Oliver, Lauren. Vanishing Girls. New York: HarperCollins, 2015. 978-0062224101. 368 p. $18.99. Gr. 9+.

Lauren Oliver’s latest book for young adults is a substantial addition to her growing list of psychological thrillers, and it will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. Dara and Nick are sisters and best friends, but also quite different. Dara is the wild child, and Nick, though older, feels as though she is constantly in the shadow of her bright and shining sister. Dara always seemed to be more popular, more beautiful, and more involved than plain Nick. She even begins dating Nick’s best friend, Parker. But when the sisters are in a car accident, their lives change forever. The story is told in alternating chapters from each sister’s point of view and jumps back and forth to the time before the accident and the summer immediately following. During the summer Nick has begun working at the local amusement park and can’t seem to remember exact details of what happened. Dara, still in recovery, ignores Nick’s attempts to talk and stays in her room, sneaking out sometimes at night. Soon, the town becomes embroiled in the disappearance of 9 year old Madeline Snow. Nick, meanwhile, is trying to figure out what Dara was doing working at a local nightclub. She soon realizes that Madeline’s disappearance and Dara’s situation might be connected, and begins to investigate in earnest when, on the day of her birthday, Dara disappears. The plot builds to a satisfying climax that some readers might be able to figure out early on, but most might not see coming. Oliver’s poetic style of writing can sometimes be a bit cliche, but is spot-on when describing the angst of being a teenager and dealing with sibling rivalry. Give this title to those students who enjoyed We Were Liars by E. Lockhart.

Realistic; Mystery     Lindsey Myers, Peters Township High School

I have been a fan of Lauren Oliver’s ever since reading and reviewing Rooms. I could not wait to pick this title, and I am happy to say that I was not disappointed. She consistently writes her characters as possessing considerable depth, and her dialogue is authentic and engrossing. There are a lot of similarities between this novel and We Were Liars, and I must admit that I did like Lauren Oliver’s story and characters much better than Lockhart’s. This is one of those stories that you pick up and do not want to put down until it is finished. I am adding it to my list of summer reads for students, and hope to book-talk it in the coming months for students as a great thriller.