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The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan
No one wants me to tell you about the disappearance of Sloane Sullivan.
Not the lawyers or the cops. Not her friends or family. Not even the boy who loved her more than anyone. And most certainly not the United States Marshals Service. You know, the people who run the witness protection program or, as it’s officially called, the Witness Security Program? Yeah, the WITSEC folks definitely don’t want me talking to you.
But I don’t care. I have to tell someone.
If I don’t, you’ll never know how completely wrong things can go. How a single decision can change everything. How, when it really comes down to it, you can’t trust anyone. Not even yourself. You have to understand, so it won’t happen to you next. Because you never know when the person sitting next to you isn’t who they claim to be...and because there are worse things than disappearing.
Not the lawyers or the cops. Not her friends or family. Not even the boy who loved her more than anyone. And most certainly not the United States Marshals Service. You know, the people who run the witness protection program or, as it’s officially called, the Witness Security Program? Yeah, the WITSEC folks definitely don’t want me talking to you.
But I don’t care. I have to tell someone.
If I don’t, you’ll never know how completely wrong things can go. How a single decision can change everything. How, when it really comes down to it, you can’t trust anyone. Not even yourself. You have to understand, so it won’t happen to you next. Because you never know when the person sitting next to you isn’t who they claim to be...and because there are worse things than disappearing.
395 pages, Hardcover
First published May 29, 2018
74 people are currently reading
4136 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 296 reviews
July 8, 2018
alright, you guys. only 12 of you have added this book as to-read and that needs to change ASAP. so consider this review as a PSA of sorts - please read this book!
i would say this is your perfect summer YA contemporary read, except the main character is in witness protection and she is on her 19th alias. quite the thriller! i loved seeing sloane trying to navigate her senior year of high school, including parties and prom, whilst also discovering why she has been running from her past.
this book definitely keeps you on your toes. i spent so much time coming up with crazy conspiracy theories about who was who that i became properly paranoid. this book will do that to you. some aspects were slightly predictable if you thought about it hard enough; but for the most part, it was a pretty good at keeping me guessing.
this was a such an enjoyable book and definitely underrated - more people need to read this!
↠ 4.5 stars
i would say this is your perfect summer YA contemporary read, except the main character is in witness protection and she is on her 19th alias. quite the thriller! i loved seeing sloane trying to navigate her senior year of high school, including parties and prom, whilst also discovering why she has been running from her past.
this book definitely keeps you on your toes. i spent so much time coming up with crazy conspiracy theories about who was who that i became properly paranoid. this book will do that to you. some aspects were slightly predictable if you thought about it hard enough; but for the most part, it was a pretty good at keeping me guessing.
this was a such an enjoyable book and definitely underrated - more people need to read this!
↠ 4.5 stars
May 10, 2018
Sloane Sullivan is not your average teenager. She’s become a master of blending in and going unnoticed after years of being in the witness protection program. Now however Sloane can see the light at the end of the tunnel when her handler Mark has promised that this will be her last identity change and there will be no more running after the men she’s hidden from have gone to jail.
With only a couple months left until Sloane is released from the program she begins her time in a new town and new school with hope for the first time in years. That is until Sloane is faced with a friend from her past and struggles with the dilemma of coming clean and running yet again or trying to remain anonymous.
While The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan by Gia Cribbs is a young adult thriller I would warn die hard thriller fans that this one is a very slow build with a lot of the first half reading a lot like a young adult contemporary. Sloane enters what she hopes to be her last days of hiding by attending a new school, making friends and getting close to the boy she had to leave behind from her past all the while slowly showing readers what led Sloane to that point in her life.
Now I’m normally the first to complain of a slow build but the contemporary side and the look into her years in witness protection were engaging enough I didn’t notice it took nearly seventy percent of the book to racket up the action and thrills. I did have the thought in the back of my mind if Sloane recognizes Jason he probably recognized her but I let it ride and enjoyed what was going on regardless. When the action began it was a roller coaster ride until the end that was well worth the wait too. I would say if a fan of young adult thrillers and contemporary this would be certainly worth picking up.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
With only a couple months left until Sloane is released from the program she begins her time in a new town and new school with hope for the first time in years. That is until Sloane is faced with a friend from her past and struggles with the dilemma of coming clean and running yet again or trying to remain anonymous.
While The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan by Gia Cribbs is a young adult thriller I would warn die hard thriller fans that this one is a very slow build with a lot of the first half reading a lot like a young adult contemporary. Sloane enters what she hopes to be her last days of hiding by attending a new school, making friends and getting close to the boy she had to leave behind from her past all the while slowly showing readers what led Sloane to that point in her life.
Now I’m normally the first to complain of a slow build but the contemporary side and the look into her years in witness protection were engaging enough I didn’t notice it took nearly seventy percent of the book to racket up the action and thrills. I did have the thought in the back of my mind if Sloane recognizes Jason he probably recognized her but I let it ride and enjoyed what was going on regardless. When the action began it was a roller coaster ride until the end that was well worth the wait too. I would say if a fan of young adult thrillers and contemporary this would be certainly worth picking up.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
June 4, 2018
4.5 Sloan Sullivan Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟.5
This book was just so much fun to read... I enjoyed it from first page to last... The book was like a mash up of a YA contemporary and a thriller.... and warning to my thriller loving friends, the first 60% of this book is filled with quite a bit of teenage angst.... I found it a perfect blend, however it is a slow building thriller... but well worth it!
Sloan is a typical teenager... with the same dreams and feelings as other teens... The difference Sloan isn’t her real name, in fact this is the 19th name she’s had in the past six years... sloan has been in witness protection ever since she was 12 and witnessed a murder along with her father.... but she only has nine more weeks... and then she will be Sloan Sullivan forever living a normal life going to college.... so when on her first day at the new school she runs into Jason a boy from her past, she is not going to tell Mark her handler.... nothing is standing in her way of a normal life....
sloan was a fabulous character... smart and funny and never feeling sorry for herself and her situation.... I loved the bond between Jason and her... there were quite a few adorable and swoon worthy moments in the first part of this book.... along with a scavenger hunt, senior trip, and of course the prom.... also found the relationship between Sloan and Mark (her handler) really interesting, the trust you’d need to have for that person....
I thought Sloan’s past was revealed to us very well... and I enjoyed all the flashbacks of her time in witness protection and before... there were some intense moments towards the end of this book and some twists I was caught off guard by... extremely well done especially for A debut!
Absolutely recommend to fans of a slow building thriller, just keep in mind these are teenagers and the beginning of this book is filled with all kinds of teenage nonsense and fun... I think this book is perfect for all ages, and if you are a parent I’d say 15 and up, there is some partying and sexual references....
*** thank you so much to the publisher and Net Galley for my copy of this wonderful book ***
This book was just so much fun to read... I enjoyed it from first page to last... The book was like a mash up of a YA contemporary and a thriller.... and warning to my thriller loving friends, the first 60% of this book is filled with quite a bit of teenage angst.... I found it a perfect blend, however it is a slow building thriller... but well worth it!
Sloan is a typical teenager... with the same dreams and feelings as other teens... The difference Sloan isn’t her real name, in fact this is the 19th name she’s had in the past six years... sloan has been in witness protection ever since she was 12 and witnessed a murder along with her father.... but she only has nine more weeks... and then she will be Sloan Sullivan forever living a normal life going to college.... so when on her first day at the new school she runs into Jason a boy from her past, she is not going to tell Mark her handler.... nothing is standing in her way of a normal life....
sloan was a fabulous character... smart and funny and never feeling sorry for herself and her situation.... I loved the bond between Jason and her... there were quite a few adorable and swoon worthy moments in the first part of this book.... along with a scavenger hunt, senior trip, and of course the prom.... also found the relationship between Sloan and Mark (her handler) really interesting, the trust you’d need to have for that person....
I thought Sloan’s past was revealed to us very well... and I enjoyed all the flashbacks of her time in witness protection and before... there were some intense moments towards the end of this book and some twists I was caught off guard by... extremely well done especially for A debut!
Absolutely recommend to fans of a slow building thriller, just keep in mind these are teenagers and the beginning of this book is filled with all kinds of teenage nonsense and fun... I think this book is perfect for all ages, and if you are a parent I’d say 15 and up, there is some partying and sexual references....
*** thank you so much to the publisher and Net Galley for my copy of this wonderful book ***
February 19, 2022
Wow, this book is amazing! One of the most suspenseful YA thrillers/mysteries I’ve read this year and a really awesome debut! Not going to say too much because reading the unfolding mystery is the fun, but Sloane has been on the run and in witness protection for years, moving every few months before the bad guys close in, her only family, her US Marshal who protects her. Action-packed nail-biter with lots of twists and turns. Some trigger warnings that contain spoilers.
Trigger warnings:
Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
Trigger warnings:
Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
May 9, 2018
Now this was different than your typical YA thriller. I don't know that I've read any other witness protection YA thrillers. It was engaging to the point that I finished it in one day.
Sloane Sullivan is in the witness protection program. She's on her nineteenth identity. Sloane witnessed a crime when she was twelve years old and has been running ever since. Any time someone comes close to finding out who she really is or that something is off with her story, she gets a new names and moves to a new city. It's been a rough six years bumping all around for short periods of time. But all of that is coming to an end soon when Sloane turns eighteen and graduates from high school. This is going to be her last identity, her permanent identity, just as long as nothing goes wrong in these last nine weeks of senior year.
Of course, things aren't always that easy. When Sloane runs into her old best friend/next door neighbor from her original life on her first day at the new school, she has to make a decision. Tell the marshal she was placed with about the connection to her old life and be forced to move again when she's so close to setting into the Sloane identity forever or hide it and risk everything. It's a gamble, but Sloane makes a choice that changes everything.
Saying anything else is spoiler central. I enjoyed the mystery of what Sloane actually witnessed to put her in WITSEC. I also loved when the book picks up the pace at about 68% in and really dives into thriller territory. Throughout the middle, the majority of the story focuses on Sloane hiding who she really is and the relationships between the characters. This gives it a contemporary feel until the pace ramps back up and twists start happening. Livie and Sawyer were interesting. But I really loved Mark and his connection to Sloane.
The characters are well-developed. There is a good amount of teen drama in addition to suspense. These don't exactly occur at the same time making the pacing slightly off, but I remained engaged throughout. The twists are surprising and the romance is sweet. Overall, a solid YA thriller. I'll for sure be checking out more from Gia Cribbs in the future.
Sloane Sullivan is in the witness protection program. She's on her nineteenth identity. Sloane witnessed a crime when she was twelve years old and has been running ever since. Any time someone comes close to finding out who she really is or that something is off with her story, she gets a new names and moves to a new city. It's been a rough six years bumping all around for short periods of time. But all of that is coming to an end soon when Sloane turns eighteen and graduates from high school. This is going to be her last identity, her permanent identity, just as long as nothing goes wrong in these last nine weeks of senior year.
Of course, things aren't always that easy. When Sloane runs into her old best friend/next door neighbor from her original life on her first day at the new school, she has to make a decision. Tell the marshal she was placed with about the connection to her old life and be forced to move again when she's so close to setting into the Sloane identity forever or hide it and risk everything. It's a gamble, but Sloane makes a choice that changes everything.
Saying anything else is spoiler central. I enjoyed the mystery of what Sloane actually witnessed to put her in WITSEC. I also loved when the book picks up the pace at about 68% in and really dives into thriller territory. Throughout the middle, the majority of the story focuses on Sloane hiding who she really is and the relationships between the characters. This gives it a contemporary feel until the pace ramps back up and twists start happening. Livie and Sawyer were interesting. But I really loved Mark and his connection to Sloane.
The characters are well-developed. There is a good amount of teen drama in addition to suspense. These don't exactly occur at the same time making the pacing slightly off, but I remained engaged throughout. The twists are surprising and the romance is sweet. Overall, a solid YA thriller. I'll for sure be checking out more from Gia Cribbs in the future.
May 15, 2018
For a debut Young Adult thriller this is very impressive.
Sloane Sullivan is your typical teenager but doesn't have the typical life. She is in the witness protection program and has been since she was 12 after witnessing a murder while out with her father. Her mother ends up murdered by the same people and her father commits suicide shortly after. This leaves her in the care of federal agent Mark who promises to always take care of her. She is on her nineteenth identity but hopefully this will be the last move. She needs to make it through the last nine weeks of her senior year until graduation and then she is finally free.
The road to graduation doesn't come without obstacles and it was fun to tag along with Sloane as she maneuvered her way through them. Sloane is funny, courageous, kind, and intelligent which really made this book for me.
Gia Cribbs wrote a wonderful cast of likable characters which really kept me invested because I cared about all of them. This reads in the beginning a bit like a YA contemporary with some swoon worthy romantic moments ( even I had butterflies in my stomach!) and suspense that slowly builds throughout until the amazing twisty ending. An absolute pleasure to read!
I've been debating between 4 and 4.5 stars but, screw it, I'm going with all 5 stars!
Thank you to Laura & Lia @ Harper Collins for kindly sending me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Sloane Sullivan is your typical teenager but doesn't have the typical life. She is in the witness protection program and has been since she was 12 after witnessing a murder while out with her father. Her mother ends up murdered by the same people and her father commits suicide shortly after. This leaves her in the care of federal agent Mark who promises to always take care of her. She is on her nineteenth identity but hopefully this will be the last move. She needs to make it through the last nine weeks of her senior year until graduation and then she is finally free.
The road to graduation doesn't come without obstacles and it was fun to tag along with Sloane as she maneuvered her way through them. Sloane is funny, courageous, kind, and intelligent which really made this book for me.
Gia Cribbs wrote a wonderful cast of likable characters which really kept me invested because I cared about all of them. This reads in the beginning a bit like a YA contemporary with some swoon worthy romantic moments ( even I had butterflies in my stomach!) and suspense that slowly builds throughout until the amazing twisty ending. An absolute pleasure to read!
I've been debating between 4 and 4.5 stars but, screw it, I'm going with all 5 stars!
Thank you to Laura & Lia @ Harper Collins for kindly sending me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
July 17, 2018
This book is awesome...i put off reading it because I'm not a ya fan....i loved it crazy suspenseful fun read😁
April 16, 2019
Sloane Sullivan was on the run since she was twelve and had nineteen different identities, make it twenty if you include the real her, within the last six years of her life. Her parents were dead—her mother was killed by those who were after her and her father, who was tired looking over his shoulder and jumping from one identity to another, died by his own hand.
Being under the care of the government’s Witness Protection Program, also known as the Witness Security Program or WITSEC , she found a family and a friend on Agent Markham Sullivan.
She was supposedly Sloane Sullivan, now and forever, only if she follows the rules—blend in and don’t let get too close with anyone. If she did, she will be out of WITSEC, go to college and finally be on her own. And when Sloane saw her best friend, Jason Thomas, a person connected from her past, everything changed. Too desperate to get out and tired of not being normal or always being a new someone, she lied to Mark about him.
But bad things happen when you don’t follow the rules and Sloane break the number one rule she had made for herself: don’t have anything you can’t leave behind. Would the memories of her past will make her stay or Sloane Sullivan will disappear and never be found again?
To start, the characters were well written, especially Sloane’s every identity. The author’s commitment to her was evident as she didn’t take shortcuts on how Sloane would connect her present to her past self. By meeting new friends in her first day of school like Livie, Sawyer, Oliver and Jason, Sloane was able to experience high school teenage drama even if she knew she will eventually say goodbye to those people she cares about.
On the other hand, I love how Mark truly cared for Sloane. He was actually my favorite character because he was filled with passion and raw emotions that as the story progress, I ended up rooting for him and understand why he did the things he had done to protect Sloane. It didn’t surprise me at all that in the end, he developed some feelings for her especially when he has been there for Sloane for the past six years.
All the while, Jason’s character gave an excellent weave of strength to the story’s climatic events especially given that he has a deep connection to Sloane, the role he played to piece the puzzle was relevant. He and Sloane, together, was able to confront that there’s a bigger truth on their past than what they had expected.
The supporting characters also clicked perfectly to what could be their part into the story. One of the moments I considered devastating was when Sloane hugged Oliver and it just only meant another heartbreaking goodbye. And as much as I’m keeping this review spoiler-free, there was so much sense in this line and you would be affected as much as I did when you read the story and realized why: “I should be the guy who doesn’t get the girl.”
The slow build-up made an intense, eerie element that gave more mystery to the plot, achieved both by Sloane’s flashes of memories and the constant feeling of fear or danger telling her: you can’t hide.
Don't even get me started with the ending because when I thought I’ve already got a good catch on the tell-all part of the story, just wait because there’s more! Gia Cribbs doesn’t know the meaning of moderation when it comes to surprises. It was like a storm after the calm, lightning and thunder came in rapid succession and I ended frozen on the spot asking the first and only question: “Did just that really happen?”, and before I knew it, another smacking blow of bombshell was revealed.
Gia Cribbs’ approach to the story was real. There were a lot of truth about being on Sloane’s character because she was able to demonstrate in her writing what kind of life a person who is under WITSEC has—being isolated, not feeling safe or having the dilemma of knowing one's identity.
The story also had an undercurrent of issues on depression, suicide and especially the ongoing problem about gun violence where the author made an emphasis on how easy it is to make a mistake or how the consequences becoming permanent. For me, Childish Gambino's ‘This Is America’ which was released, recently this month is a befitting song to highlight a significant, timely topic like this in this debut.
Moreover, the cover got a gorgeous depiction of Sloane’s character and the message the author wants to convey to her readers.
Perfect for the fans of the TV series, The Blacklist and In Plain Sight, The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan is a devious, sensational and a ready movie material debut with skillfully pulled off, tricky and well-crafted plot, ending the story in a chain of coherent twists, shock, and wonder. If you love suspense, thriller and a bit of romance, this one is a book to remember!
***Thank you to Gia Cribbs for providing me a copy in exchange for a fair and honest review!
Full Review at Tale Out Loud | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Being under the care of the government’s Witness Protection Program, also known as the Witness Security Program or WITSEC , she found a family and a friend on Agent Markham Sullivan.
She was supposedly Sloane Sullivan, now and forever, only if she follows the rules—blend in and don’t let get too close with anyone. If she did, she will be out of WITSEC, go to college and finally be on her own. And when Sloane saw her best friend, Jason Thomas, a person connected from her past, everything changed. Too desperate to get out and tired of not being normal or always being a new someone, she lied to Mark about him.
But bad things happen when you don’t follow the rules and Sloane break the number one rule she had made for herself: don’t have anything you can’t leave behind. Would the memories of her past will make her stay or Sloane Sullivan will disappear and never be found again?
To start, the characters were well written, especially Sloane’s every identity. The author’s commitment to her was evident as she didn’t take shortcuts on how Sloane would connect her present to her past self. By meeting new friends in her first day of school like Livie, Sawyer, Oliver and Jason, Sloane was able to experience high school teenage drama even if she knew she will eventually say goodbye to those people she cares about.
On the other hand, I love how Mark truly cared for Sloane. He was actually my favorite character because he was filled with passion and raw emotions that as the story progress, I ended up rooting for him and understand why he did the things he had done to protect Sloane. It didn’t surprise me at all that in the end, he developed some feelings for her especially when he has been there for Sloane for the past six years.
All the while, Jason’s character gave an excellent weave of strength to the story’s climatic events especially given that he has a deep connection to Sloane, the role he played to piece the puzzle was relevant. He and Sloane, together, was able to confront that there’s a bigger truth on their past than what they had expected.
The supporting characters also clicked perfectly to what could be their part into the story. One of the moments I considered devastating was when Sloane hugged Oliver and it just only meant another heartbreaking goodbye. And as much as I’m keeping this review spoiler-free, there was so much sense in this line and you would be affected as much as I did when you read the story and realized why: “I should be the guy who doesn’t get the girl.”
The slow build-up made an intense, eerie element that gave more mystery to the plot, achieved both by Sloane’s flashes of memories and the constant feeling of fear or danger telling her: you can’t hide.
Don't even get me started with the ending because when I thought I’ve already got a good catch on the tell-all part of the story, just wait because there’s more! Gia Cribbs doesn’t know the meaning of moderation when it comes to surprises. It was like a storm after the calm, lightning and thunder came in rapid succession and I ended frozen on the spot asking the first and only question: “Did just that really happen?”, and before I knew it, another smacking blow of bombshell was revealed.
Gia Cribbs’ approach to the story was real. There were a lot of truth about being on Sloane’s character because she was able to demonstrate in her writing what kind of life a person who is under WITSEC has—being isolated, not feeling safe or having the dilemma of knowing one's identity.
The story also had an undercurrent of issues on depression, suicide and especially the ongoing problem about gun violence where the author made an emphasis on how easy it is to make a mistake or how the consequences becoming permanent. For me, Childish Gambino's ‘This Is America’ which was released, recently this month is a befitting song to highlight a significant, timely topic like this in this debut.
Moreover, the cover got a gorgeous depiction of Sloane’s character and the message the author wants to convey to her readers.
Perfect for the fans of the TV series, The Blacklist and In Plain Sight, The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan is a devious, sensational and a ready movie material debut with skillfully pulled off, tricky and well-crafted plot, ending the story in a chain of coherent twists, shock, and wonder. If you love suspense, thriller and a bit of romance, this one is a book to remember!
***Thank you to Gia Cribbs for providing me a copy in exchange for a fair and honest review!
Full Review at Tale Out Loud | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
March 26, 2018
When Sloane Sullivan was 12 years old, she witnessed a murder and then her parents were killed, and she was quickly put into the witness protection programme under the guardianship of Agent Mark. For years they have been changing names and moving around, now that she is nearly 18 years old, this is her last stop and then she is free to go to college and become Sloane Sullivan for good. Sloane has been great at keeping under the radar until the first day of her new school; she bangs into a guy who is very familiar - Jason Thomas. He was her best friend, before the incident. Though it has been six years and she has changed her eye color, he can't have recognized her or has he? Now Sloane should tell Mark but she doesn't want to move, and she wants to be free finally, so she keeps it a secret and eventually becomes friends with Jason and his group. My heartfelt for Sloane as when she visited Jason's house and saw the picture of her mother, someone she hadn't seen in six years. What will happen though when she is finally tracked down by the guys she has been running from? Then Agent Mark - her protector for the past six years goes missing. Soon truths, secrets will come unraveling out, and Sloane will discover that everything she believed for the past six years was a lie. Who can she trust when ones she loves and law enforcement are telling her not to trust the one who has been there for her for the past six years? The ending of this book reminded me of the TV show that aired a few years ago -Finding Carter. If you love YA, mystery and suspense novels with high school life chucked into the mix, then check out The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan by Gia Cribbs today.
April 27, 2019
April 2019 Nerd Herd's Book Club.
January 17, 2018
This is a really, really good YA thriller, and honesty, a great contemporary with a dash of suspense as well. It has super swoony bits, amazing characters who will surprise you over, and over, and over again, and a twist ending that made me re-read the whole book! (and I'm normally prettyyyyy good at catching twists.) I know this probably sounds like the vaguest review ever, but the twists start at about page twenty, and DONT STOP, so I'm afraid of revealing too much... but I will say that if you've ever said, "Hmm, I'm looking for PRETTY IN PINK meets THE SOPRANOS"...well, my friend, have I got a book for you.
Story-wise, there's an amazingly brave, funny MC in Sloane, and everyone around her truly feels well-rounded and realistic. There's some romantic drama *waggles eyebrows*, action-packed scenes, clues speckled in the most mundane places...
Oh, and pretty much the cutest boy next door ever. Just saying.
Story-wise, there's an amazingly brave, funny MC in Sloane, and everyone around her truly feels well-rounded and realistic. There's some romantic drama *waggles eyebrows*, action-packed scenes, clues speckled in the most mundane places...
Oh, and pretty much the cutest boy next door ever. Just saying.
June 5, 2020
I didn't have high expectations for this after my last read, but this one really kept me up till the wee hours in the morning.
I think the premise that the author gave for this novel is one of the best I've seen for any book to date. Especially because any other summary would have given away a lot of what was going on in her premise. And at the point, why bother reading?
Plotwise there were a good many twists I didn't expect. It was super light and funny at times. At other points, there was a serious development. I absolutely loved the terrible pick-up lines, that was literally the highlight of the book, and I've saved every single one.
I might not be Luna, but I sure know how to Love good. (not exactly verbatim)
I'll admit that this book felt a lot like the bachelorette or one of those dating sims that I've seen. I think every hot-blooded male (within age) threw themselves at Sloane. Even the guys from her past were all former contestants or ones that were eliminated. But I think for the sake of this novel, and the somewhat child-like playfulness quality (I'm not too sure how to describe it) it had, I'll let it slide.
I think the markedly contrast between this and many other books (the defining quality for this book being YA) was probably the desperate romance in this novel. Like Sloane and couldn't get enough of each other every time they were together (hence the desperate kissing and whatnot, it's cute at first but that trend feels like it's growing old).
Admittedly, I felt like while the primary case was solved and our MC's life was really all put together by the end of the novel, it felt incomplete. Like some of the stuff at her high school didn't get resolved, but at the same time, I'm aware that she's been running the up-and-run routine for a while.
Overall, it was a pretty quick and interesting read. A fun time for a four a.m. ride.
I think the premise that the author gave for this novel is one of the best I've seen for any book to date. Especially because any other summary would have given away a lot of what was going on in her premise. And at the point, why bother reading?
Plotwise there were a good many twists I didn't expect. It was super light and funny at times. At other points, there was a serious development. I absolutely loved the terrible pick-up lines, that was literally the highlight of the book, and I've saved every single one.
I might not be Luna, but I sure know how to Love good. (not exactly verbatim)
I'll admit that this book felt a lot like the bachelorette or one of those dating sims that I've seen. I think every hot-blooded male (within age) threw themselves at Sloane. Even the guys from her past were all former contestants or ones that were eliminated. But I think for the sake of this novel, and the somewhat child-like playfulness quality (I'm not too sure how to describe it) it had, I'll let it slide.
I think the markedly contrast between this and many other books (the defining quality for this book being YA) was probably the desperate romance in this novel. Like Sloane and couldn't get enough of each other every time they were together (hence the desperate kissing and whatnot, it's cute at first but that trend feels like it's growing old).
Admittedly, I felt like while the primary case was solved and our MC's life was really all put together by the end of the novel, it felt incomplete. Like some of the stuff at her high school didn't get resolved, but at the same time, I'm aware that she's been running the up-and-run routine for a while.
Overall, it was a pretty quick and interesting read. A fun time for a four a.m. ride.
June 6, 2018
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
A debut thriller aimed at the young adult reader range (14-18 years), The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan is a book about taking charge of your life and learning the art of concealment along the way. It is a fast paced and smart thriller that has a few surprises or two up its sleeve for the reader.
The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan begins with keynote character Sloane Sullivan, who in her short life has had an endless amount of different identities. Sloane is under the protection of the US Marshals service, who have placed Sloane in witness protection program (WITSEC), due to her past and family background. Sloane’s already complicated life is about to take another difficult turn when a figure from her past comes back into her life. Sloane must be careful who she can trust and the fallout leads to yet another disappearing act. Will Sloane ever be able to stop running and live her life again?
I do appreciate a good thriller and I also like to dip in and out of the young adult genre from time to time. The title and the premise first grabbed me and definitely convinced me to request The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan to review. Overall, although I felt I was a little too old to fully appreciate the breadth of this novel, but I did enjoy many elements of the book.
My initial interest in this book was sparked by the central focus on the witness protection program or WITSEC, in which the lead of this novel, Sloane, finds herself placed into. I have to admit I don’t know a huge amount about the inner workings of the witness protection program, so this aspect of the book was informative and enriching. Cribbs presents the information pertaining to the witness protection program in an accessible manner. What also struck me was that Cribbs has clearly done her homework in this area of her novel, it comes across as fully researched and realistic.
I also think Cribbs does a good job of capturing the feelings of a teenage girl trapped in this kind of situation. The lack of freedom, restrictions on life choices, the isolation, the inability to make lasting human connections and the sense of unpredictability of living life on the run. This aspect of the novel transfered well to the pages of the book.
The relationships in this novel are explored and fleshed out well. I enjoyed the connection between Mark, the US Marshal sent in to protect Sloane. There was a familial link between Mark and Sloane which is captured well by Cribbs. The relationship between Sloane and Jason, the boy from her past, is presented well by the author. Those who enjoy the angst of teen relationships will appreciate this one. The inclusion of solid secondary characters to the fold add substance to the plot.
Ultimately, I am confident readers will be drawn to the heroine of the story, Sloane. Cribbs presents her in two ways, vulnerable and sassy. She is independent, clever and forward thinking. Sloane is also relatable and her back history, told via intriguing flashbacks, was entertaining. There are plenty of twists, a strong surprise element and plenty of second guessing required on the part of the reader. If you are a fan of mystery style thrillers, this one will be sure to please you.
The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan is a book I would without hesitation recommend to the young adult age range, from ages 14+. The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan offers a good mix of suspense, thrills and relationships issues. It also does a sound job of capturing the issues of a young woman living in a high pressured living environment and the secrets pertaining to her past.
The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan by Gia Cribbs was published on 21st May 2018 by Harlequin Teen. Details on how to purchase the book can be found here.
To learn more about the author of The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan, Gia Cribbs, visit here.
*I wish to thank Harlequin Teen for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
A debut thriller aimed at the young adult reader range (14-18 years), The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan is a book about taking charge of your life and learning the art of concealment along the way. It is a fast paced and smart thriller that has a few surprises or two up its sleeve for the reader.
The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan begins with keynote character Sloane Sullivan, who in her short life has had an endless amount of different identities. Sloane is under the protection of the US Marshals service, who have placed Sloane in witness protection program (WITSEC), due to her past and family background. Sloane’s already complicated life is about to take another difficult turn when a figure from her past comes back into her life. Sloane must be careful who she can trust and the fallout leads to yet another disappearing act. Will Sloane ever be able to stop running and live her life again?
I do appreciate a good thriller and I also like to dip in and out of the young adult genre from time to time. The title and the premise first grabbed me and definitely convinced me to request The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan to review. Overall, although I felt I was a little too old to fully appreciate the breadth of this novel, but I did enjoy many elements of the book.
My initial interest in this book was sparked by the central focus on the witness protection program or WITSEC, in which the lead of this novel, Sloane, finds herself placed into. I have to admit I don’t know a huge amount about the inner workings of the witness protection program, so this aspect of the book was informative and enriching. Cribbs presents the information pertaining to the witness protection program in an accessible manner. What also struck me was that Cribbs has clearly done her homework in this area of her novel, it comes across as fully researched and realistic.
I also think Cribbs does a good job of capturing the feelings of a teenage girl trapped in this kind of situation. The lack of freedom, restrictions on life choices, the isolation, the inability to make lasting human connections and the sense of unpredictability of living life on the run. This aspect of the novel transfered well to the pages of the book.
The relationships in this novel are explored and fleshed out well. I enjoyed the connection between Mark, the US Marshal sent in to protect Sloane. There was a familial link between Mark and Sloane which is captured well by Cribbs. The relationship between Sloane and Jason, the boy from her past, is presented well by the author. Those who enjoy the angst of teen relationships will appreciate this one. The inclusion of solid secondary characters to the fold add substance to the plot.
Ultimately, I am confident readers will be drawn to the heroine of the story, Sloane. Cribbs presents her in two ways, vulnerable and sassy. She is independent, clever and forward thinking. Sloane is also relatable and her back history, told via intriguing flashbacks, was entertaining. There are plenty of twists, a strong surprise element and plenty of second guessing required on the part of the reader. If you are a fan of mystery style thrillers, this one will be sure to please you.
The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan is a book I would without hesitation recommend to the young adult age range, from ages 14+. The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan offers a good mix of suspense, thrills and relationships issues. It also does a sound job of capturing the issues of a young woman living in a high pressured living environment and the secrets pertaining to her past.
The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan by Gia Cribbs was published on 21st May 2018 by Harlequin Teen. Details on how to purchase the book can be found here.
To learn more about the author of The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan, Gia Cribbs, visit here.
*I wish to thank Harlequin Teen for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
July 13, 2022
everyone needs to read this book. it’s one of the ones where once you think you have it all figured out, you really don’t.
the first half of the book seemed like a contemporary YA book, which was okay because it built up to the SECOND HALF where everything goes down the rabbit hole.
and i honestly feel satisfied with the ending. it didn’t really feel rushed.
OH also ferris buellers day off is one of my all time favorite movies so the references to it really made this book better lol
the first half of the book seemed like a contemporary YA book, which was okay because it built up to the SECOND HALF where everything goes down the rabbit hole.
and i honestly feel satisfied with the ending. it didn’t really feel rushed.
OH also ferris buellers day off is one of my all time favorite movies so the references to it really made this book better lol
August 7, 2019
Sloan Sullivan, her nineteenth WITSEC name, is biding her time until she graduates high school and can leave the witness protection program for college. Orphaned by a mob hit and a suicide, all she has is her handler Mark, posing at her father. She never expects to find her old friend Jason at her new school. Instead of telling Mark, Sloan keeps the secret. Jason doesn’t even recognize her with the brown contacts. In WITSEC, Sloan knows she must always be alert because danger is only one eyewitness away.
Gia Cribbs blew me away with her nonstop, pulse stopping debut. I had such empathy for Sloan, wanting her to reach out to Jason while knowing she had to stay secret, worried about how she’d fair once she no longer had Mark. Cribbs wrote a believable voice for Sloan, authentically angsty enough for a teen, yet streetwise enough for someone who had been on the run for six years.
Sloan, Mark, Jason and the teen sidekicks had distinct personalities. I loved how Sloan coached Sawyer about consent and boundaries and despite her perilous circumstances, cared about the mini dramas of her classmates.
The second half of THE DISAPPEARANCE OF SLOAN SULLIVAN twisted and turned me with surprises, most I never saw coming. I didn’t want to say goodbye to Sloan at the end of the story and hope for a sequel. Cribbs’s next book is an automatic preorder.
Gia Cribbs blew me away with her nonstop, pulse stopping debut. I had such empathy for Sloan, wanting her to reach out to Jason while knowing she had to stay secret, worried about how she’d fair once she no longer had Mark. Cribbs wrote a believable voice for Sloan, authentically angsty enough for a teen, yet streetwise enough for someone who had been on the run for six years.
Sloan, Mark, Jason and the teen sidekicks had distinct personalities. I loved how Sloan coached Sawyer about consent and boundaries and despite her perilous circumstances, cared about the mini dramas of her classmates.
The second half of THE DISAPPEARANCE OF SLOAN SULLIVAN twisted and turned me with surprises, most I never saw coming. I didn’t want to say goodbye to Sloan at the end of the story and hope for a sequel. Cribbs’s next book is an automatic preorder.
March 21, 2023
Ohsa, küll selle raamatu kohta sai palju märkmeid Booklys tehtud! Üsna alguses kirjutasin ma sinna ka ära, milline oleks ideaalne happy end sellele loole. Vähemalt üks asi, millega ma täppi panin… Ah ei, valetan. Kaks väga olulist asja arvasin õigesti. Aga vau, milline lugu see oli. Ma tegelikult ei näinud sellist plot twisti siia tulemas, mis sellest et osa nagu ära arvasin.
Esimene pool raamatust oli selline so-so, et midagi justkui toimus, aga samas ei toimunud ka. Aga teine pool sai loetud ühe päevaga ja siis toimus kõike. Ja selle poole jooksul jõudsin ma küll kõiki tundeid tunda, isegi silmad sain märjaks.
Mulle meeldis selle raamatu lõpp ka. Veits oli kurb ka, aga samas mõnus lõpp sellele mõnusale ja YA loole. Kõik need sepitsused ja keerdkäigud.. Uh! Kindlasti #lugemissoovitus! Aga arvestama peab sellega, et kuna see on siiski YA raamat, siis selle võrra on kõik veidi tagasihoidlikum vms.
•
✨Aitäh selle põneva raamatu eest, Rahva Raamatu kirjastus!✨
Esimene pool raamatust oli selline so-so, et midagi justkui toimus, aga samas ei toimunud ka. Aga teine pool sai loetud ühe päevaga ja siis toimus kõike. Ja selle poole jooksul jõudsin ma küll kõiki tundeid tunda, isegi silmad sain märjaks.
Mulle meeldis selle raamatu lõpp ka. Veits oli kurb ka, aga samas mõnus lõpp sellele mõnusale ja YA loole. Kõik need sepitsused ja keerdkäigud.. Uh! Kindlasti #lugemissoovitus! Aga arvestama peab sellega, et kuna see on siiski YA raamat, siis selle võrra on kõik veidi tagasihoidlikum vms.
•
✨Aitäh selle põneva raamatu eest, Rahva Raamatu kirjastus!✨
May 24, 2018
WOW!
I had no idea what to expect from this book but what I got was AMAZING!
I don’t even know where to start, but one thing I defiantly don’t want to talk about is the plot. You need to experience that on your own so you’re as blown away as I was because believe me, everything about this book is intense.
I was instantly hooked on the characters, especially Sloane. She is brave, funny, and so sassy. I was hanging off her every word because her story is incredible. Her story-telling and the way she can be anybody she wants to be is the most interesting aspect I have come across in an MC so young before.
I really don’t know how to put a genre on The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan because it had so many things going for it. For one, I would say the majority of this book is a YA thriller but I would also describe it as part contemporary romance. I mean I was swooning like crazy while reading this and I loved every minute of it. Heck, as much as the suspense was getting to me in this book I was about to throw it across the room if the two people I wanted to end up together didn’t get to be together.
It doesn’t even need a description because it was that dang good. You’ll be wondering the whole time what is real and what isn’t. You won’t know who to trust and you might even guess a big twist in the story like I did but guess what? You don’t have to worry because there’s an even BIGGER twist at the end and there was no way I was figuring that one out.
If you’re looking for an awesome YA thriller with lots of suspense, a swoon-worthy boy next door (yes I said it and YES he is so swoon-worthy) and other amazing characters then you need to one-click the crap out of this book right now because it has it all and so much more. Gia Cribbs, you rock!
**Thank you to the Author for providing a copy of this novel for review.**
I had no idea what to expect from this book but what I got was AMAZING!
I don’t even know where to start, but one thing I defiantly don’t want to talk about is the plot. You need to experience that on your own so you’re as blown away as I was because believe me, everything about this book is intense.
I was instantly hooked on the characters, especially Sloane. She is brave, funny, and so sassy. I was hanging off her every word because her story is incredible. Her story-telling and the way she can be anybody she wants to be is the most interesting aspect I have come across in an MC so young before.
I really don’t know how to put a genre on The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan because it had so many things going for it. For one, I would say the majority of this book is a YA thriller but I would also describe it as part contemporary romance. I mean I was swooning like crazy while reading this and I loved every minute of it. Heck, as much as the suspense was getting to me in this book I was about to throw it across the room if the two people I wanted to end up together didn’t get to be together.
It doesn’t even need a description because it was that dang good. You’ll be wondering the whole time what is real and what isn’t. You won’t know who to trust and you might even guess a big twist in the story like I did but guess what? You don’t have to worry because there’s an even BIGGER twist at the end and there was no way I was figuring that one out.
If you’re looking for an awesome YA thriller with lots of suspense, a swoon-worthy boy next door (yes I said it and YES he is so swoon-worthy) and other amazing characters then you need to one-click the crap out of this book right now because it has it all and so much more. Gia Cribbs, you rock!
**Thank you to the Author for providing a copy of this novel for review.**
August 18, 2018
entertaining and surprising. enjoyed it.
January 1, 2020
5 out of 10
Iteresting, good pacing, but my suspense of disbelieve couldn't stand it and cracked.
January 12, 2025
I can’t stress this enough—RUN, don’t walk, to grab this book! It’s an absolute gem that deserves way more love!
From the very first page, I was captivated by the unique and refreshing plot that had me racing through the chapters. Every detail was meticulously crafted, and the mystery pulled me in deeper with each twist and turn, taking me on an emotional rollercoaster.
It all begins with a sweet yet mysterious tale of a teen girl navigating her senior year under yet another alias. But hold onto your seats! Around the halfway point, the suspense ramps up, and let me tell you, it refuses to let go until the final, heart-stopping page. I’m not joking!
Friends, I was a mess—I SOBBED uncontrollably during the last stretch of the book. I never saw that coming!
This story surprised me in the best way possible, and I can’t recommend it enough! Seriously, do yourself a favor and pick this one up!
From the very first page, I was captivated by the unique and refreshing plot that had me racing through the chapters. Every detail was meticulously crafted, and the mystery pulled me in deeper with each twist and turn, taking me on an emotional rollercoaster.
It all begins with a sweet yet mysterious tale of a teen girl navigating her senior year under yet another alias. But hold onto your seats! Around the halfway point, the suspense ramps up, and let me tell you, it refuses to let go until the final, heart-stopping page. I’m not joking!
Friends, I was a mess—I SOBBED uncontrollably during the last stretch of the book. I never saw that coming!
This story surprised me in the best way possible, and I can’t recommend it enough! Seriously, do yourself a favor and pick this one up!
June 3, 2021
❐ Overall Rating 4¼⭐
❐ # of Pages: 400
❐ Contemporary YA Mystery/Thriller/Suspense
❐ That stays true to being YA
❐ Mobsters, US Marshals, & WITSEC
❐ A healthy dose of high school drama
It starts out kind of slow...with some typical high school kind of drama and just past the halfway mark is when things get interesting.
This is the story of ordinary people getting caught up in something they never should have been involved in. Wrong place, wrong time. A story about a girl stuck in witness protection...who just wants to stop running every time someone might be getting too close to the truth. Also, it should be noted, if you’re like me and you feel like aspects of this would never play out in RL, just stick with it, it will all make sense, eventually. You should also remember that it is YA...and it stays true to being YA...despite some of the elements at play here.
🅒🅐🅦🅟🅘🅛🅔 8.57/❿
🅒haracters ￫ 8
🅐tmosphere ￫ 8.5
🅦riting ￫ 9
🅟lot ￫ 9
🅘ntrigue ￫ 8.5
🅛ogic ￫ 8.5
🅔njoyment ￫ 8.5
❐ # of Pages: 400
❐ Contemporary YA Mystery/Thriller/Suspense
❐ That stays true to being YA
❐ Mobsters, US Marshals, & WITSEC
❐ A healthy dose of high school drama
It starts out kind of slow...with some typical high school kind of drama and just past the halfway mark is when things get interesting.
This is the story of ordinary people getting caught up in something they never should have been involved in. Wrong place, wrong time. A story about a girl stuck in witness protection...who just wants to stop running every time someone might be getting too close to the truth. Also, it should be noted, if you’re like me and you feel like aspects of this would never play out in RL, just stick with it, it will all make sense, eventually. You should also remember that it is YA...and it stays true to being YA...despite some of the elements at play here.
🅒🅐🅦🅟🅘🅛🅔 8.57/❿
🅒haracters ￫ 8
🅐tmosphere ￫ 8.5
🅦riting ￫ 9
🅟lot ￫ 9
🅘ntrigue ￫ 8.5
🅛ogic ￫ 8.5
🅔njoyment ￫ 8.5
March 15, 2018
I couldn't put this book down. I was hooked from page one. Sloane Sullivan is just one of the many names 17 year old Sasha Abbott has has since she was 8. Her dad saw something done by the Rossetti mob family and she saw it to, even though she doesn't remember, it's WITSEC for them to stay alive. Sloane's mother has already been killed, her dad commits suicide, now it's just her and her WITSEC agent, Mark, or at least this is what she has been told...has she been told the truth all these years?
This book is a really page turner. It has so many twists an turns in it, there is no way for a person not to be interested. Mark gave up everything to keep Sloane safe, yet he's not exactly a good guy, I really like that things aren't completely good or bad in this book. Some of the characters enter the grey area, but for a possibly good reason.
This is going to be an author to watch for. Excellent plot with unexpected twists. An original story with great characters and exceptional writing. Disserving of all 5 stars, I'd give more if I could.
This book is a really page turner. It has so many twists an turns in it, there is no way for a person not to be interested. Mark gave up everything to keep Sloane safe, yet he's not exactly a good guy, I really like that things aren't completely good or bad in this book. Some of the characters enter the grey area, but for a possibly good reason.
This is going to be an author to watch for. Excellent plot with unexpected twists. An original story with great characters and exceptional writing. Disserving of all 5 stars, I'd give more if I could.
August 8, 2021
the writing and the dialogue and the characters made me want to off myself😍
July 30, 2018
One of the most clever books I’ve read all year, and I don’t see author Gia Cribbs disappearing from the writing scene as a result, for an extremely long time (no WITSEC for her!). I chose this as my second book during a recent ‘readathon’ (I think I’d been subconsciously waiting for some excuse to be able to just lay there and read it without being bothered), and it really was the perfect choice for that.
The premise is entirely fresh, especially for a YA thriller, and I couldn’t wait to dig into this story about Sloane Sullivan (assumed new name and identity), who is just now starting at a brand new school in a small town in North Carolina. Sloane is almost 18 and this should be her last few months in the WITSEC (witness protection program), after spending just about 6 years under 19 assumed identities, before she can finally break free and go and live a ‘normal’ life and go to college. She lives with a Marshal under the witness protection program, Mark, who has pretended to be every sort of relative over the years to protect her while they have moved place to place on the run while in the WITSEC program: father, brother, uncle, and he is loyal to a fault, teaching her how to protect herself and how to remain anonymous.
Now that Sloane has found a new school, she is determined for it to be the last stop before freedom, but her usual plan to fade into the background so that no one notices her, goes awry almost as soon as she enters the building on the first day, when she realizes she has bumped into an old friend, the boy and best friend she dearly loved, the one she left behind many years ago. AND suddenly everyone wants to be her friend. But she can’t afford to start over this close to getting out of WITSEC, and keeps this from Mark, and hopes that Jason doesn’t recognize her.
So that’s the basic premise in my words. From there on out, and literally from the first page onwards, this book was nothing but engaging. Sloane still hasn’t pieced together everything that happened on the night that the crime that sent her and her family into witness protection, and her memories have been repressed for the longest time, so as they start to come out, she gradually realizes the danger of the memories of the past.
Losing her father and mother are integral pieces of her character; Mark has had to replace those figures in her life, and understanding the facets of Sloane’s personality and how they relate to the loss and detachment she’s had to endure as part of the program is quite heart-wrenching. All the time she is around her new friends and her long-lost best friend, it’s incredibly hard for her to assimilate those new people into new roles, and learn how to trust again, at the same time as hiding so much from them still. Author Gia Cribbs has done a fantastic job of writing these complexities of how Sloane would react in situations that would make her feel awkward, and actually how her past would give her the hallmarks of PTSD. Also, the way in which she relies on Mark is a very interesting relationship too. Cribbs has mastered all the depths of communication (particularly the young people in the book) and different relationships of her characters to make so much of this book work and it’s really remarkable.
Without going into the plot points, ‘Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan’ is flawless, as far as I could tell, in terms of story flow, and the flashbacks to the past, especially when revealing Sloane suddenly remembering pieces of the organized crime (murder) she witnessed, and they are seamlessly written in.
All the twists and turns that come in the novel kept me reading for more and more, right down to the way the other teenagers’ actions are unknowingly affecting Sloane’s grand plans and future. Plus the characters and the pop culture (cue the 80’s!) are so fun! And the penultimate twists at the end are just brilliant.
I’m so glad this book didn’t disappear into oblivion, and it didn’t just get seen by Gia’s daughters (as she mentions in her acknowledgements in the back); this, and every book that I hope Gia has up her sleeve, deserves to be read, and on bookcases everywhere. Especially mine.
The premise is entirely fresh, especially for a YA thriller, and I couldn’t wait to dig into this story about Sloane Sullivan (assumed new name and identity), who is just now starting at a brand new school in a small town in North Carolina. Sloane is almost 18 and this should be her last few months in the WITSEC (witness protection program), after spending just about 6 years under 19 assumed identities, before she can finally break free and go and live a ‘normal’ life and go to college. She lives with a Marshal under the witness protection program, Mark, who has pretended to be every sort of relative over the years to protect her while they have moved place to place on the run while in the WITSEC program: father, brother, uncle, and he is loyal to a fault, teaching her how to protect herself and how to remain anonymous.
Now that Sloane has found a new school, she is determined for it to be the last stop before freedom, but her usual plan to fade into the background so that no one notices her, goes awry almost as soon as she enters the building on the first day, when she realizes she has bumped into an old friend, the boy and best friend she dearly loved, the one she left behind many years ago. AND suddenly everyone wants to be her friend. But she can’t afford to start over this close to getting out of WITSEC, and keeps this from Mark, and hopes that Jason doesn’t recognize her.
So that’s the basic premise in my words. From there on out, and literally from the first page onwards, this book was nothing but engaging. Sloane still hasn’t pieced together everything that happened on the night that the crime that sent her and her family into witness protection, and her memories have been repressed for the longest time, so as they start to come out, she gradually realizes the danger of the memories of the past.
Losing her father and mother are integral pieces of her character; Mark has had to replace those figures in her life, and understanding the facets of Sloane’s personality and how they relate to the loss and detachment she’s had to endure as part of the program is quite heart-wrenching. All the time she is around her new friends and her long-lost best friend, it’s incredibly hard for her to assimilate those new people into new roles, and learn how to trust again, at the same time as hiding so much from them still. Author Gia Cribbs has done a fantastic job of writing these complexities of how Sloane would react in situations that would make her feel awkward, and actually how her past would give her the hallmarks of PTSD. Also, the way in which she relies on Mark is a very interesting relationship too. Cribbs has mastered all the depths of communication (particularly the young people in the book) and different relationships of her characters to make so much of this book work and it’s really remarkable.
Without going into the plot points, ‘Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan’ is flawless, as far as I could tell, in terms of story flow, and the flashbacks to the past, especially when revealing Sloane suddenly remembering pieces of the organized crime (murder) she witnessed, and they are seamlessly written in.
All the twists and turns that come in the novel kept me reading for more and more, right down to the way the other teenagers’ actions are unknowingly affecting Sloane’s grand plans and future. Plus the characters and the pop culture (cue the 80’s!) are so fun! And the penultimate twists at the end are just brilliant.
I’m so glad this book didn’t disappear into oblivion, and it didn’t just get seen by Gia’s daughters (as she mentions in her acknowledgements in the back); this, and every book that I hope Gia has up her sleeve, deserves to be read, and on bookcases everywhere. Especially mine.
February 22, 2018
I won a copy of this book from the Goodreads giveaways!
Sloane Sullivan has had 19 different identities in almost 6 years. On the run and hiding from things and people she can't remember, Sloane is in the Witness Security Program. She's only got a couple months left of her senior year, a plan for college and hopes of finally being free. She just has to get through the next couple months with no trouble. Smooth sailing, until she runs into Jason, a guy from her past. With her appearance altered and so much time passed since she's seen him last he doesn't seem to recognize her. So she risks sticking around and hiding the information from her handler. But as time goes by she starts to remember things and comes to find out that everything she thought she knew was a lie! And I did not see it coming!!! Oh, the secrets, and plot twists!! Ive become addicted to these types of books! I love the secrets, mysteries, lies and plot twists! This was definitely shocked and surprised me!! Five stars from me!! Thank you Goodreads!
Sloane Sullivan has had 19 different identities in almost 6 years. On the run and hiding from things and people she can't remember, Sloane is in the Witness Security Program. She's only got a couple months left of her senior year, a plan for college and hopes of finally being free. She just has to get through the next couple months with no trouble. Smooth sailing, until she runs into Jason, a guy from her past. With her appearance altered and so much time passed since she's seen him last he doesn't seem to recognize her. So she risks sticking around and hiding the information from her handler. But as time goes by she starts to remember things and comes to find out that everything she thought she knew was a lie! And I did not see it coming!!! Oh, the secrets, and plot twists!! Ive become addicted to these types of books! I love the secrets, mysteries, lies and plot twists! This was definitely shocked and surprised me!! Five stars from me!! Thank you Goodreads!
April 28, 2019
A very solid YA mystery/thriller! It was really fast paced and I enjoyed using witness protection as a plot device. I also thought the characters were well developed for the most part and the ending was very interesting. I did kind of guess/suspect a couple of the plot twists, but that didn’t really take a lot away from my reading experience.
I do think that quite a few aspects of this novel were pretty far fetched and other aspects were a bit too convenient, but overall this is a very good debut novel IMO. Looking forward to checking out more of Cribbs’ works in the future.
I do think that quite a few aspects of this novel were pretty far fetched and other aspects were a bit too convenient, but overall this is a very good debut novel IMO. Looking forward to checking out more of Cribbs’ works in the future.
March 2, 2023
Sloane on peagi 18-aastaseks saav neiu, kes viimased 6 aastat on olnud tunnistajakaitse all, vahetades pidevalt elukohtasid ja identiteete. Keerulise mineviku tõttu on Sloane’i ainsaks kaaslaseks jäänud kohtuteenistuse agent Mark, kes tüdrukule igas olukorras ellujäämist õpetab. Pidev põgenemine viib Sloane’i ja Mark’i taas uude linna, kus tüdruk aga oma minevikuga kohtub.
Ootamatute loopööretega raamat, kus pea keegi pole see, kellena ta esmapilgul näib. Tõeliselt kaasahaarav, omanäoline ja põnev lugemine!
Ootamatute loopööretega raamat, kus pea keegi pole see, kellena ta esmapilgul näib. Tõeliselt kaasahaarav, omanäoline ja põnev lugemine!
May 23, 2018
This review was originally posted at Paperback Princess.
Sloane Sullivan witnessed a murder six years ago, six years she's been in WITSEC (Witness Protection Program) and soon she is exiting the program, all she has to do is blend in at school, don't draw attention to herself, and she will finally be free off WITSEC, free to live out her days as Sloane Sullivan, her 19th and last identity.
So when Jason Thomas pops up at her new school, a childhood friend in her life before the incident, she breaks all the rules, and in breaking the rules, danger soon follows.
The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan was a great book that readers will read with much anticipation, page-flipping and abated breaths. It's action-packed with twists and turns that will have you yelling loudly "WHAT!!!" It was definitely an emotional ride, and so authentically real...that was why I was so scared through this story, because it was so real! This stuff happens in real life people!
The story is told in Sloane's point of view, both past and present. The flashbacks were such great reads. That was my favourite part of the narrating, it's so realistic, as if the Author is literally writing things as she goes along her "current" life and bam a flashback...because really, that's what we do in real life. As we do things we are triggered to think of past events, reminders etc. so I really like the authenticity of the narrating.
The characters were very relatable and believable. Seeing Sloane in the past to now, made me realise how much stronger she has become due to what she has endured, she was more badass, than her cowering self from her flashbacks.
Agent Mark was truly an amazing character! He was complex, passionate, and caring. Without spoilers, all I can say is stay tuned...don't judge till the last page has been turned.
So why the 3 stars? Well...I'd given it 3.5 had I had half stars, but my main gripe with this book is that it starts off as a thriller filled with suspense, danger and heart pumping action to the normal high school angst and drama, the latter dragging on more than I had wished, but once that section of the book was finished, I once again enjoyed the roller-coaster ride that is this book.
The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan is a mystery, thriller, with heart-pumping action, danger at every turn and an emotional roller coaster ride. I enjoyed the great writing, the awesome and complex characters, I just didn't enjoy the middle teenage/high school angst...there's no time for this stuff when we are running from murdering criminals! I still very much enjoyed it, and do recommend it.
Sloane Sullivan witnessed a murder six years ago, six years she's been in WITSEC (Witness Protection Program) and soon she is exiting the program, all she has to do is blend in at school, don't draw attention to herself, and she will finally be free off WITSEC, free to live out her days as Sloane Sullivan, her 19th and last identity.
So when Jason Thomas pops up at her new school, a childhood friend in her life before the incident, she breaks all the rules, and in breaking the rules, danger soon follows.
The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan was a great book that readers will read with much anticipation, page-flipping and abated breaths. It's action-packed with twists and turns that will have you yelling loudly "WHAT!!!" It was definitely an emotional ride, and so authentically real...that was why I was so scared through this story, because it was so real! This stuff happens in real life people!
The story is told in Sloane's point of view, both past and present. The flashbacks were such great reads. That was my favourite part of the narrating, it's so realistic, as if the Author is literally writing things as she goes along her "current" life and bam a flashback...because really, that's what we do in real life. As we do things we are triggered to think of past events, reminders etc. so I really like the authenticity of the narrating.
The characters were very relatable and believable. Seeing Sloane in the past to now, made me realise how much stronger she has become due to what she has endured, she was more badass, than her cowering self from her flashbacks.
Agent Mark was truly an amazing character! He was complex, passionate, and caring. Without spoilers, all I can say is stay tuned...don't judge till the last page has been turned.
So why the 3 stars? Well...I'd given it 3.5 had I had half stars, but my main gripe with this book is that it starts off as a thriller filled with suspense, danger and heart pumping action to the normal high school angst and drama, the latter dragging on more than I had wished, but once that section of the book was finished, I once again enjoyed the roller-coaster ride that is this book.
The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan is a mystery, thriller, with heart-pumping action, danger at every turn and an emotional roller coaster ride. I enjoyed the great writing, the awesome and complex characters, I just didn't enjoy the middle teenage/high school angst...there's no time for this stuff when we are running from murdering criminals! I still very much enjoyed it, and do recommend it.
May 26, 2018
3.5 stars
I did enjoy reading this and sped through it relatively quickly, although it was a bit slow at first.
I found the concept to be very cool and I'm not usually a thriller reader (mysteries I'm fine with, but thrillers are usually pointless to me, i.e. Genuine Fraud and In Her Skin) but I actually liked parts of this thriller, so that was definitely a win when the genre was working against me.
In this review I unfortunately can't really comment on how good this is to experienced thriller readers (predictable or not? I do not know), but for a novice thriller reader, I did enjoy this a lot more than other thrillers I've read!
The entire idea of WITSEC (the witness protection program) in a book was really fun and I loved reading about it! I've never really thought about WITSEC before except in that one Disney movie with Demi Lovato & Selena Gomez (lol), but having it be a key part of this novel was super cool.
It made the story a lot more engaging than the typical "girl on the run" sort of thriller, and having them be "on the run" but as a part of WITSEC was a lot more fun. Plus, Cribbs really upped the stakes with that element of Sloane's past, Jason, introduced early in the novel.
At first, it felt pretty standard girl-on-the-run, but it definitely got a lot more interesting and in-depth as the story wore on. You learn about the just how deep this story goes--and the twists and turns get more intense as the story wears on.
Just when you think Cribbs is done with throwing plot twists at you, she throws one last one at the end that can be summarized by a keyboard smash.
The twists and turns were definitely my favorite part of this novel, closely followed by the whole WITSEC portion of the novel.
I thought Sloane was a cool character, although I felt like she wasn't the smartest and I didn't really get a good grasp on her character, partly because she had gone through so many identities by the time this book started that she barely knew who she herself was.
I was mostly here for the plot, and I wished the character element of the story was a little stronger. It almost felt like it was a romance-saves-the-day sort of novel because of how Jason played a really huge role in the ~things~ that happen to help release Sloane.
I think this was well-written, although the pacing was a tad slow in the first half, but thriller just seems to be not the genre for me because I'm never really able to connect with the protagonists on the level that I want to. I definitely think die-hard thriller fans would want to check it out because it seems like a good thriller, but for me, it didn't really do much to convince me to convert to the genre.
Overall, I did enjoy reading and didn't abhor any part of this. The plot twists and WITSEC element were very cool, I just ended up being sort of apathetic to everything else. I think if this seems like your thing, go for it.
Thank you so much to Gia Cribbs for hosting this giveaway and sending me an ARC of her debut!
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I did enjoy reading this and sped through it relatively quickly, although it was a bit slow at first.
I found the concept to be very cool and I'm not usually a thriller reader (mysteries I'm fine with, but thrillers are usually pointless to me, i.e. Genuine Fraud and In Her Skin) but I actually liked parts of this thriller, so that was definitely a win when the genre was working against me.
In this review I unfortunately can't really comment on how good this is to experienced thriller readers (predictable or not? I do not know), but for a novice thriller reader, I did enjoy this a lot more than other thrillers I've read!
The entire idea of WITSEC (the witness protection program) in a book was really fun and I loved reading about it! I've never really thought about WITSEC before except in that one Disney movie with Demi Lovato & Selena Gomez (lol), but having it be a key part of this novel was super cool.
It made the story a lot more engaging than the typical "girl on the run" sort of thriller, and having them be "on the run" but as a part of WITSEC was a lot more fun. Plus, Cribbs really upped the stakes with that element of Sloane's past, Jason, introduced early in the novel.
At first, it felt pretty standard girl-on-the-run, but it definitely got a lot more interesting and in-depth as the story wore on. You learn about the just how deep this story goes--and the twists and turns get more intense as the story wears on.
Just when you think Cribbs is done with throwing plot twists at you, she throws one last one at the end that can be summarized by a keyboard smash.
The twists and turns were definitely my favorite part of this novel, closely followed by the whole WITSEC portion of the novel.
I thought Sloane was a cool character, although I felt like she wasn't the smartest and I didn't really get a good grasp on her character, partly because she had gone through so many identities by the time this book started that she barely knew who she herself was.
I was mostly here for the plot, and I wished the character element of the story was a little stronger. It almost felt like it was a romance-saves-the-day sort of novel because of how Jason played a really huge role in the ~things~ that happen to help release Sloane.
I think this was well-written, although the pacing was a tad slow in the first half, but thriller just seems to be not the genre for me because I'm never really able to connect with the protagonists on the level that I want to. I definitely think die-hard thriller fans would want to check it out because it seems like a good thriller, but for me, it didn't really do much to convince me to convert to the genre.
Overall, I did enjoy reading and didn't abhor any part of this. The plot twists and WITSEC element were very cool, I just ended up being sort of apathetic to everything else. I think if this seems like your thing, go for it.
Thank you so much to Gia Cribbs for hosting this giveaway and sending me an ARC of her debut!
Blog | Instagram | Twitter
June 17, 2018
Just an entertaining summer read with a few twists and some romance.
www.theleisurediaries.blogspot.com
www.theleisurediaries.blogspot.com
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