Week 3 Review: The Girl Who Wasn't There

From Goodreads:

I know what I saw.

Nothing ever happens on Kasia's street. And Kasia would know. Her illness keeps her home for days at a time, with little to do but watch the world from her bedroom window. So when she witnesses what looks like a kidnapping, she's not sure she can believe her own eyes...

So she sets out to find the only other witness. The girl in the window across the street. The girl who was also watching when things went down.

But what Kasia discovers shocks her more than the kidnapping itself.

There is no girl.

My Review:
I really enjoyed reading this book! It's not the first that I've read that involves human trafficking, but it is the first that deals with Kasia's illness, which is pretty debilitating at times, and sounds so frustrating to have. But it was inspiring how much she could do from just her bed, her room, her house, her neighborhood block!

Kasia was on the younger side, and so it made sense that shew as a bit immature. But it just means that my reading tastes have moved on a little bit, at least from the younger protagonists of YA. But to be fair, she is in a really frustrating and difficult situation. She had so many ups and downs, and the downs after special moments or a bunch of hard work, yeah, it was hard!

I really enjoyed the little letters almost that were written by the "girl who wasn't there." Her story was more an undercurrent of what was going on in Kasia's life-at least until they meet, and it becomes more important. It is from which that the title draws from, after all!

The way things ended was really great. It was realistic, I felt, that yeah, the girl they rescued can't stay with them, because of the possibility of the group finding her, and her going back because of the way they indoctrinate people like that. And the way that thing ended with the romance was really sweet! Overall a really enjoyable ending!

This was a really great book, and I can't wait to read more by Penny Joelson! 

Author: Penny Joelson 
Read: January 17th, 2021
Source: NetGalley
Reason Why: Sounded really good, and it's a SAC 2021 Book!
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire 
Published: November 3rd 2020

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars