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Never Missing, Never Found
Some choices change everything. Scarlett chose to run. And the consequences will be deadly.
Stolen from her family as a young girl, Scarlett was lucky enough to eventually escape her captor. Now a teen, she's starting a summer job at an amusement park. There are cute boys, new friends, and the chance to finally have a normal life.
Her first day on the job, Scarlett is shocked to discover that a girl from the park has gone missing. Old memories come rushing back. And now as she meets her new coworkers, one of the girls seems strangely familiar. When Scarlett chose to run all those years ago, what did she set into motion? And when push comes to shove, how far will she go to uncover the truth . . . before it's too late?<
Stolen from her family as a young girl, Scarlett was lucky enough to eventually escape her captor. Now a teen, she's starting a summer job at an amusement park. There are cute boys, new friends, and the chance to finally have a normal life.
Her first day on the job, Scarlett is shocked to discover that a girl from the park has gone missing. Old memories come rushing back. And now as she meets her new coworkers, one of the girls seems strangely familiar. When Scarlett chose to run all those years ago, what did she set into motion? And when push comes to shove, how far will she go to uncover the truth . . . before it's too late?<
320 pages, Hardcover
First published June 28, 2016
71 people are currently reading
4814 people want to read
About the author
Amanda Panitch
6 books203 followersAmanda Panitch spent most of her childhood telling stories to her four younger siblings, trying both to make them laugh and scare them too much to sleep. Now she lives in New York City, where she writes dark, funny stories for teens, kids, and the pigeons that nest on her apartment balcony. You can follow her on Twitter @AmandaPanitch, and visit her online at www.amandapanitch.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 269 reviews
September 29, 2019
My reviews can also be seen at: https://deesradreadsandreviews.wordpr...
2.5 stars
An eight year old girl was plucked off the street and held captive for almost 8 years. Eventually she was able to get away. Now seventeen and hoping for a new life as a regular teenager, Scarlett is about to start her new job at Five Banners amusement park. Scarlett is thrilled about this job as she loves comics. Her main goal is to eventually have the job wearing the costume of her favorite superhero, Skywoman.
The day she starts work she finds out that a local girl who also works the amusement park is missing. The missing girls name is Monica. Monica happens to be the same girl who interviewed Scarlett for the job at Five Banners. Many of her new co-workers are understandably upset that their co-worker and friend is missing. But one of the girls, Katharina is behaving oddly towards Scarlett. There is also something very familiar about her.
"It's better to be missing than dead"
The book has a fairy tale and comic book theme, and alternates between "Now" and "Then". Interspersed are Scarlett's memories of her kidnapping and the things that happened during her captivity. With present day and frequent flashbacks mixed together, I started having a hard time following the story. There was also an excessive amount of talk of comic books and superheroes.
Don't get me wrong this was an interesting story, but I felt like all of the extras (the superhero stuff, amount of secondary characters and side mysteries) jumbled things up for me. I wish there had been more focus on Scarlett, her family and the missing girl. I do understand that some of the superhero/comic stuff as well as the vagueness was deliberate and essential to the story. However, I found it ended up making it hard for me to connect with the main characters and with what was going on.
I think that the ending that the author was going for was quite clever. The twist WAS good, but unfortunately it was a bit confusing how it played it out after the big reveal. I actually re-read the last couple of chapters to try to understand it better, but I felt like it was a bit rushed and that too many things were left unexplained.
Of course, this is just my opinion. I have seen some very positive reviews for this book. Unfortunately, it just didn't work out for me.
2.5 stars
An eight year old girl was plucked off the street and held captive for almost 8 years. Eventually she was able to get away. Now seventeen and hoping for a new life as a regular teenager, Scarlett is about to start her new job at Five Banners amusement park. Scarlett is thrilled about this job as she loves comics. Her main goal is to eventually have the job wearing the costume of her favorite superhero, Skywoman.
The day she starts work she finds out that a local girl who also works the amusement park is missing. The missing girls name is Monica. Monica happens to be the same girl who interviewed Scarlett for the job at Five Banners. Many of her new co-workers are understandably upset that their co-worker and friend is missing. But one of the girls, Katharina is behaving oddly towards Scarlett. There is also something very familiar about her.
"It's better to be missing than dead"
The book has a fairy tale and comic book theme, and alternates between "Now" and "Then". Interspersed are Scarlett's memories of her kidnapping and the things that happened during her captivity. With present day and frequent flashbacks mixed together, I started having a hard time following the story. There was also an excessive amount of talk of comic books and superheroes.
Don't get me wrong this was an interesting story, but I felt like all of the extras (the superhero stuff, amount of secondary characters and side mysteries) jumbled things up for me. I wish there had been more focus on Scarlett, her family and the missing girl. I do understand that some of the superhero/comic stuff as well as the vagueness was deliberate and essential to the story. However, I found it ended up making it hard for me to connect with the main characters and with what was going on.
I think that the ending that the author was going for was quite clever. The twist WAS good, but unfortunately it was a bit confusing how it played it out after the big reveal. I actually re-read the last couple of chapters to try to understand it better, but I felt like it was a bit rushed and that too many things were left unexplained.
Of course, this is just my opinion. I have seen some very positive reviews for this book. Unfortunately, it just didn't work out for me.
April 18, 2017
She’ll never be found. Even if they find the girl they think is Monica, even if the doctors give her the okay and she has pointy crimson nails and slathered-on mascara, she’ll never be Monica again. She might act like her, pretend to fill her life, but she’ll never be the same. That’s just what happens when you join the club.
A young girl was taken at eight years old eventually escaping her captor. Now Scarlett is seventeen starting a new summer job at the amusement park featuring her favorite comic book superhero Skywoman. Her first day on the job she hears news of a missing girl who also works at the park..it's Monica, the girl who interviewed her. Scarlett silently welcomes her to the club while wondering what happened to her and if she’ll get off lucky too ..as the memories of her own kidnapping (and escape) come flooding back.
And don’t worry about Monica. It’s better to be missing than dead.
Amanda Panitch brings us her second novel Never Missing, Never Found which awes more than her first, Damage Done. She has done it again. The thriller is twisty with excellent writing. The atmosphere Panitch creates is perfect and maintained throughout. YA thrillers are clearly her genre. I loved the vivid amusement park setting. She really brought it to life. It is clear the author had experience working in an amusement park for the summer (or two). This isn't something that would have worked as well otherwise. It felt like the veil of the amusement park world was lifted.
The prologue is our first glimpse at what life was like for kidnapped Scarlett and shows how she views what is happening to her as a sort of messed fairy tale thanks to Cinderella. Stepmother being the woman upstairs - always being forced to clean. I loved this aspect of Scarlett; her being so young when taken makes it very plausible she’d be so stuck on the stories of her childhood, which leads me to her obsession with Skywoman and the gang.
Interwoven through the story are these constant mentions of the superheroes and the happenings within their comic book world. There are moments Scarlett dives deep into the plot of Skywoman and Blade making it clear how much of an escape these comics are for her (and always have been). It should be obvious since the summer job she went for is at the theme park featuring these characters. I was waiting for some sort of big connection between the comics and actual plot line to happen, but it never really did other than when it came to psychological revelations for Scarlett.
I enjoyed how the flashback memories and present day plot line were mixed together throughout. I was constantly wanting to know what happened next in the other storyline. I love how hints of Scarlett’s escape are placed throughout until closer to the end when she tells that actual part of the story. I was kept on the edge of my seat. The secondary characters had intriguing aspects to them, especially both Melody and Katharina. I was drawn into the multiple mysteries within the story making it impossible to put down. I was never quite sure who to trust. I also loved the whole theme of sisters, but will leave it at that. One thing is for certain..I am very excited to see what Amanda Panitch writes next.
August 11, 2016
This book has been compared to We Were Liars and Vanishing Girls, and I agree - I disliked those 2 stories just the same. If you enjoyed those novels, than this may be for you as well.
The premise is so intriguing; Scarlett was kidnapped when she was younger, has escaped her captor and is looking for a normal life. But her first day at her new job, another girl goes missing and memories of her past come rushing back. I was fortunate to have received Amanda Panitch's debut novel "Damage Done" last year but had a lot of problems with it, and was hoping that this next ARC I received from Random House would show author growth and improved writing skill. Unfortunately, I liked this one even less and give it somewhere between 1 and 2 stars.
For me, this doesn't belong in the "thriller" category it's being placed in. There was nothing thrilling about this; it was all very dry and dull. The potentially "thrilling" scenarios that Scarlett found herself in never came to a head as she seemed to just brush off everything and take everything too lightly. Due to this, when the big (supposed) dramatic ending happened, it just felt out of place.
One of my biggest issues with how this was told was how the narrator was presented. She didn't have a distinct disposition and had indistinguishable purpose. I can assume what the author was trying to do with this, which was not give us a clear answer to whether she was a victim or a villain - but it was not successful for me. Building a morally ambiguous character takes more than just writing her naive and unassuming on one page, and then mysterious and a judgmental bitch on the next. Her personality was all over the place and not in a good and confusing way that other psychology thrillers manage to pull off seamlessly. Being written in first person, I was surprised how disconnected I felt from a main character with such a tragic past. I really couldn't stand her, and I don't think that's what the author intended me to feel.
I liked the pace of the book; the flashbacks from childhood and back to present were nicely placed and a good length - but as with her first novel, I disliked the drawn out reveals. Especially with this genre, I expect to be sucked into the story, getting that edge-of-my-seat feeling and slowly get hints given to me that lead to a satisfactory ending. Unfortunately every time something was about to be revealed, someone was suddenly "too busy" or changed their mind for no reason. The worst was when our main character went out of her way to engage the "bad girl" of the story, pulling over to the side of the road and stating "It's time to end this." then when the other girls kindly states "Yes, it's time we talk. Don't you think?" she suddenly freaks out and drives away as if she had been antagonized....when she was the one who started the conversation! I get that you have to create tension in a novel of this sort, but do it a little more slyly!
I would love to see this author give it another go, but with more direction, and not just a great idea for the reveal. Also maybe writing a book without the romantic element, because I don't think it was a positive element at all. Maybe if more time had been spent on developing characters and leading up to the reveal, and NOT on the love interest, it would have improved my reading experience; not every mystery novel needs to include romance! This one in particular would have benefited greatly from not having a love interest. I'm not sure if the intent was to distract from the mystery, or just to give the reader something to root for...but from describing his "white belly" with "freckles that looked like miniature suns" to their first kiss which involved this gem: "His tongue eases its way into my mouth and touches all the little hidden crevices where food sometimes gets stuck" - I just couldn't grasp why or how this romance was supposedly swoon-worthy or even necessary to the story.
At this point, even with all the things that bothered me, I was ready to give it a mediocre 2.5 out of 5 rating...but then came the ending. I am not often confused by book endings (in fact, I cannot think of a single mystery novel I have read in the past couple years that I just straight up didn't understand the ending of) so the way this book concluded shocked me...because I still don't get it. This brought the book down a full star, because it truly did not make sense to me. I read the last 30 pages THREE times and came to my own conclusion, because the way this wrapped up was so poorly done. And I don't mean the idea - the idea is good (if what happened is what I think happened) but explained horribly.
Oh, and the constant references to super heroes...wtf was that. They kept mentioning this fictional Skywoman superhero and telling comic book stories, which accomplished nothing and felt SO pointless! I just didn't get this book at all.
The premise is so intriguing; Scarlett was kidnapped when she was younger, has escaped her captor and is looking for a normal life. But her first day at her new job, another girl goes missing and memories of her past come rushing back. I was fortunate to have received Amanda Panitch's debut novel "Damage Done" last year but had a lot of problems with it, and was hoping that this next ARC I received from Random House would show author growth and improved writing skill. Unfortunately, I liked this one even less and give it somewhere between 1 and 2 stars.
For me, this doesn't belong in the "thriller" category it's being placed in. There was nothing thrilling about this; it was all very dry and dull. The potentially "thrilling" scenarios that Scarlett found herself in never came to a head as she seemed to just brush off everything and take everything too lightly. Due to this, when the big (supposed) dramatic ending happened, it just felt out of place.
One of my biggest issues with how this was told was how the narrator was presented. She didn't have a distinct disposition and had indistinguishable purpose. I can assume what the author was trying to do with this, which was not give us a clear answer to whether she was a victim or a villain - but it was not successful for me. Building a morally ambiguous character takes more than just writing her naive and unassuming on one page, and then mysterious and a judgmental bitch on the next. Her personality was all over the place and not in a good and confusing way that other psychology thrillers manage to pull off seamlessly. Being written in first person, I was surprised how disconnected I felt from a main character with such a tragic past. I really couldn't stand her, and I don't think that's what the author intended me to feel.
I liked the pace of the book; the flashbacks from childhood and back to present were nicely placed and a good length - but as with her first novel, I disliked the drawn out reveals. Especially with this genre, I expect to be sucked into the story, getting that edge-of-my-seat feeling and slowly get hints given to me that lead to a satisfactory ending. Unfortunately every time something was about to be revealed, someone was suddenly "too busy" or changed their mind for no reason. The worst was when our main character went out of her way to engage the "bad girl" of the story, pulling over to the side of the road and stating "It's time to end this." then when the other girls kindly states "Yes, it's time we talk. Don't you think?" she suddenly freaks out and drives away as if she had been antagonized....when she was the one who started the conversation! I get that you have to create tension in a novel of this sort, but do it a little more slyly!
I would love to see this author give it another go, but with more direction, and not just a great idea for the reveal. Also maybe writing a book without the romantic element, because I don't think it was a positive element at all. Maybe if more time had been spent on developing characters and leading up to the reveal, and NOT on the love interest, it would have improved my reading experience; not every mystery novel needs to include romance! This one in particular would have benefited greatly from not having a love interest. I'm not sure if the intent was to distract from the mystery, or just to give the reader something to root for...but from describing his "white belly" with "freckles that looked like miniature suns" to their first kiss which involved this gem: "His tongue eases its way into my mouth and touches all the little hidden crevices where food sometimes gets stuck" - I just couldn't grasp why or how this romance was supposedly swoon-worthy or even necessary to the story.
At this point, even with all the things that bothered me, I was ready to give it a mediocre 2.5 out of 5 rating...but then came the ending. I am not often confused by book endings (in fact, I cannot think of a single mystery novel I have read in the past couple years that I just straight up didn't understand the ending of) so the way this book concluded shocked me...because I still don't get it. This brought the book down a full star, because it truly did not make sense to me. I read the last 30 pages THREE times and came to my own conclusion, because the way this wrapped up was so poorly done. And I don't mean the idea - the idea is good (if what happened is what I think happened) but explained horribly.
Oh, and the constant references to super heroes...wtf was that. They kept mentioning this fictional Skywoman superhero and telling comic book stories, which accomplished nothing and felt SO pointless! I just didn't get this book at all.
Read
May 3, 2017I do not understand how Amanda Panitch's mind works but I fucking love it, and I loved this book. It's like the darkest, most twisted version of Kimmy Schmidt you can image, but set in an amusement park and minus the racism.
(As a side note, this book was really gender-spectrum inclusive in a way I don't think I've seen in a YA that isn't about gender and/or sexuality. Like, Scarlett refers to a fellow employee she sees as "an androgynous kid" and instead of pondering on said kid's gender, she just pronouns them "they" in the brief narrative and moves on. There are one or two more instances like that, and it's just a little thing that isn't a point in the book, but God, they made me happy. I've been reading so many throwaway lines that are just gratuitous microaggression lately, and it's really nice to see the exact opposite.)
(As a side note, this book was really gender-spectrum inclusive in a way I don't think I've seen in a YA that isn't about gender and/or sexuality. Like, Scarlett refers to a fellow employee she sees as "an androgynous kid" and instead of pondering on said kid's gender, she just pronouns them "they" in the brief narrative and moves on. There are one or two more instances like that, and it's just a little thing that isn't a point in the book, but God, they made me happy. I've been reading so many throwaway lines that are just gratuitous microaggression lately, and it's really nice to see the exact opposite.)
March 16, 2018
I loved this book from page 1. I loved the amusement park setting, the dark secrets, and of course, I love a good twist. It wasn't the MOST surprising twist (as it's definitely been done before), but it was satisfying.
Can't wait to read more from Amanda Panitch!!
Hooked from page 1. The setting, the writing, the secrets & twists!!! It was everything I wanted and more.
First off, I think I'm in love with amusement park settings for YA books. Lauren Oliver's Vanishing Girls also featured a character that worked at an amusement park, and I loved it there. This book has not only a girl working in the amusement park, but it has the girl working in an amusement park based on a comic book w/ badass female hero/villain stars. Everything about Five Banners made this book better.
Also, there was Connor. He's the guy Scarlett meets on her first day, and he's the type of YA boy I love to see. He's funny and charismatic without trying to be. He wants to do the right thing, but obviously, there are obstacles and forks in the road. Who I didn't like?? Cady. UGH. She's Connors sort-of ex-girlfriend, and I'm pretty sure she was a stock character out of the WORST GIRL EVER handbook. She knew the girl that was missing from the park-- which okay, I feel for you--but she seemed to like the drama and attention of it all. Getting attention because your friend is kidnapped and maybe dead is gross.
The heartbreaking sister relationship in this book made me all kinds of sad/mad. Scarlett was gone for years and years and instead of her sister being protectful of her, or just like thankful to have a sister again, she was SO MEAN to her. It was enraging for me. It was a good part of the book though, and I'm honestly thankful that Ms. Panitch gave me such conflicting feelings. It was entertaining.
Now, the ending. It was twisty as hell, but it didn't really surprise me. I feel like it's been done before (maybe a few too many times), and it's something that you kind of have to suspend disbelief to actually believe.
OVERALL: YES!! After liking Damage Done okay, I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. It was so much better than that!! I was hooked on the amusement park setting, the not very nice sister relationship, and the mystery of it all. It was twisty and dark at times, but also sweet and adorable at others. I so recommend!!
My Blog:
Pink Polka Dot Books
Can't wait to read more from Amanda Panitch!!
Hooked from page 1. The setting, the writing, the secrets & twists!!! It was everything I wanted and more.
First off, I think I'm in love with amusement park settings for YA books. Lauren Oliver's Vanishing Girls also featured a character that worked at an amusement park, and I loved it there. This book has not only a girl working in the amusement park, but it has the girl working in an amusement park based on a comic book w/ badass female hero/villain stars. Everything about Five Banners made this book better.
Also, there was Connor. He's the guy Scarlett meets on her first day, and he's the type of YA boy I love to see. He's funny and charismatic without trying to be. He wants to do the right thing, but obviously, there are obstacles and forks in the road. Who I didn't like?? Cady. UGH. She's Connors sort-of ex-girlfriend, and I'm pretty sure she was a stock character out of the WORST GIRL EVER handbook. She knew the girl that was missing from the park-- which okay, I feel for you--but she seemed to like the drama and attention of it all. Getting attention because your friend is kidnapped and maybe dead is gross.
The heartbreaking sister relationship in this book made me all kinds of sad/mad. Scarlett was gone for years and years and instead of her sister being protectful of her, or just like thankful to have a sister again, she was SO MEAN to her. It was enraging for me. It was a good part of the book though, and I'm honestly thankful that Ms. Panitch gave me such conflicting feelings. It was entertaining.
Now, the ending. It was twisty as hell, but it didn't really surprise me. I feel like it's been done before (maybe a few too many times), and it's something that you kind of have to suspend disbelief to actually believe.
OVERALL: YES!! After liking Damage Done okay, I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. It was so much better than that!! I was hooked on the amusement park setting, the not very nice sister relationship, and the mystery of it all. It was twisty and dark at times, but also sweet and adorable at others. I so recommend!!
My Blog:
Pink Polka Dot Books
March 26, 2017
GRADE: A+
ONE WORD: Wow!
Scarlett was kidnapped and held in a basement between the ages of eight and twelve. Now, at seventeen, she begins working at an amusement park, when one if her coworkers goes missing. Another coworker, Katherina, seems to know more about Scarlett than she's willing to divulge and eerily reminds her of the years she was gone. Could there be a connection?
Amanda Panitch burst onto the YA scene last year with her debut DAMAGE DONE. NEVER MISSING, NEVER FOUND, her sophomore effort, has even more mystery and intrigue. Panitch created a sympathetic main character in Scarlett, who is still suffering the aftereffects of the kidnapping. She's unassertive with a quick wit and wants nothing more for her younger sister to accept her. Katharina seems to be lurking everywhere, speaking unique catch phrases only Scarlett and Pixie, her fellow captive, knew. But Pixie is dead and dead girls don't speak.
I don't want to spoil any of the story, but my mind was flowing with incorrect theories. Most of the questions were answered, in a satisfactory way, although I didn't necessary like all the revelations. I wish some of the storylines had more of an ending.
Amanda Panitch is on my list for must preorder writers. I can't wait to see what she writes next.
ONE WORD: Wow!
Scarlett was kidnapped and held in a basement between the ages of eight and twelve. Now, at seventeen, she begins working at an amusement park, when one if her coworkers goes missing. Another coworker, Katherina, seems to know more about Scarlett than she's willing to divulge and eerily reminds her of the years she was gone. Could there be a connection?
Amanda Panitch burst onto the YA scene last year with her debut DAMAGE DONE. NEVER MISSING, NEVER FOUND, her sophomore effort, has even more mystery and intrigue. Panitch created a sympathetic main character in Scarlett, who is still suffering the aftereffects of the kidnapping. She's unassertive with a quick wit and wants nothing more for her younger sister to accept her. Katharina seems to be lurking everywhere, speaking unique catch phrases only Scarlett and Pixie, her fellow captive, knew. But Pixie is dead and dead girls don't speak.
I don't want to spoil any of the story, but my mind was flowing with incorrect theories. Most of the questions were answered, in a satisfactory way, although I didn't necessary like all the revelations. I wish some of the storylines had more of an ending.
Amanda Panitch is on my list for must preorder writers. I can't wait to see what she writes next.
July 24, 2016
See this review and more on my blog, Lilybloombooks
My Thoughts:
Having not read Amanda's debut novel, Damage Done - which by the way, I will be remedying soon! I wasn't sure what to expect. I love YA thrillers, but there's this lack of oomph that really gets me going lately when it comes to the genre, so needless to say I was nervous.
Fear not, my friends!
This book was brilliant. No, if's and's or buts, just brilliant.
The writing is very easy to read and pulls you in from the very beginning. When I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about reading it. I love the dual time lines; with the flashbacks to the past. They correlate well with what was currently happening. This book is full of twists, and I am not one to brag, but I'm good at figuring things out as the are unfolding or beforehand, and I did NOT in this case. Sure, I noticed a few things, and there were hints, and well-done foreshadowing but man. I was thrown!
My favorite part of the book is how unreliable of a narrator Scarlet is. Not only that, it becomes apparent pretty early that when things start to happen and the book picks up, you know she knows more than you do, and it's frustrating! Not in a bad way, but simply because you can't figure out what is real, not real, or who is wrong/right. And if you should even believe what's going on the in the first place!
IF I were to mention things that bugged me, it would be the sheer volume of secondary characters, and lack of development for some. It's honestly not important enough for me to dwell on it because it's not their story and some of their reasons for being within the story are moot, but the ones that WERE important to the story felt... I don't' know. Bland? But again, small thing.
The book is still brilliant.
I wish I could discuss, in detail, this book with y'all but you need to experience this one on your own without spoilers. Never Missing, Never Found solidifies why I love this genre so much! I can't wait for more books from this author. She is definitely on an auto-buy list for me! Highly recommend it!
*I received this book for free from The Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.*
My Thoughts:
Having not read Amanda's debut novel, Damage Done - which by the way, I will be remedying soon! I wasn't sure what to expect. I love YA thrillers, but there's this lack of oomph that really gets me going lately when it comes to the genre, so needless to say I was nervous.
Fear not, my friends!
This book was brilliant. No, if's and's or buts, just brilliant.
The writing is very easy to read and pulls you in from the very beginning. When I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about reading it. I love the dual time lines; with the flashbacks to the past. They correlate well with what was currently happening. This book is full of twists, and I am not one to brag, but I'm good at figuring things out as the are unfolding or beforehand, and I did NOT in this case. Sure, I noticed a few things, and there were hints, and well-done foreshadowing but man. I was thrown!
My favorite part of the book is how unreliable of a narrator Scarlet is. Not only that, it becomes apparent pretty early that when things start to happen and the book picks up, you know she knows more than you do, and it's frustrating! Not in a bad way, but simply because you can't figure out what is real, not real, or who is wrong/right. And if you should even believe what's going on the in the first place!
IF I were to mention things that bugged me, it would be the sheer volume of secondary characters, and lack of development for some. It's honestly not important enough for me to dwell on it because it's not their story and some of their reasons for being within the story are moot, but the ones that WERE important to the story felt... I don't' know. Bland? But again, small thing.
The book is still brilliant.
I wish I could discuss, in detail, this book with y'all but you need to experience this one on your own without spoilers. Never Missing, Never Found solidifies why I love this genre so much! I can't wait for more books from this author. She is definitely on an auto-buy list for me! Highly recommend it!
*I received this book for free from The Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.*
June 29, 2016
Having read Amanda Panitch's debut, Damage Done, I knew exactly what I signed up for. Damage Done is one of the best thrillers I've read last year so when I heard that she's going to write another thriller, I immediately put it on my TBR.
Panitch's writing style is simple yet effective. It hooks the reader in all the right spots which prevents them from putting down the book. That's exactly what happened to me.
WHAT I LIKED:
Apart from the writing style, the narration is amazing as well. It's not that complex but it's really interesting because it sometimes seem like the narrator is unreliable. I also like how somehow it focus on the central character, Scarlett. For some books, it's a bit of a problem for me but for this one, it works perfectly and it's integral to the story as well. It's easy to follow Scarlett's character and narration and every chapter would leave you almost hanging and definitely wanting more.
The plot twists worked in a way that made my mind go crazy. It's exhilarating to read the story unfold from the turning point. I know it seems vague but it's better to dive into the story without knowing anything. Just trust me, I had several WTF moments but they're all worth it.
The flashbacks work really well with the narration of the story and how they all pieced together. They're well crafted and I love how they made the past complement and balance out the present events in the story.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE
Some characters fell a little flat and dull but like what I said earlier, it's really a vital part of the story. You'll get why once you read the story.
Also, why wasn't there more of this story! I need more!
FINAL VERDICT:
This book definitely met my expectations. It's a great read for readers looking for quality YA thrillers and suspense.
*Review also posted on YA Books Central*
Panitch's writing style is simple yet effective. It hooks the reader in all the right spots which prevents them from putting down the book. That's exactly what happened to me.
WHAT I LIKED:
Apart from the writing style, the narration is amazing as well. It's not that complex but it's really interesting because it sometimes seem like the narrator is unreliable. I also like how somehow it focus on the central character, Scarlett. For some books, it's a bit of a problem for me but for this one, it works perfectly and it's integral to the story as well. It's easy to follow Scarlett's character and narration and every chapter would leave you almost hanging and definitely wanting more.
The plot twists worked in a way that made my mind go crazy. It's exhilarating to read the story unfold from the turning point. I know it seems vague but it's better to dive into the story without knowing anything. Just trust me, I had several WTF moments but they're all worth it.
The flashbacks work really well with the narration of the story and how they all pieced together. They're well crafted and I love how they made the past complement and balance out the present events in the story.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE
Some characters fell a little flat and dull but like what I said earlier, it's really a vital part of the story. You'll get why once you read the story.
Also, why wasn't there more of this story! I need more!
FINAL VERDICT:
This book definitely met my expectations. It's a great read for readers looking for quality YA thrillers and suspense.
*Review also posted on YA Books Central*
February 10, 2017
Book Title: Never Missing, Never Found
Author: Amanda Panitch
Series: Stand Alone
Genre: YA, Thriller, Mystery
Source: Kindle E-Book (Library)
OVERALL RATING: 3.3/5 STARS
Find my full review with video included for book song at Leah's Bookish Obsession
♪♫MY PICK FOR BOOK THEME SONG♫♪
The Game by Disturbed --Wow, this song is so very fitting…
⇝Ratings Breakdown⇜
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 3/5
The Feels: 3/5
Addictiveness: 4/5
Theme: 3/5
Flow: 3.5/5
Backdrop (World Building): 2.5/5
Originality: 4/5
Book Cover: 5/5
Ending: 4.2/5. Cliffhanger: No
Will I read more from this Author? Probably not.
⇝My Thoughts⇜
I had a {{{smacks forehead}}} moment with this one.
I should have seen it coming, but I didn't. I was too busy being upset about all the odd things that were happening, to realize they were happening for a reason. I was reading away on my last break for the night, (working a 3rd shift) and I almost talked out loud in front of everyone else in the breakroom. It was kind of sad. I just thought WTF just happened…no way…no shit???
Despite having less than likable characters and writing that was confusing at times, plus the sketchy premise; it was, overall, an okay-ish read. It was kind of like watching an episode of Pretty Little Liars…you can't look away even though you want too. The ending sure f#cked my head over and saved this from a lesser rating…so I think I'll give her props for that, at least.
⇝Sex Factor⇜ No, not at all, actually…it's all kept fairly pg-13.
Author: Amanda Panitch
Series: Stand Alone
Genre: YA, Thriller, Mystery
Source: Kindle E-Book (Library)
OVERALL RATING: 3.3/5 STARS
Find my full review with video included for book song at Leah's Bookish Obsession
♪♫MY PICK FOR BOOK THEME SONG♫♪
The Game by Disturbed --Wow, this song is so very fitting…
♫Tell me exactly
What am I supposed to do?
Now that I have
Allowed you to beat me
Do you think that we could play another game?
Maybe I can win this time?♫
⇝Ratings Breakdown⇜
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 3/5
The Feels: 3/5
Addictiveness: 4/5
Theme: 3/5
Flow: 3.5/5
Backdrop (World Building): 2.5/5
Originality: 4/5
Book Cover: 5/5
Ending: 4.2/5. Cliffhanger: No
Will I read more from this Author? Probably not.
⇝My Thoughts⇜
I had a {{{smacks forehead}}} moment with this one.
I should have seen it coming, but I didn't. I was too busy being upset about all the odd things that were happening, to realize they were happening for a reason. I was reading away on my last break for the night, (working a 3rd shift) and I almost talked out loud in front of everyone else in the breakroom. It was kind of sad. I just thought WTF just happened…no way…no shit???
Despite having less than likable characters and writing that was confusing at times, plus the sketchy premise; it was, overall, an okay-ish read. It was kind of like watching an episode of Pretty Little Liars…you can't look away even though you want too. The ending sure f#cked my head over and saved this from a lesser rating…so I think I'll give her props for that, at least.⇝Sex Factor⇜ No, not at all, actually…it's all kept fairly pg-13.
June 22, 2022
Sometimes it may look like someone is doing something bad, or evil, but when you look more closely at the situation, you realize that whatever's happening may not be so bad or evil after all. It may be warranted. Maybe even good.I've said before that Amanda Panitch one of my favorite YA mystery authors (second only to Abigail Haas), and Never Missing, Never Found solidifies that position - and then some. It's a shame her books are so relatively unknown because they are absolutely fantastic.
Scarlett was kidnapped when she was eight, but she managed to escape and return home. Now 17, Scarlett wants to have a chance at normalcy, so she applies for a job at an amusement park. But when an amusement park employees goes missing, memories begin flooding back and Scarlett realizes the past isn't done with her.
Scarlett is a well-written and complex protagonist. As the story goes on it becomes clear that Scarlett knows more than she's letting on and you're forced to judge how much of her narrative to believe. If there's one thing I love about Amanda Panitch's books it's her complex and well-developed unreliable narrators, and Scarlett is no different.
My one minor complaint is that I just wish there was a little more depth to the secondary characters. They were well-developed, but I feel like they could have just been a bit more complex.
I'll admit that I didn't quite like this as much as I loved Panitch's debut Damage Done, but this is still an amazing thriller with a great, unpredictable twist. I am so excited to read whatever Amanda Panitch writes next.
July 20, 2016
Can YA mystery/thrillers just take over the world already? Because let's face it...
... you know they want to.
... you know they want to.
November 13, 2017
When Scarlet was a young girl, she was kidnapped along with another girl called Pixie. The two for a while were friends, but Pixie tried to push the boundaries and ended up getting the worst of punishments whereas Scarlet realized that if she complied with the rules, rewards were to be given. Years later after a struggle, they escaped except one girl died, and one lived or did they? Scarlet's family have moved, and she has gotten a job at an amusement park, but what will happen when one of the employees goes missing? Will Scarlet reveal her past to her new friends? At the amusement park Scarlet meets another employee named Kat who seems to be familiar to Scarlet especially when she starts to pop out with sayings that only one person knew - Pixie, but how can that be as Pixie is supposed to be dead and buried? Like most YA mysteries, the book was slow to start off with but near the end gets a bit more suspenseful and then wham bam- the book drops a massive bombshell that leaves readers going OMG, and then you wonder how it is going to play out. I do have to admit I didn't see the final twist coming, but then after I finished the book and thought about it - it did make sense. If you are on the lookout for a new YA mystery author to read, then check out Amanda Panitch with her book Never Missing, Never Found as you will not be disappointed.
July 26, 2016
What??? Wow!! I cant say anything except if you're looking for a mystery that will take you on a wild ride and not let you go read this book now! I cant say anything else for fear of giving away the many twists that spring for the biggest twist of all! Aggghhhh!
December 14, 2019
Never missing never found ⭐️
Scarlet was kidnapped. And that’s all you had to know about that because years of past and now she’s getting her first job at the adventure world theme park. She is trying to get back to normalcy but memories of her time while captured flood back to her.
So we get to see bits of the abduction and her time in kidnapping. But mainly we are following her life now and trying to move on that is until she finds out that another girl has gone missing. Which obviously brings back painful memories for Scarlett.
Maybe I’m a terrible person but I really like kidnapping stories. I also absolutely love criminal minds so I blame that show for making me like violent dangerous things. I liked that we didn’t get to know much about her kidnapping and we slowly unraveled it as we went so we were more invested in Scarlet because we wanted to know what happened and maybe weren’t as quick to judge or pity her? I haven’t heard anything about this before hand so I didn’t know what you think when picking it up because I got it from book outlet for a literally a dollar but this did not disappoint I really enjoyed it and highly recommend you picking it up!
Scarlet was kidnapped. And that’s all you had to know about that because years of past and now she’s getting her first job at the adventure world theme park. She is trying to get back to normalcy but memories of her time while captured flood back to her.
So we get to see bits of the abduction and her time in kidnapping. But mainly we are following her life now and trying to move on that is until she finds out that another girl has gone missing. Which obviously brings back painful memories for Scarlett.
Maybe I’m a terrible person but I really like kidnapping stories. I also absolutely love criminal minds so I blame that show for making me like violent dangerous things. I liked that we didn’t get to know much about her kidnapping and we slowly unraveled it as we went so we were more invested in Scarlet because we wanted to know what happened and maybe weren’t as quick to judge or pity her? I haven’t heard anything about this before hand so I didn’t know what you think when picking it up because I got it from book outlet for a literally a dollar but this did not disappoint I really enjoyed it and highly recommend you picking it up!
April 14, 2017
”You know what they say: it’s better to be missing than dead.”
2.5 out of 5 stars
And in Scarlett’s case, it may be better to be lost than to be found.
At age eight Scarlett is kidnapped on her way home from school. At her captor’s house, she is forced to work for them and do their bidding.
Yet another mystery hyped up to be the next YA Gone Girl (advertisers, can we PLEASE quit with that?) It wasn’t completely horrible, but it wasn’t bone-chillingly suspenseful either. The most interesting parts to read about were the happenings of Scarlett’s daily life and functions after she returns from the kidnapping and the interactions between Scarlett and Pixie during their captivity. Desperate for a companion, her captors kidnap another child Scarlett nicknames Pixie. Unlike Scarlett, who slowly resigns herself to her fate, Pixie constantly is looking for a way to escape, but always manages to get caught. Even though Scarlett escaped and Pixie did not, she still thinks of her often.
The flashback scenes are kind of a mixed bag. As I said previously, I liked reading the interactions between Scarlett and Pixie. However, one thing the author forgot to mention is why Scarlett was kidnapped in the first place. We’re given no reason, but from what I read, it basically seemed like the captors wanted free labor? The snippets also gave hints that the captors ran a brothel or prostitution house of some sort, but they never force the two girls to partake in any of those activities. So I really didn’t get why the heck they kidnapped Scarlett in the first place. It made no sense. The man captor also didn’t really make an appearance, other than to show that he was the one who took Scarlett. The female captor is the main aggressor and tormentor, though her role is also never explained.
The interactions between Scarlett and her coworker Katharina were awkward, but not as awkward or unexplained as those between Katharina and Melody. It’ll make sense in the end, but in the set-up beforehand, it just seemed like they randomly knew each other from before and get along beautifully. And we the readers are left to just sit there as confused as Scarlett is. And she shows up in such random places too. If you’re going to develop a character to be a foil, make them a formidable foil and not a random one.
The romance in the book between Scarlett and Connor, the cute coworker, was completely bungled.
I will have to give props to the author for the twist ending, though. I never saw it coming, though I’m sure some keen-minded individual will pick up on some nuances or hidden breadcrumb clues that I couldn’t see. And while the ending twist was indeed very clever and a little stunning, it got jumbled as the whole truth finally came out. At times, the author seemed to switch the POVS up and I couldn’t tell who was speaking or telling the story. The ending is somewhat tied up neatly, but there are some loose ends dangling that may frustrate readers who like a clear, succinct ending.
A weak psychological thriller that, despite its surprise twist ending, ultimately disappoints due to weak flashbacks, limited character development, and confusing character interactions.
2.5 out of 5 stars
And in Scarlett’s case, it may be better to be lost than to be found.
At age eight Scarlett is kidnapped on her way home from school. At her captor’s house, she is forced to work for them and do their bidding.
”I didn’t choose to join the illustrious society of missing girls. I didn’t grab an application, dot my I’s with hearts (it was third grade, okay?), and sign my name with a flourish in my newly acquired cursive. I was taken.”Managing to escape at fifteen, she is soon reunited with her family. Albeit a broken family, with her mother leaving soon after her return and her little sister Melody barely speaking to her.
”I choose to continue hoping, to continue swimming against the current in the hope that Melody will change. That she’ll realize she’s been wrong about me all along, that she’s my sister and she loves me.”Now one year later, she’s still trying to piece her life back together. She soon lands a job at the Five Banners Adventure park and starts making friends and even the attention of a cute coworker. Then one of the park’s workers goes missing, with the same MO that occurred when Scarlett was kidnapped. Has the past come back to Scarlett?
Yet another mystery hyped up to be the next YA Gone Girl (advertisers, can we PLEASE quit with that?) It wasn’t completely horrible, but it wasn’t bone-chillingly suspenseful either. The most interesting parts to read about were the happenings of Scarlett’s daily life and functions after she returns from the kidnapping and the interactions between Scarlett and Pixie during their captivity. Desperate for a companion, her captors kidnap another child Scarlett nicknames Pixie. Unlike Scarlett, who slowly resigns herself to her fate, Pixie constantly is looking for a way to escape, but always manages to get caught. Even though Scarlett escaped and Pixie did not, she still thinks of her often.
”Even after so many years, Pixie has a way of working herself into every facet of my life. She’s there when I eat breakfast, when I sit down to do my homework, when I feel the sun wash warm over my face. Always reminding me she’ll never get to do any of those things again.”The interactions between Scarlett and Pixie were the most interesting to read about, since in a weird twisted way they balanced each other out. Scarlett is more calm and resigned, while Pixie is a lot more assertive and aggressive.
The flashback scenes are kind of a mixed bag. As I said previously, I liked reading the interactions between Scarlett and Pixie. However, one thing the author forgot to mention is why Scarlett was kidnapped in the first place. We’re given no reason, but from what I read, it basically seemed like the captors wanted free labor? The snippets also gave hints that the captors ran a brothel or prostitution house of some sort, but they never force the two girls to partake in any of those activities. So I really didn’t get why the heck they kidnapped Scarlett in the first place. It made no sense. The man captor also didn’t really make an appearance, other than to show that he was the one who took Scarlett. The female captor is the main aggressor and tormentor, though her role is also never explained.
”For years after, I thought of her as a monster, and she was a monster, and it scared me to think of how well she wore her human disguise. It made me wonder if everybody in the world was like that, if that’s just what happened when you became an adult: you grew horns and claws and slipped on human skin like a bathrobe.”The author could have fleshed them out more and done a bit more explaining as to why they decided to kidnap Scarlett, as the author made it seem like it was a random kidnapping for a seemingly random, unexplained reason.
The interactions between Scarlett and her coworker Katharina were awkward, but not as awkward or unexplained as those between Katharina and Melody. It’ll make sense in the end, but in the set-up beforehand, it just seemed like they randomly knew each other from before and get along beautifully. And we the readers are left to just sit there as confused as Scarlett is. And she shows up in such random places too. If you’re going to develop a character to be a foil, make them a formidable foil and not a random one.
The romance in the book between Scarlett and Connor, the cute coworker, was completely bungled.
”’I like the people,’ I say, and by ‘people’ and I mean ‘person’ and by ‘person’ I mean Connor.”Their interactions at first were cute, and Connor as a character was charming to read about. However, I felt the way Connor treated her was utter, complete crap. Not because of his attitude, but his seeming unwillingness to let his ex-girlfriend go, though they have broken up. It’s like ‘WHY MUST GUYS BE SO STUPID’!!! He didn’t totally redeem himself in the end, though he was a adorable character to read about in the beginning.
I will have to give props to the author for the twist ending, though. I never saw it coming, though I’m sure some keen-minded individual will pick up on some nuances or hidden breadcrumb clues that I couldn’t see. And while the ending twist was indeed very clever and a little stunning, it got jumbled as the whole truth finally came out. At times, the author seemed to switch the POVS up and I couldn’t tell who was speaking or telling the story. The ending is somewhat tied up neatly, but there are some loose ends dangling that may frustrate readers who like a clear, succinct ending.
A weak psychological thriller that, despite its surprise twist ending, ultimately disappoints due to weak flashbacks, limited character development, and confusing character interactions.
July 26, 2016
This review was originally posted on Latte Nights Reviews.
Scarlett is back with her family after being kidnapped as a little girl. Things with her family are going well, except with her twin sister. Scarlett wants to feel connect to her again, but she knows it's not that easy after being separated for so long. She's ready to start working at the theme park, but a blast from the past is the last thing Scarlett thought she would encounter.
WHAT I LIKED
When I started reading, I had no idea what to expect. I did think it was about uncovering who had taken the missing girl from the park. Boy, was I wrong and had no idea what was coming. You see, our main character cannot be held accountable for anything. She's so unreliable! A lot of things happen with her that would leave me frowning and trying to figure out what the heck was going on.
The prologue set the eerie tone for the rest of the story. Scarlett's past is like a messed up Cinderella tale, which she mentions herself. She's forced to clean and tend to every need the woman upstairs has. Learning about Scarlett's past was a little frightening. Knowing she could get back to her normal life was great. She was the main focus of the story, which was perfect for the narration. I loved the flashbacks of the story interwoven with what was happening in the present. It was so easy to follow and understand both periods of times in Scarlett's life.
Scarlett's narration spoke volumes to me. I was glued to her story and I kept wanting to dig deeper, to know more. It is why I read this book in one sitting. I tried to put it away, but I would find myself reading one more chapter until I had finished. Near the end, I was struck dumb and had to re-read a few paragraphs because my mind couldn't grasp the plot twist! I must have said, "Wait, what?!" a lot of times before I actually understood. When I did, I just sat there staring at the book and thinking, "I NEVER saw this coming." Even though I had a lot of WTF moments, the plot twist was my major "WTF?!".
WHAT FELL FLAT
Unfortunately, the secondary characters fell flat to me. There wasn't much going on with them and I feel like they didn't contribute to the story.
OVERALL
Never Missing, Never Found is a YA thriller filled with so much suspense that it will leave you guessing and biting your nails until the very end.
I received a finished copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.This review was originally posted on Latte Nights Reviews.
Scarlett is back with her family after being kidnapped as a little girl. Things with her family are going well, except with her twin sister. Scarlett wants to feel connect to her again, but she knows it's not that easy after being separated for so long. She's ready to start working at the theme park, but a blast from the past is the last thing Scarlett thought she would encounter.
WHAT I LIKED
When I started reading, I had no idea what to expect. I did think it was about uncovering who had taken the missing girl from the park. Boy, was I wrong and had no idea what was coming. You see, our main character cannot be held accountable for anything. She's so unreliable! A lot of things happen with her that would leave me frowning and trying to figure out what the heck was going on.
The prologue set the eerie tone for the rest of the story. Scarlett's past is like a messed up Cinderella tale, which she mentions herself. She's forced to clean and tend to every need the woman upstairs has. Learning about Scarlett's past was a little frightening. Knowing she could get back to her normal life was great. She was the main focus of the story, which was perfect for the narration. I loved the flashbacks of the story interwoven with what was happening in the present. It was so easy to follow and understand both periods of times in Scarlett's life.
Scarlett's narration spoke volumes to me. I was glued to her story and I kept wanting to dig deeper, to know more. It is why I read this book in one sitting. I tried to put it away, but I would find myself reading one more chapter until I had finished. Near the end, I was struck dumb and had to re-read a few paragraphs because my mind couldn't grasp the plot twist! I must have said, "Wait, what?!" a lot of times before I actually understood. When I did, I just sat there staring at the book and thinking, "I NEVER saw this coming." Even though I had a lot of WTF moments, the plot twist was my major "WTF?!".
WHAT FELL FLAT
Unfortunately, the secondary characters fell flat to me. There wasn't much going on with them and I feel like they didn't contribute to the story.
OVERALL
Never Missing, Never Found is a YA thriller filled with so much suspense that it will leave you guessing and biting your nails until the very end.
I received a finished copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.This review was originally posted on Latte Nights Reviews.
June 27, 2016
Random House Children's and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of Never Missing, Never Found, in exchange for an honest review.
Kidnapped in third grade while standing on the sidewalk, Scarlett made a choice in the dark basement in which she was held that changed the course of her life. Now a teenager, Scarlett gets a job working at Five Banners, a superhero comic themed amusement park. A tragedy at the park brings back old memories and Scarlett is struck with the sense that something is not right. Will the turmoil in her life destroy Scarlett or will she be able to move forward?
Never Missing, Never Found is a fast paced thriller with an interesting twist. There are a few missed opportunities with regards to the plot, but given the length of the book, the author was able to pack in a good deal of suspense. Scarlett's family dynamics was not fully explained and some of the plot seemed rushed. Readers who are looking for something thrilling and suspenseful, with a reasonable number of pages, will enjoy Never Missing, Never Found.
Kidnapped in third grade while standing on the sidewalk, Scarlett made a choice in the dark basement in which she was held that changed the course of her life. Now a teenager, Scarlett gets a job working at Five Banners, a superhero comic themed amusement park. A tragedy at the park brings back old memories and Scarlett is struck with the sense that something is not right. Will the turmoil in her life destroy Scarlett or will she be able to move forward?
Never Missing, Never Found is a fast paced thriller with an interesting twist. There are a few missed opportunities with regards to the plot, but given the length of the book, the author was able to pack in a good deal of suspense. Scarlett's family dynamics was not fully explained and some of the plot seemed rushed. Readers who are looking for something thrilling and suspenseful, with a reasonable number of pages, will enjoy Never Missing, Never Found.
June 29, 2016
Never Missing Never Found is an excellent follow-up to a stunning debut and I'm thrilled to see where Amanda Panitch goes next! This novel was compulsively readable and I was turning the pages so fast they were nearly a blur. If you're looking for a juicy mystery with a killer twist at the end, look no further than Never Missing Never Found - this one is PERFECT for a day spent at the beach!
For the full review and more, head over to The Pretty Good Gatsby!
For the full review and more, head over to The Pretty Good Gatsby!
July 19, 2016
The ending was...wild. What a twist. I highly recommend if you're looking for a YA mystery.
February 13, 2017
This book started off so well and I think that if I had connected to the characters - particularly our protagonist, Scarlett - on any level whatsoever, I would have enjoyed this book more than I did. However, the characterisation was so lacking that it made my enjoyment of the book all but evaporate. I can understand why Panitch decided to be vague in her descriptions and development, and I do think that it did so many wonderful things for the story’s suspense levels and plotline but sacrificing well-written and developed characters for a good storyline is not the way I prefer things. Panitch should have focused on fleshing out Scarlett’s character and her struggles to assimilate back into ‘normal life’ after her kidnapping rather than the plotline she did.
I honestly believe that there was so much potential in a protagonist like Scarlett that it is sad none of it was tapped. She could have been this fantastically gritty and raw character but instead, I found her too vague. I could never understand her motivations or empathise with her decisions because I never felt like we got to know her on such an intimate level. Like I said, though, I do understand the author’s intentions in writing Scarlett like this but - personally - it did the story a disservice. On top of that, Scarlett was not the only character I struggled with. I found it hard to connect with any of the secondary characters and this made it almost impossible to care to for the people in this story in the slightest. Again, there is a deliberate vagueness in Scarlett’s relationships with her family and coworkers but this just furthered my struggles with caring about Scarlett in general.
The romance was what really made me cringe and dislike Scarlett even more. While there was technically no real cheating, Scarlett’s crush on Connor still made for an awkward situation. It is never a good indication when you end up siding with the supposed romantic interest’s rejection of the protagonist instead of the protagonist herself! I could completely understand why Connor told Scarlett that it was not the best time for him to get into a relationship. Yes, he had already broken up with Cady but she was one of his best friends and going through a pretty shitty time of her life. Cady needed Connor’s support and friendship more than Connor needed to be getting into another relationship. I understand that Scarlett would be a little hurt by this but it was hard to care for her when Connor seemed to be (1) being a fantastic friend - and how can you not love someone so loyal and considerate? - and (2) completely logical. I found the resulting angst and woe-be-me routine dull.
With all that being said, the creep and suspense level on this book was definitely there and undeniably delicious. I loved the creepiness Scarlett’s work at a theme park provided and the intrigue behind the missing girls, Melody’s shiftiness and Katharina’s cryptic comments had me flipping the pages. I was not a massive fan of how the flashbacks were disjointedly integrated into the story but they did certainly aid in creating a suspenseful and haunting atmosphere. I was eager to find answers and while the story did get distracted at points - with romance and petty work drama - the overall mystery was definitely consuming. The ending was a little rushed and there were certain parts of it that I felt were too out of character and sudden but the shocks and thrills it provided more than made up for the majority of these issues.
Overall?
I think that this was a solid mystery but the characterisation was so poor that I really struggled to enjoy this book. In fact, I couldn’t say that I did enjoy it at all. Scarlett bugged me as a character because we never got to really know her on a personal level and the decisions she made never seemed consistent. I also really struggled with the secondary characters and attempted romance. I do think that this author has potential - and her debut is definitely calling to me - but I doubt I’ll ever go around recommending this particular story.
I honestly believe that there was so much potential in a protagonist like Scarlett that it is sad none of it was tapped. She could have been this fantastically gritty and raw character but instead, I found her too vague. I could never understand her motivations or empathise with her decisions because I never felt like we got to know her on such an intimate level. Like I said, though, I do understand the author’s intentions in writing Scarlett like this but - personally - it did the story a disservice. On top of that, Scarlett was not the only character I struggled with. I found it hard to connect with any of the secondary characters and this made it almost impossible to care to for the people in this story in the slightest. Again, there is a deliberate vagueness in Scarlett’s relationships with her family and coworkers but this just furthered my struggles with caring about Scarlett in general.
The romance was what really made me cringe and dislike Scarlett even more. While there was technically no real cheating, Scarlett’s crush on Connor still made for an awkward situation. It is never a good indication when you end up siding with the supposed romantic interest’s rejection of the protagonist instead of the protagonist herself! I could completely understand why Connor told Scarlett that it was not the best time for him to get into a relationship. Yes, he had already broken up with Cady but she was one of his best friends and going through a pretty shitty time of her life. Cady needed Connor’s support and friendship more than Connor needed to be getting into another relationship. I understand that Scarlett would be a little hurt by this but it was hard to care for her when Connor seemed to be (1) being a fantastic friend - and how can you not love someone so loyal and considerate? - and (2) completely logical. I found the resulting angst and woe-be-me routine dull.
With all that being said, the creep and suspense level on this book was definitely there and undeniably delicious. I loved the creepiness Scarlett’s work at a theme park provided and the intrigue behind the missing girls, Melody’s shiftiness and Katharina’s cryptic comments had me flipping the pages. I was not a massive fan of how the flashbacks were disjointedly integrated into the story but they did certainly aid in creating a suspenseful and haunting atmosphere. I was eager to find answers and while the story did get distracted at points - with romance and petty work drama - the overall mystery was definitely consuming. The ending was a little rushed and there were certain parts of it that I felt were too out of character and sudden but the shocks and thrills it provided more than made up for the majority of these issues.
Overall?
I think that this was a solid mystery but the characterisation was so poor that I really struggled to enjoy this book. In fact, I couldn’t say that I did enjoy it at all. Scarlett bugged me as a character because we never got to really know her on a personal level and the decisions she made never seemed consistent. I also really struggled with the secondary characters and attempted romance. I do think that this author has potential - and her debut is definitely calling to me - but I doubt I’ll ever go around recommending this particular story.
June 30, 2016
Read more of this review at Beatrice Learns To Read.
3.5 stars
Last year, Amanda Panitch's debut novel, Damage Done, blew my mind away with such a plot twist that caught me off guard and so I had always been on the watch for what's next for her. I must say that one of the reasons that I wanted to read Never Missing, Never Found was because of the author herself.
It's difficult not to compare this book from her previous title which is also in the mystery/thriller category because Damage Done really set the bar for me. (You know what they say, "You're only as good as your last game/performance/success/whatever") and that's why I was expecting a lot more from Never Missing, Never Found.
The thing is, Never Missing, Never Found became a bit more complicated for my expectations. In the book, the story is told in Scarlett's POV. The readers get to have a glimpse of her past where she was taken and kept in a basement for years, the present, where she spends most of her time working at an amusement park, or trying to win her sister back and then, there were bits from the Skywoman comics (which I personally think took a lot away from what's really going on in the actual story). The narration is uncomplicated but it's the continuity that made everything a little vague.
But of course, there's the ever present plot twist that I was waiting for every page I turn. Ms. Panitch is starting to have a reputation for writing unreliable characters and I think that's what she was aiming for with Never Missing, Never Found. The "thriller" that's lingering in this book weighs more on the characters rather than the plot. She also mentioned in my previous interview with the author that she likes to write dangerous girls and it's evident in this book.
Overall, Never Missing, Never Found will keep you turning the pages, and when you reach the end, you'll be turning them back to the start to see WTF JUST HAPPENED. It's really messed up (in a good and effective way).
3.5 stars
Last year, Amanda Panitch's debut novel, Damage Done, blew my mind away with such a plot twist that caught me off guard and so I had always been on the watch for what's next for her. I must say that one of the reasons that I wanted to read Never Missing, Never Found was because of the author herself.
It's difficult not to compare this book from her previous title which is also in the mystery/thriller category because Damage Done really set the bar for me. (You know what they say, "You're only as good as your last game/performance/success/whatever") and that's why I was expecting a lot more from Never Missing, Never Found.
The thing is, Never Missing, Never Found became a bit more complicated for my expectations. In the book, the story is told in Scarlett's POV. The readers get to have a glimpse of her past where she was taken and kept in a basement for years, the present, where she spends most of her time working at an amusement park, or trying to win her sister back and then, there were bits from the Skywoman comics (which I personally think took a lot away from what's really going on in the actual story). The narration is uncomplicated but it's the continuity that made everything a little vague.
But of course, there's the ever present plot twist that I was waiting for every page I turn. Ms. Panitch is starting to have a reputation for writing unreliable characters and I think that's what she was aiming for with Never Missing, Never Found. The "thriller" that's lingering in this book weighs more on the characters rather than the plot. She also mentioned in my previous interview with the author that she likes to write dangerous girls and it's evident in this book.
Overall, Never Missing, Never Found will keep you turning the pages, and when you reach the end, you'll be turning them back to the start to see WTF JUST HAPPENED. It's really messed up (in a good and effective way).
November 1, 2016
Interesting concept, particularly with the twist. Unfortunately the writing is not so great, the characters are unbelievable and inconsistent, and thinking about it too much uncovers a ton of plot holes.
July 17, 2016
I've never worked in an amusement park - I've worked in retail but never with a roller coaster riding above or the theme music playing throughout. I think it's a unique experience and definitely gave this story a wonderful undercurrent of curiosity.
Mix that in with Scarlett's horrific history and her slow recovery and you have the perfect setting for a mystery. A girl goes missing that works for the amusement park.
Has Scarlett's past come to haunt her?
I never would have guessed the end. The writing is wonderful and the characters are perfect - they are typical in that they make mistakes, poor choices and aren't always nice. It left me guessing until the very end.
Mix that in with Scarlett's horrific history and her slow recovery and you have the perfect setting for a mystery. A girl goes missing that works for the amusement park.
Has Scarlett's past come to haunt her?
I never would have guessed the end. The writing is wonderful and the characters are perfect - they are typical in that they make mistakes, poor choices and aren't always nice. It left me guessing until the very end.
June 27, 2016
I feel like I've seen this ending before. But it was a pretty thrilling ride, and definitely worth a read.
September 10, 2016
I hate to be the odd reviewer out, but this book was absurd, and the ending was terrible.
June 8, 2024
It was a bit difficult in the start but it got better towards the middle, there were also parts where I knew who the bad person was and I was just trying to convince myself that it wasn't going to be that simple, and well... it was.
In a way.
Because the twist didn't twist in a way I expected it to so I'll give the book a 1 star for that and in general, I liked whatever Scarlett and Connor had going on so 2 stars for that.. that's it.
In a way.
Because the twist didn't twist in a way I expected it to so I'll give the book a 1 star for that and in general, I liked whatever Scarlett and Connor had going on so 2 stars for that.. that's it.
April 5, 2017
Thru the book I was enjoying it felt like it was going places maybe a little less you would expect of PTSD. And guy in picture and all them story to go flat. I was entertained since wanted to see what happened but yea... One thing though had me was sorta ending I didn't see coming. So can't figured if enjoyed it enough or not for 3.5- near 5 so just going with a 4
June 30, 2016
This review can also be found on A Thousand Lives Lived, check it out for more!
As mentioned in every review I write for thrillers, I ADORE THEM. I love the madness that authors express when they are writing from the perspective of a character who gets really creeped out. Having read Amanda Panitch's work before, specifically Damage Done, which was pretty great in my opinion, I expected greatness coming from this one, too. Never Missing, Never Found is the COOLEST OUT OF THE COOL. A psychological thriller being taken place in an amusement park that's based around these fictional superheroes that the world has never heard of in their whole lives? Hell yeah. Panitch exemplifies a protagonist who was kidnapped when she was eight, and then was released when she was fifteen, and how a new experience in her life, very similar to hers, affects her when she has moved on in her life, and is not in the same setting where she was held captive.
MY FAVOURITE PART OF THIS BOOK? The fact that this is not necessarily about Scarlett's kidnapping. This is the aftermath, years later. In fact, I'm pretty sure it's like three years after she was released. Can you recall the number of times where we readers have read books about people who are currently being held captive? Like listen: I have no issues with that. There are a handful of authors who master that plot perfectly, but it's done so often that we kind of already know what to expect. Amanda Panitch wrote such a different, pleasing story that uses characters' prior life events to showcase a new event in a different setting. This was gorgeous.
Never Missing, Never Found features a protagonist named Scarlett who is beginning her summer job at an amusement park by her house, years after she ran away from her captor. Things seem normal at first, and she makes new friends who each have their own flaws that kind of set her off. Of course, that could simply be absolute paranoia; we cannot blame her. She immediately has a crush on one of the most upbeat guys she has ever met, named Connor. One of the girls who was also interviewed to work at the park the same time that Scarlett was interviewed goes missing, and Scarlett immediately begins to get flashbacks of her past and all of it.
I liked just about everything about this book. Amanda Panitch's writing is so addicting and I honestly finished this in two sittings, which is rare for me these days. From the electrifying, captivating cover to the actual words, I turned out to be completely satisfied with the outcome and how real this story turned out to be. This is not your typical mystery where the protagonist puts their detective cap on and tries to investigate. Instead, we have something that could completely occur in reality, and what's better than having a summer-related plot?
Never Missing, Never Found is a ray of sunshine. Okay, it contains dark themes and scary moments where you feel like you want to stay home for the rest of your life, but it was just so good. With its complex themes and Scarlett's brilliant, independent personality, this is just fabulous.
*A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much!*
As mentioned in every review I write for thrillers, I ADORE THEM. I love the madness that authors express when they are writing from the perspective of a character who gets really creeped out. Having read Amanda Panitch's work before, specifically Damage Done, which was pretty great in my opinion, I expected greatness coming from this one, too. Never Missing, Never Found is the COOLEST OUT OF THE COOL. A psychological thriller being taken place in an amusement park that's based around these fictional superheroes that the world has never heard of in their whole lives? Hell yeah. Panitch exemplifies a protagonist who was kidnapped when she was eight, and then was released when she was fifteen, and how a new experience in her life, very similar to hers, affects her when she has moved on in her life, and is not in the same setting where she was held captive.
MY FAVOURITE PART OF THIS BOOK? The fact that this is not necessarily about Scarlett's kidnapping. This is the aftermath, years later. In fact, I'm pretty sure it's like three years after she was released. Can you recall the number of times where we readers have read books about people who are currently being held captive? Like listen: I have no issues with that. There are a handful of authors who master that plot perfectly, but it's done so often that we kind of already know what to expect. Amanda Panitch wrote such a different, pleasing story that uses characters' prior life events to showcase a new event in a different setting. This was gorgeous.
Never Missing, Never Found features a protagonist named Scarlett who is beginning her summer job at an amusement park by her house, years after she ran away from her captor. Things seem normal at first, and she makes new friends who each have their own flaws that kind of set her off. Of course, that could simply be absolute paranoia; we cannot blame her. She immediately has a crush on one of the most upbeat guys she has ever met, named Connor. One of the girls who was also interviewed to work at the park the same time that Scarlett was interviewed goes missing, and Scarlett immediately begins to get flashbacks of her past and all of it.
"Worry means that he cares, but I can't have him worrying too much, especially after the heart-to-heart we shared. Worrying means that he'll want to get close. Worrying means that he'll want to know what's going on. He'll want to know my secrets, and nobody can get that close." (169)
I liked just about everything about this book. Amanda Panitch's writing is so addicting and I honestly finished this in two sittings, which is rare for me these days. From the electrifying, captivating cover to the actual words, I turned out to be completely satisfied with the outcome and how real this story turned out to be. This is not your typical mystery where the protagonist puts their detective cap on and tries to investigate. Instead, we have something that could completely occur in reality, and what's better than having a summer-related plot?
Never Missing, Never Found is a ray of sunshine. Okay, it contains dark themes and scary moments where you feel like you want to stay home for the rest of your life, but it was just so good. With its complex themes and Scarlett's brilliant, independent personality, this is just fabulous.
*A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much!*
August 8, 2016
**4.5 stars**
Originally posted at: https://iliveforreading.blogspot.com/...
While there are horrible, HORRIBLE things that happen to people that I wouldn't wish on anyone, I've always been fascinated by or curious about the aftermath of traumatic events. There's something about reading a story featuring a character who has multiple levels, and things aren't always what they seem. I was intrigued by the premise for Never Missing, Never Found and was eager to understand what exactly was going on with Scarlett on a psychological level, because being kidnapped would definitely change a person. I was absolutely blown away by this novel. Holy hells–it was so good.
While I liked that Scarlett had this confident, go-getter attitude, I was a little taken aback by her brash(ish) nature. I mean, it was good to see such a strong female character, but she was kind of mean to some of the other characters. Justified in almost all ways, but totally not how I would act in certain situations. But...ding! ding! ding! this was the psychological aspect I was looking forward to in a novel such as this one. I loved Connor's character, and I found Katharina and Melody's characters super interesting. However, I felt like I was missing out on a lot to do with the secondary characters. I'm sad that there wasn't too much development for them, but thankfully, it didn't take away from the shock of the reveal.
THAT REVEAL.
Oh.
My.
God.
If you know me, you'll know that I have this sort of adamant nature of trying to figure out the mystery before the end. Something about them makes me go on high-alert while I'm reading, and then I tend to pick up all sorts of little details that lead me to guess (usually correctly) the ending of the story. But nuh-uh. Not with this book. I was so BLINDED. I had no idea that was coming my way. Holy shizzlesticks. I literally had to pull away from reading because the shock was along the lines of WHAT-HOW-DID-I-NOT-SEE-THIS-BEFORE-HOLY-MOTHE– (and you get the rest). But yeah, I was totally caught with the twist in this one, and while I thought the follow-through was less on par with the reveal, it still haunts me days after I finished reading this book.
With an absolutely mind-blowing and jaw-dropping twist, Never Missing, Never Found was a fantastic psychological mystery that sucked me in from the very first page. Alternating between horrific flashbacks of a girl's capture and an eerie present-day mystery, Amanda Panitch's sophomore novel unfolds a story unlike any other. Nail-biting and heart-pounding until the end, it's bound to have you on the edge of your seat.
▪ ▪ ▪ Thank you so much to Aisha at Random House Children's Books for sending me an eGalley for review! ▪ ▪ ▪
Originally posted at: https://iliveforreading.blogspot.com/...
While there are horrible, HORRIBLE things that happen to people that I wouldn't wish on anyone, I've always been fascinated by or curious about the aftermath of traumatic events. There's something about reading a story featuring a character who has multiple levels, and things aren't always what they seem. I was intrigued by the premise for Never Missing, Never Found and was eager to understand what exactly was going on with Scarlett on a psychological level, because being kidnapped would definitely change a person. I was absolutely blown away by this novel. Holy hells–it was so good.
While I liked that Scarlett had this confident, go-getter attitude, I was a little taken aback by her brash(ish) nature. I mean, it was good to see such a strong female character, but she was kind of mean to some of the other characters. Justified in almost all ways, but totally not how I would act in certain situations. But...ding! ding! ding! this was the psychological aspect I was looking forward to in a novel such as this one. I loved Connor's character, and I found Katharina and Melody's characters super interesting. However, I felt like I was missing out on a lot to do with the secondary characters. I'm sad that there wasn't too much development for them, but thankfully, it didn't take away from the shock of the reveal.
THAT REVEAL.
Oh.
My.
God.
If you know me, you'll know that I have this sort of adamant nature of trying to figure out the mystery before the end. Something about them makes me go on high-alert while I'm reading, and then I tend to pick up all sorts of little details that lead me to guess (usually correctly) the ending of the story. But nuh-uh. Not with this book. I was so BLINDED. I had no idea that was coming my way. Holy shizzlesticks. I literally had to pull away from reading because the shock was along the lines of WHAT-HOW-DID-I-NOT-SEE-THIS-BEFORE-HOLY-MOTHE– (and you get the rest). But yeah, I was totally caught with the twist in this one, and while I thought the follow-through was less on par with the reveal, it still haunts me days after I finished reading this book.
With an absolutely mind-blowing and jaw-dropping twist, Never Missing, Never Found was a fantastic psychological mystery that sucked me in from the very first page. Alternating between horrific flashbacks of a girl's capture and an eerie present-day mystery, Amanda Panitch's sophomore novel unfolds a story unlike any other. Nail-biting and heart-pounding until the end, it's bound to have you on the edge of your seat.
▪ ▪ ▪ Thank you so much to Aisha at Random House Children's Books for sending me an eGalley for review! ▪ ▪ ▪
March 13, 2018
Not so sure what to think here....
Scarlett got kidnapped as a little child and was held captive for several years as a slave worker. The story takes place several years after she got home and alternates between the present and the past. Things could be fine now but they are not.
This book had a very creepy atmosphere. Just all the scenes between Scarlett and her sister Melody. You could slice the tensions with a knife. And what happened to the missing girl from the park not to mention the strange co-worker Katharina -who is she? And does she know anything about the past?- and things really starting to feel claustrophobic. Even the amusement park is not portrayed as this happy bright place instead it is annoying with awful music, stressed out people and greasy food.
There were good things in this book. I liked how all the people from the amusement park were described (there is also some romance going on). I liked the parts where she was a little girl and her relationship with Pixie and the scenes with her little brother Matthew.
But this book wasn't the type of book I could just keep on reading which made it feel like it was going on forever...
And the ending...Oh boy. Not a bad idea but the way it developed it was just strange to me and didn't really make sense. And here is why
Scarlett got kidnapped as a little child and was held captive for several years as a slave worker. The story takes place several years after she got home and alternates between the present and the past. Things could be fine now but they are not.
This book had a very creepy atmosphere. Just all the scenes between Scarlett and her sister Melody. You could slice the tensions with a knife. And what happened to the missing girl from the park not to mention the strange co-worker Katharina -who is she? And does she know anything about the past?- and things really starting to feel claustrophobic. Even the amusement park is not portrayed as this happy bright place instead it is annoying with awful music, stressed out people and greasy food.
There were good things in this book. I liked how all the people from the amusement park were described (there is also some romance going on). I liked the parts where she was a little girl and her relationship with Pixie and the scenes with her little brother Matthew.
But this book wasn't the type of book I could just keep on reading which made it feel like it was going on forever...
And the ending...Oh boy. Not a bad idea but the way it developed it was just strange to me and didn't really make sense. And here is why
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