Missing Her

by J.L. Willow

Vanessa Stockton and her best friend Eliza are inseparable. They're living the best years of their lives, enjoying high school, boyfriends and planning for their futures. All that changes, though, when Eliza goes out to a party and never makes it home. Months pass without a break in the case, until one day Vanessa wakes up . . . in Eliza's mind. Even more disturbing, she discovers she's woken up two days before Eliza goes missing. Vanessa has no choice but to relive her best friend's memories leading up to the disappearance and discover the truth about what happened before time runs out. But is the past set in stone? Or can Vanessa save her friend from an unspeakable fate?

166 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 8, 2019

About the author

J. L. Willow is the author of several works including the Amazon bestselling novel Missing Her. She graduated from Stevens Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in Engineering Management. While she spends her days working in her field of study, her nights are spent dreaming up new thrilling (and often horrifying) tales.

Reviews

[James Zachary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy and again, I couldn’t be more happy with the story, the characters, and the plot twists! J.L. Willow has a way with words that can carry you through the different perspectives of characters fluidly, intense suspense that will have your hair standing on end, and humor that’ll make your stomach hurt. Missing Her is the perfect thriller/ suspense for people who love Freaky Friday and other comedic, yet alluring films/ novels! It should be on everyone’s bookshelf upon release!

[Bethany Atazadeh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so impressed by this story! It's not the genre I usually read so I kinda forgot I'd added it to my "currently reading" on here, but today I sat down to check it out and ended up reading the whole thing! It was so fun to switch P.O.V.'s and I felt like there was the perfect balance of mystery but also fantastic foreshadowing that helped me suspect what might be coming while not being completely sure until it was happening - this is a difficult feat and I enjoyed every minute of this story. Well done! Would definitely recommend!

[J.L. Willow · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s so amazing to see everyone enjoying Missing Her!! Your reviews mean the world to me 😊 Thank you for all your support and excitement regarding the release!!

[Hannah Cluff · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve never read anything like this! Loved the storyline and ending!

[Kala (ReaderthenBlogger) · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first read the synopsis for this book I thought it was going to be the typical YA suspense filled with unnecessary teenage drama. I was wrong. I appreciated how the storyline was suspenseful  with a bit of paranormal bits thrown in. That is what set this missing person story apart from others that I have read.

[Deity World · Rating 5 out of 5]

Party
I Spy
Car crash
Limbo

Such a clever piece of writing and as a medium myself it’s realistic to be in limbo if you’re in a coma

[Nina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Synopsis: Vanessa Stockton is a JR in high school living her best years with her BFF Eliza, until one night Eliza disappears on her way home from a party. Months pass with no breaks in the case. Then one morning Vanessa wakes up in Eliza’s mind two days for that dreadful day. Can Vanessa save her friend from that terrible fate.

This book hooks you in right from the start, it’s smart well written and quick to read. A little bit of mystery and supernatural. It was easily a 5⭐️ read, would recommend it to teens and adults alike.

Even more impressive than just the story and writing style is the author herself was in high school when this was written. Her talent shows through both through her story and characters.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vanessa’s best friend Eliza vanished. She misses her deeply and tries daily to figure out what happened at the party Eliza disappeared from. Then “Missing Her” developes a new clever twist for solving the mystery. Seemingly unrelated things come together as missing pieces of the puzzle as Vanessa experiences them through someone else. I received a promo copy at the perfect time for a quick summer read.

[Chelsea]

i really liked this omg!!

[Lana Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vanessa has lost her high school best friend, Eliza. Eliza went to a party one night and just disappeared. Vanessa is crushed. She's spent the last three months actively searching for her along with Eliza's parents. When Eliza's mom tells her she needs to back off and concentrate on herself and school, Vanessa's heart breaks. She just can't give up on Eliza because she knows in her heart she's still out there somewhere. She cries out to God to help her find Eliza. The next day Vanessa wakes up in Eliza's body days before she goes missing. Vanessa is of course freaked out, then she considers that she might be able to stop Eliza from disappearing. It doesn't work. In fact she wakes up in a strange boy's body. Now Vanessa is more confused than ever. Will she figure out why this is happening and what she's suppose to learn to save her friend?
Very nice little YA paranormal mystery. It kept me turning pages for certain. The writing was clean, the characters well developed. The story flowed nicely from event to event and never got bogged down or boring. I loved it. Highly recommend to those you like YA paranormals!

[Kassidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 stars for me only because i knew what was going to happen. Other than that i loved the concept of the book and thought that it was executed well. I finished this in one sitting so it held my attention well and i loved how there wasn’t any unnecessary dragging at all for me ! Books sometimes tend to drag for no one reason but not this one ! i loved how something was always happening . i also liked how there were parts where she was changing bodies and then the next chapter told u what body she was about to be in next. Great straight to the point and easy read book. i enjoyed the writing style and feel like @j.l. willow did a good job at writing this book !

(i was sent an arc of this book but this is all my personal opinion) :)

[Ashley Griffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

You guys I finished Missing Her in a day. A DAY. I HAD to know what happened. After reading the synopsis months ago, I knew I just had to solve the Eliza’s mystery. This book was so much beyond what I hoped it would be. Author J.L. Willow takes you on a topsy-turvy roller coaster ride inside the minds of the characters. You can’t help but fly through the pages to solve the mystery of what the heck happened to Eliza. And the craziest part, she was only the beginning. 😅

[T.A. Beasley · Rating 5 out of 5]

An intriguing story about a teenager girl who could not give up on her friend.

When Vanessa wakes up two days before Eliza went missing, I knew it was going to be an interesting ride in Missing Her by J. L. Willow. What would you do if it were your friend? Would you believe she ran away? Would you keep looking? Vanessa could not give up on her friend, so she starts her own investigation, which places her into different lives.

I am a sucker for time travel stories or those with some type of time jump and this book was perfect. I was so investigated in Vanessa’s abilities to work through the situations she found herself in. The interactions she fumbled through, having to find clues and what to do with them kept me reading the book. The prologue was intriguing, and I had a feeling it would play a big part in the reveal of the book. It did not disappointment me at all and I am satisfied with the ending.

If you like thrillers with a solid story line, interesting characters, suspense, and worthy twists, Missing Her is the right book for you. I look forward to more from this author.

[Jaime K · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm giving this 4 stars because it could have been 50-100 pages longer. I just wanted MORE.

The prologue is a doozy.

Then we are with Vanessa, 5 months after her best friend Eliza went missing. In despair, Nessa reaches out (yet again) to her cousin Jeremy, who ends up asking her if she ever really prayed to God.
No, this is not a religious book at all, but the desperate prayer Nessa asks sparks what happens next:
"Are you even listening," she ends.

And then she wakes up in Eliza's body, the day before she goes missing.
And Eliza isn't the only one--either who goes missing or who's mind Vanessa visits.

There is a supernatural sense to this that has religious/spiritual undertones, but if you're not into the latter bit, I promise you can still enjoy this book. Because it's a supernatural (being that it's not-natural) mystery.

I will admit I realized how Nessa fits in to all of this at the start of the third chapter, but Willow keeps the surprises coming.

The ending tug at my heart.

[Tin Minute · Rating 5 out of 5]

Be prepared: This book is like reading 2 books in one, with 2 separate mysteries that eventually intertwine into one astonishing conclusion!!! Of course there is the main mystery surrounding where Eliza is and what happened to her, but there is another one as well... The book starts off with a small family in a hurry to go on an errand. The mother tells her children that they are going the play a road trip game. Seems normal right? The game is to unbuckle themselves and lay down on the car's floor whenever she says the code word. And when does she say the code word? Whenever a car passes... who are these people? Why are they running, and what are they running from?... And where is Eliza?
***this review is based on an arc copy that was received for free for the purpose of an honest review ****

[Mommy Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first heard about Missing Her, I was intrigued. I was lucky enough to be a part of the Street Team for the book and received an ARC from the author. Even though the book is fairly short, I was engrossed in the story. The storyline was suspenseful and even included a little bit of paranormal. I'm usually not a big fan of paranormal but in Missing Her, it fit right in the story.

The author does a great job in taking the reader through a roller-coaster ride in the minds of the characters and you can't help but fly through the pages to try to solve the mystery. A big part of the book was predictable but there were still twists and turns that I didn't see coming.

I'm impressed by the work the young author put together and I will definitely read her future books.

[Marilyn Goncalves · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could see this as a YA paranormal tv series. This book has just the right elements to keep you engaged. It’s a page turner for sure, I liked that you never know whats gonna happen next. The story revolves around Vanessa searching for her best friend Eliza who went missing after coming home from a party. Eliza’s mom insists that Vanessa stop putting up the missing person flyers and to get on with her life. Vanessa is distraught about giving up the search and prays for a sign to help her get through the sadness and trauma of her missing best friend, that’s where things get interesting. The story is well paced, the characters are well developed, no fillers, it doesn’t drag on and on. This is an enjoyable quick read with a bit of humor, mystery and suspense.

[Emily Berry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just received this book during book con and had a great chat with the author (who is so nice and supportive). I went on the plane and read it since it was a short read but let me tell you even though its a short read, it didnt feel that way. By the end of it i wasnt left feeling as if i was missing anything which is the best feeling, especially if you're reading a small book. The plot ans characters were amazing and even though she jumps into peoples minds i didnt feel as if anything was repetitive. I didnt like her writing at times and that's probably since i dont read this genre alot (which is why i gave 4 stars). Over all if you see this book PICK IT UP it's amazing and you wont regret it!

[Chessie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you for letting me to be part of the Missing Her Street Team and for my ARC copy of Missing her in exchange for an honest review!

This book was a quick read that had me intrigued from the very beginning. You meet all the characters in an interesting way that takes you on this roller coaster with Vanessa. It does include a little bit of a paranormal concept which I found added to the story. While it did seem a little predictable at times there were still twists that kept me surprised. I truly enjoyed this book and am looking forward to seeing what this young author comes out with next!

[Molly Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an incredible book. It kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time and I couldn’t put it down. It was also amazing to see the author’s writing style develop from her last book to this one. I thought the last one was great but this one was ever better. Highly recommend.

[Jane Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an amazing read! It kept you on the edge of your seat, guessing as to what was going to happen next and constantly surprising you with its twists and turns. J.L. Willow once again writes a thrilling story that'll be enjoyed by readers everywhere!

[Erica Bober · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this! I love trying to plot out the endings of thrillers, and this book had such good clues without giving the answer away, had me acting like a detective. I really liked the main character and I felt like I knew exactly who she was. Can’t wait to read more

[Toya (thereadingchemist) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fast paced mystery that will have you tearing through the pages to find out what has happened to Eliza. Full review to come.

[Sarah Dickinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a refreshingly new take on some classic thriller tropes. A quick and easy read by an emerging indie author, that in my opinion I just had to finish.

[Abbey Moody · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the book. I definitely stepped outside my comfort zone it’s it and loved every second of it.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well thought out, plays out similar to Webtoons series that include odd plot twists of time. I made time to finish it quickly as it was an entertaining read.

[Kimberly Swartz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Missing Her was different than I thought it would be. When I read the blurb and read the book, two different things came to mind. When I read the blurb on the back, I'm not sure I knew what was going to happen but I did not think of what Willow did. The two main things I loved about this book was her characters and plot.

Let's start with the characters:

Very first on the list is Vanessa Stockton. Vanessa was an interesting character, to say the least. I think she handles her situation in a very real way. Not to give too much away, she does what a reasonable person would have done. I think even though she is in other minds I could still get a feel for who she is. One thing about this character that I'm not so sure about is her character arc. I think she does go through one but I'm not sure what it is exactly.

Next up is Vanessa's best friend Eliza Barrows. Eliza was a good character. As we went through her life from Vanessa's point of view, I could get the feel for her normal life and her personality. She is a normal female teenager. She has a boyfriend. She had things she likes to do. I could feel the amount of friendship Vanessa and she had as Vanessa was able to live as her pretty well, knowing her schedule and how she would react in a situation. When we got to see Eliza her characteristics came off well and not forced.

Later in the novel, you meet Tony and Jacqueline. These two twins are the very definition of siblings. I could feel the relationship very well in the short amount of time we got wit the two. I could feel myself smile and laugh along as they did think my siblings and I do. For their personalities, they came off as college students with two different lives. One was the typical lazy boy out of high school living with his parents and the other was a girl who got good grades and was still holding on to part of high school. The two did their parts well and I connected with them well.

Overall, these characters were good. I connected with them for the most part and my favorite character has to be Vanessa and not only because she is the main character. I felt the most like her. We knew what she felt and while there were good scenes with the other three, I loved when her personality would come across in the other's lives.

The plot:

If there is the only thing I have to like, it's plot. The plot, to me, is the most think in a book. Sure, boring characters can ruin a book but who wasn't an interesting character's in a boring situation where they don't get to do much? Hint, not me. As for the plot of this novel, I really enjoyed it. Like I said many times over on Instagram and Twitter, this book was almost nothing like I thought it would be. It took a different turn than I thought it would and it had me guessing on what was going to happen next.

The best part for me was the way Willow wrote Vanessa in each mind. I wasn't sure how you could make a story based on that but she did in a way that keeps me reading. Once I was able to get past the first about 50 pages I could barely put this book down. I enjoyed each moment and I was emotionally invested in this one. My heart would race along with the characters and would I would cry with them.

At the end, with the climax, I was left breathless wanting more. I flipped to the last page and wanted another 100. This book was a nice fast read and I'm very grateful to Willow for gifting me with an ARC of her amazing second novel.

I'll touch on one more part I think was important as well, Willow's writing:

The writing of this novel was good, maybe even more than that. I loved how I was able to follow along and get into her characters. I felt in the situation with them and this is a hard thing for me to do. As a person who is very emotional but also very emotional distance when it comes to people, I love when a book is able to suck em up like this one did.

I will thank Willow one more time for this story. The connects I was able to build was something I will not forget and this book was able to get me out fo read slump that I was dragging myself through.

I can't wait to read more by you, maybe even The Scavenger can be next. Who knows?

I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a quick read and who likes to solve mysteries. I would recommend this novel to about four of my friends so I would say it's a safe bet that it's good.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book! I really enjoyed the way it was written and how the main character was taken in so many different directions which made it more enticing to finish. Definitely will not be the last time I read a book by this author!

[Kimberly Tierney · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy of this book. After reading the synopsis it sounded like an easy and interesting read, and it was. Once I got started I worried that I would have the story figured out after a few chapters, but I was wrong. Every time I thought I had something figured out I was wrong and the story took a completely different turn. The read is smooth and easy. Would be a great travel read, especially if you are flying internationally because you could read the book entirely during a long flight or car trip.

[Sandra Lopez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eliza Barrows: Missing

Inseparable since the 2nd grade, Vanessa was now forced to live without her best friend for the last 5 months. No one has seen or heard from Eliza since she vanished without a trace at a party, and Vanessa hasn’t stopped trying to find her. With everyone telling her to move on, Vanessa makes one desperate plea to find out what happened to her friend. The next morning, Vanessa wakes up in Eliza’s room AS ELIZA. She finds that she’s reliving the day as Eliza and she was invited to the party—the last place she was seen. Could she stop her from going to the party? Could she actually change her fate? Or was this all just a dream? It would seem that Vanessa actually has a real shot at saving her friend until she realizes that she couldn’t control everything Eliza did. Interesting!

In part 2, Vanessa becomes Tony, a college man. What? What happened here?

The main character seems to body-hop a little too much. First, it was Eliza, then Tony, then Jackie. Why? Evidently, these were all kids that have been abducted. Once you get more into, things clear up more. The day-to-day stuff can lag a bit. The only thing that kept me reading was to find out how this would all end. Would Eliza, Tony, and Jackie be saved? The ending was a remarkable revelation.

A pretty good read!