Girl Last Seen

Gr 9 Up—This novel draws readers deep into the twisted world of two viral singing sensations and the boys who love them. Kadence (Kady) and Lauren are two best friends well on their way to breaking into the indie pop music scene, having already achieved Internet fame with their original songs that garnered thousands of hits and rabidly loyal fans on YouTube. Everything seems bright for these stars on the rise—that is, until Lauren loses her voice and Kady suddenly goes missing, leaving Lauren as the last person to have seen her alive. As the town and the online world turn on Lauren, she seeks solace in Jude, the handsome bad boy just back from the brink of a few psychotic episodes and stalking allegations. Where has Kady gone, and who can be trusted? Readers will hunt down the answers to these questions and more right up until the final, shocking reveals. Intriguing from the start, this work is easy to recommend to fans of April Henry. All of the usual suspects are accounted for in terms of genre tropes (broken friendships, romantic betrayal, jealousy, bullying, and rumors running amok throughout the halls of high school), but they're all presented in a fresh and modern way without overtly trying to be too hip. The authors really seem to grasp the fickle and duplicitous role that the Internet plays in the lives of their target readers, and they incorporate it seamlessly into their characters' development and plotlines.