Review: Unique Story
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 07 8, 2013
*I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.*When I first saw that this book was about a girl who was potentially a victim of kidnap, I knew I had to read it. Couple that with the fact that everything I've read by this author has been really good, and I definitely couldn't pass up the opportunity to read and review it. And I'm so glad I didn't pass it up, because this story was totally unique, and I haven't ever read anything like it.As the title suggests, this story was all about Francesca and her life. I didn't really like how she acted at first, because she wanted everyone to be as unhappy as she was. However, as I read on, I started liking her more and more. At the end of the day, she was someone who just wanted to be able to have the freedom to live her own life. I also started to feel sorry for her, but to say why would be a spoiler. In all though, she was a pretty relatable character, who became more of a likable and sympathetic heroine as the novel progressed.Brody made for an interesting male lead. He lost so much in his life, and you could tell that he just wanted to be able to find his long-lost friend. I felt so bad for him, as well. And then, he turned all swoon-worthy. Some of the things that he said in this novel were just...wow. You really felt his devotion to Fiona, and thus to Francesca. The fact that he was a bad boy just made him all the more interesting.The side characters in this novel were interesting too. Since we got to know him the best, I'd have to say Sean was my favorite. He was seriously protective, and a great older brother figure. But really, I loved the whole Sullivan family. They had been so broken because of Fiona's disappearance, and the fact that they managed to make a life for themselves was amazing.The plot of this novel was really unique. Francesca went to America seeking some fun before she went to college, and instead found herself being questioned because she looked like the poster of a missing child who had been kidnapped. She was forced to go to the Sullivan's farm, and live there for a couple months, until it was the missing girl, Fiona's, eighteenth birthday. I found the story totally engrossing, as you wondered with Francesca whether or not she really was Fiona, and you saw Brody's anguish over his missing friend. Also, Francesca had many secrets, and that added a whole other element of mystery to the story, as things about her life with her father were revealed.All in all, this was a really good book. It was different from anything that I've ever read, and I flew through the story in one day. There were secrets, and a big mystery about whether Francesca was Fiona or not, and who and what her father was. However, there was another theme hidden in the story, as well. It was that of sticking up for yourself, and learning to make your own choices in life. I thought that it was great how the author worked that in, and how Francesca grew as a character. I definitely recommend this book if you like character development, and plots about whether the main character is who they think they are. ~Brianna