Pretend She's Here

Emily is still grieving the sudden death of her best friend Lizzie. When she sees Lizzie's younger sister Chloe, she's happy to see her and Lizzie's parents.  She hasn't seen them since they moved.  She doesn't think anything of it when the Porters offer her a ride, and she takes the juice box when Mrs. Porter insists, but after taking a few sips she starts to feel groggy.  That's when she notices the car is headed out of town.

Now Emily is living a nightmare.  She's trapped in the basement of the Porter's new house which has been transformed into Lizzie's old bedroom.  Mrs. Porter dyed her hair black and drew a mole on Emily's cheek.  She insists Emily wears green contacts.  If Emily doesn't go along with the scheme, Mrs. Porter has threatened to kill her mother.

Now Emily has to go through her days pretending to be someone else, someone she loved.  She wants desperately to escape, but she also wants to protect her mother.  Will Emily ever be able to be herself again?

Luanne Rice's new thriller is one kids will love.  Suspend your disbelief and go along for the ride!  The romance is a little too insta-love for my taste, but I don't think kids will mind that.  I do think the end dragged on a bit too long.  I appreciate the author's effort to beyond the story and give some kind of emotional closure, but I think it could have wrapped up a little quicker.