by the second, I couldn’t put it down and the third was the best yet. (Honestly, I didn’t feel like it should have been a trilogy but just one book, but that’s not my call.) But I couldn’t wait to see what happened next or how it ended. I’d like to think parts of it were far fetched but sadly I think all too possible in the crazy world we live in. There was some romanticizing of things but that made the story more enjoyable and little less horrific for me.
Finally finished the gone saga. It made me cry and it made me laugh. The plot was interesting and had positives which made the dark nature of it stand out even more. An absolutely amazing series and a great way to end it.
When I was younger I went through books so fast my mom liked to say that I would inhale them. She joked that I never even paid attention to the actual story. So as I searched for a long, good, book that would last me through the 10-day break, the Gone trilogy caught my eye. I checked out, thinking it was just one book, but it was actually all 1put together. I finished the first two books after about 3 short days and finished the third in one sitting. So much for making it last the whole week!
I thought that the idea of the book was amazing because it was about one of, if not my greatest, fear- being kidnapped. 15-year-old Macy Mercer gets catfished online by a man named Chester Woodran. Slowly but surely, he gathers enough information about her and her family to not only figure out how to break into her house, but to also hack her computer and send a public message that she was running away to throw other people off his trail. Without telling Macy why, he gives her a new identity. Her new name was Heather, and she didn’t know why until after she nearly starved to death in the barn and was finally allowed in his house, that she realized it was because his real daughter was in a mental institute for accusing her father of murdering her mother and that he was using her to replace his daughter thanks to their similar features. The trilogy is about Chester tormenting Macy, abusing her, and trying to take her to an indoctrinated compound of “purified people” who believed the outside world was dirty, or unworthy. She tried to run away with a few other kids, one of them being a boy 2 years older than her named Luke. With his help, she burned down half of the compound and nearly escaped. Chester had managed to chase them down and when he had a hold of Luke, Macy sacrificed her freedom so that Chester wouldn’t hurt him, but not without Chester at least breaking her legs as a way to keep her from running away again. After being kicked out of the compound, Chester and Macy relocate with his new wife who was originally from the compound, and when she overhears plans about starting their own compound she tries one last time to run away. Meanwhile, at home, her parents nearly divorce while trying to cope with their missing daughter and her 13-year-old brother and his secret girlfriend, who happens to be Macy’s best friend, Zoey, get in some trouble after her bestie gets pregnant.
What worked was the plot. Sure, the main idea of the story was about Macy and her journey home, but it also had several ministries as well. We read from every character’s points of views. Chester, Macy, her mother, father, brother, and Zoey are all storytellers in this trilogy and they all have their own stories to tell. I think that even though it was really weird and creepy, the second book was my favorite because of the compound that Chester brought Macy into. It was really creepy, but the most interesting, and the time had finally come for her to have her own love story amid all of the terror. Even though the idea of the plot was riveting, I still did not really like the series. If it wasn't for the fact that I had nothing better to do, I would’ve stopped reading it. There were several spelling mistakes and typos which was strange to me, in all of the books I’ve read in my short life, none of them have really ever had such serious misspellings and mistakes. I also didn’t really like how the author told the story. Don’t get me wrong, I liked that we could see into the minds of different characters and watch their reactions to the scene around them unfolding, but a lot of the time it was very repetitive. I often found myself skipping ahead to Macy’s point of view, because I was so bored of hearing similar stories. The series was okay, but it wasn’t as good of a read as I thought.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I rated this one 3 stars instead of 2 like the first two books because the good stuff we were waiting for happened! To me, it was wrapped up nicely at the end of the book with satisfying enough endings for me.
And I just have to say this because if you've read my other two reviews on this trilogy, you know I'm proud of Macy.
Macy’s mouth watered. The irony didn’t escape her, and she wondered if she would ever go back to being vegan.
Her mouth is watering over meat!! You go, girl!
Her mouth watered as she held the warm meat in her hands.
Earlier she probably would have thrown up at this idea, but at least Chester did something for her; cure her utter fear of ingesting meat.
She probably looked horrible, not that it mattered.
She is not even worried about makeup or hair stuff anymore!!! Big girl, she is. 😂
It was neat meeting the true Heather. I have no idea what to think about Chester besides the fact that he's just a creepy guy. "Even when Chester wasn’t being a jerk, he talked nonstop. He never had anything interesting to say, but he had no shortage of things to rattle on about." This guy is so insecure!!
Over all this series was interesting because I think it's super important for anyone, but more particularly, girls of any age who like being on social media and may not realize yet, that creepy dudes can act totally like normal kids their same age and that it's just something to be aware of. Unless you've met them in person beforehand, you can't trust anyone online, no matter what profile picture they have or the way they talk.
Content: Language: dam*, h*ll, wh*re, OMG usages, b**tard Sexy Stuff/Romance: We already know of the two teens who're a couple. One person says "that didn’t keep her from hearing their newlywed activities each night." Violence: Grabbing, recapturing, a broken leg, etc. Other: some smoking, drinking
I legit can't even with this trilogy. The first book I flew through. The concept of it was very intriguing. You have Macy Mercer who thinks she is meeting a boy named Jared when actually she is kidnapped by a man named Chester who takes Macy because she looks like his daughter Heather. He ends up holding Macy as a prisoner basically.
I have to hide what I wrote because there's no way to explain my frustration while reading this book without giving stuff away. So read with caution.
I feel like this book was a waste of money. It felt like they just wanted a third book to sell so they stretched everything out and put things in that were a waste of time to read. The fact is the juice could have simply been at the end of the second book. The writer put more into other characters so they could put out spin offs which had they not ruined this book I might have read.
This whole series is a mixed bag. On the one hand, the story is gripping and interesting. Interesting enough for me to make it through the series despite the fact that these books are poorly edited and not very well written. All three of these books contain some of the most ham-fisted dialog and clumsy plot line development I have seen in a really long time.
The story is a very good one, though. I just wish it was told better.
The first book was a masterpiece..... Written so captivating you fully immersed in every word. I don't know what happened in the second and third books. I'm disappointed in the rushed plot and story. I would've gladly bought all 3 as one book. But I am disappointed in how this one ended... Too many ramblings where plot development would've made the story more believable.
These are not stand alone books, make sure you read Gone and then Held before this one. Another seamless transition from Held to Over. As the title implies, Macy's real-life nightmare is finally over, but I won't spoil it with details. I was absolutely captivated by this storyline and the characters. I felt the pain of Macy's parents and have been seeking out the spin-off books that will show a few of the characters lives, before, after and beside Macy's story.
I read the Trilogy in order. The writing was very believable as a teen girl and her brother and best friend. Many relationships were explored during the family tragedy that occurred and eyes and hearts were opened. Buy the Trilogy because you will want to read all three after the first book.
So you knew Macy lived. So the chase seen although exciting and you're cheering for them, you knew she was going to make it. The other kids, well, not so much.
I enjoyed the book, but I have to admit, the 'nuances' that make me a beta reader, drove me crazy in reading this series (and even the author's previous book I read, Alex Mercer #1) As much as I like the stories - and grant it, this one dragged into 3 books - could have been 2 - but one first question is the dialog believable... Well, it's not. Now i can't write - so this is completely BS from me - and only my opinion - but I find it difficult to swallow the dialog of the teens. Alex is the worst violates.. We love him. We love him from the Alex Mercer series, but he's "not 13". No kid has his maturity at 13, and then is the "loser' he is in Alex Mercer 1. It doesn't fit.
Secondly, another question is, is the story consistent - no. Book 2 had Luke shot in the arm. It was never mentioned again. I understand you don' have to explain everything that happens to a character - that's what an imagination is for - but if he's shot, hunting an animal, skinning it, you might want to make the character wince in pain - let alone get an infection since they've been in the woods, dirty. But I wasn't sure he was good, as they marched thru the woods - so that kept me hooked. Another story line was when Macy does run away, and the neighbor says she's a mental patient who got out. It's at least year 2000 - although earlier in the book it says 'were not in the 1990's anymore' because of dental records not being online. I'm not sure when cloud storage became a thing, but the fact that Macy was just "put in a room" and a mental hospital wouldn't know where their patients are by scanning a bracelet - just that consistency - I know that led to the 'lets mess with the nurses' or the dramatic 2 almost identical girls in the room moment, but the 'really?" part of the 'Parent Trap' scene was a bit much.
The closure of it all, Chester, Rebekah, Heather and Luke was good, hence an enjoyable read. Glad I read Alex Mercer first, because had I started that book, I wouldn't have finished, as it would hav frustrated me too much, knowing that Alex was 'distracted' by a text for Ariana to get kidnapped - after the 6 months he & his family endured..
The final chapter of the trilogy. Over started from the perspective of Heather, Chester’s real daughter! We are finally able to see this story from her perspective, which starts inside of a mental facility bound in a straight jacket... We flip flop between Heather and Macy and again still get a lot of the parents perspective as well. I LOVE that each character is finally starting to break down completely about Macy’s kidnapping. This is how I envisioned the parents reacting in the first book. The father, Chad, is completely breaking down. His view on Macy is that she is still alive and unfortunately the mother, Alyssa, doesn’t see things on the same page. I absolutely love how this book dove into the parents conflicting views. Alyssa wants to hold a funeral for Macy but Chad completely disagrees. Which of course causes a fight and ultimately also causes Alyssa to move out of the home.. While apart both parents completely break down.
I loved and hated this book. I loved it because parts of it felt so real. The emotions were very raw in this portion of the trilogy. I hated this book because of how unrealistic some things were. Like when Macy FINALLY escapes out of Chester’s home. She is running down the street and is confronted by not only a nurse from the hospital that Heather is in but also COPS! AND SHE SAYS NOTHING!! She does not say she is Macy Mercer to the cops... She just acts like Heather and goes alone with the Nurse saying she escaped the Hospital.. AND not to mention when she gets to the hospital nobody realizes there are two girls who look identical until the next morning... There is no way Macy would have gotten that far without any staff member knowing.
I did like the ending. It was light and happy. Babies everywhere and families together. Luke comes back into the picture which I was so happy to see they were still in contact after the community. Typical ending but I enjoyed reading it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I was really interested in this series, despite many aspects of it feeling unreal or unbelievable. I was very curious about how the author would tie everything up at the end. While I am writing this review with some distance from finishing, I believe I remember enough to share my honest thoughts. I'm giving it a 3 because I was interested in reading the entire series, and excited and engaged while I read this book as well, but it got a bit off the rails in this book and I just couldn't be on board the whole time. There were some highly unrealistic aspects of what happened... for example, While I can appreciate hyperbole for the sake of storytelling, I felt like this and a few other instances in the book were even more unreal than some of the other aspects of the story in the previous books. Despite this (maybe because of this?), I found the book continually surprising and unpredictable in a way that kept me engaged until the end. I'm not sure if I'd read other books by this author... I have certainly found both worse and better stories within this genre, so it's a maybe.
This book could have been about 30% less. The ending was a lot of kissing tops of heads and exclamations about how glad they were to be together. Also some questions about plot.
I could not figure out why Macy went to the asylum when she escaped. She wanted out so bad and to go home. She could have achieved the same result by going home, then to the police and asylum.
I could not fathom why more talk did not happen around a thirteen and fifteen year old's pregnancy. What if neither set of parents had wanted to raise their baby? It seems everyone is afraid to seriously write about the sometimes really rational option of abortion.
Again, while the ending was a lot of glad handing and kissing tops of heads, at least twenty five to thirty percent of the book was wasted words and not well written. As a whole I loved the series. I so loved the first two books in the series but this last was a bit disappointing. My excitement about reading other books by this author has waned. I will wait a bit.
I just finished the third installment of the Gone Trilogy,Over. I have say I read the third so I could find out if Macy got home finally. She did but it wasn't easy for her. After Macy and Chester left the farm. he took them to Community, which was the crazy cult, run by some crazy people who kidnapped kids along the way. Macy tried to escape with others, namely Luke, who she got very smitten with, but of course Chester found her, but then the cult kicked them out and Chester, his pregnant bride and Macy went to Chester's house in their old neighhood. Macy got the chance to run again, got caught by the nurse who worked at the Mental Hospital where the real Heather was keep, at least shs was away from Chester. The girls met at the hospital told the doctor and nurses and the police their ordeal,Chester got arrested, jailed for life,Macy made it home,Zoey had the baby, and Macy found Luke.
In Over, the third installment of the Gone Saga, Stacy Claflin successfully brings the story to a satisfying conclusion while addressing any lingering questions from previous books. One notable improvement in this installment is the reduction of grammatical errors, which enhances the reading experience and demonstrates Claflin's growth as a writer.
The character development in Over is particularly striking, especially for Macy's father, Chad. Throughout the series, Chad has been portrayed as self-absorbed and disconnected from his family. However, after the profound loss of his daughter, he embarks on a compelling journey of self-discovery. This evolution is skillfully depicted, as Chad faces opportunities to revert to his old habits but ultimately chooses not to regress, showcasing his growth and maturity.
Claflin ties up the narrative threads effectively, providing readers with a sense of closure while ensuring that character arcs are resolved in a meaningful way. The emotional stakes remain high, and the journey of the characters resonates throughout the conclusion.
Overall, the Gone Saga is highly recommended for readers looking for an engaging story filled with growth, resilience, and heartfelt moments. While some grammatical errors may have been present in earlier books, they can be overlooked in light of Claflin's compelling storytelling and character development. Over stands as a testament to the author's growth and the powerful themes explored throughout the series.
I read all three books in this series and couldn’t wait to get to the end! It’s a great plot but I found the writing quite juvenile. I found myself skim reading each book and didn’t miss a thing by doing so. I just needed to find out what was going to happen without having to go through the tedium of reading every word. The characters are well drawn but the detail of the action really poorly thought through. At the Community escape was planned by setting fire to a wooden fence with matches. Really? Yet back in civilisation Macy didn’t bother using her abductor’s phone to call home or the police when she gained access to his office and when she finally escaped just ran through back yards rather than banging on doors to get help. Thankfully the books are finished and I’ll never read another by this author. Two stars only because the plot concept is good.
Finally! Finally an author fully finishes an ending. I loved all 3 books in the Gone series. I love it when I can find a book that I get so excited to read. Each day I couldn’t wait til I was off work so I could get back to where I left off. The author did a fabulous job with the ending. Most books always stop once things have been solved and we were left wondering what happened with the side characters and everything else. Well we got to read about each one at the end and everything was tied tied up perfectly. Can’t wait to dive into the authors next books!
Promising series ends with a thud... Where the other novels in the trilogy were page-turners, this one falls short as it is bogged down by terrible parents and far-fetched plot twists. The mental hospital angle was beyond bearable as Macy sneaks into the hospital with Heather in her attempt to both escape Chester, and free Heather. Tying up the loose end that was Rebekah was also painful. Overall, I wanted to love this, but now that I've reached the end, I see the author was busy building skeletons of other characters to branch out for other series. Overall, it's clunky storytelling with an unpolished feeling.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Macy and a group of kids escaped the commune where they were taken captive. It's been months since she was abducted. Her father hasn't lost faith that she'll return. Her mother just wants closure. The clash is tearing them apart. Meanwhile, Macy's 13-year old brother, Alex, and her 15-year old best friend, Zoey, find comfort in each other. Will the family withstand the agonizing unknown?
~ Book 3 gives you much of the same; Juvenal writing but a little better context than book 1 and 2. Editors have to step up their grammar game; an embarrassing number of errors.