The Girl in the Basement blog competition winner

The winner of our competition was Teena Raffa-Mulligan. I not surprised that Teena's name came out. She had commented on many of the blog posts so had more than one entry in the draw.

YA or adult ... that was my dilemma

This post is receiving attention from all over the world. The opinion seems to be that it is an adult novel. If you haven't voted yet, have a look at chapter one on the book's page on this site and tell me what you think.

When I first read this exciting thriller, I pondered the category it fitted. YA or adult? I spoke to my adult assessment readers about it and they said it was way too scary for early teens.

I then went to the parents of early teens to see what they thought. Most said they would welcome the chance for their teens to read something that would make them think more about their safety. So I capitulated and agreed to tag it YA, but really it is a cross-over novel, as many YA novels are, and will be enjoyed by adults as well.  

I asked a 15 year-old girl who is part of my writers and readers group to read and review the book. This is her opinion:

"The Girl in the Basement" by Dianne Bates is a memorable story that stays with you
long after you read it. The novel follows the main character, Libby, as she is abducted by a psychopath. Libby, however, has other ideas.

The characters are well developed and believable, almost jumping out from between the pages. Libby and her kidnapper share an odd relationship, but the
kidnapper's two sided personality will keep the reader guessing what he will do  next.

Chapter 1 grabs attention from the first word, and the rest of the book does not disappoint. A simple but suspenseful plot keeps you on edge, and the suspense builds with every turn of the page as Libby becomes more and more in danger and the stakes are raised.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book although the eerie theme is sometimes heartbreaking. The strong characters, well written plot and suspense keeps the pages turning long into the night.

Callie Omlid 15 years.

She did say she wished she hadn't read it at night though. :)

Read and enjoy.