Freeman, Shannon. Taken.

Freeman, Shannon.  Taken.  (Port City High series)    Saddleback  2013 200p ISBN 978-1-62250-038-3  ms/hs  VG  Realistic fiction    

The Orca Soundings novela meets Stephanie Perry Moore and husband Derrick’s split book series in this book that teen readers will not want to put down until they have finished it.   It has intrigue, a fast-moving plot, lots of girl talk, new relationships and an easy-to-read style by author Shannon Freeman.  Saddleback Publishing is known for putting out books by authors who know that lots of emotion, action and real-life relationships interest young readers.  Protagonist Brandi doesn’t listen to her best friends and meets her new on-line buddy, Camden, at the mall, but her excitement turns to terror when she is abducted by a young man who says he’s Camden’s older brother.  He ties her, locks her up and regularly feeds her and allows her to wash up.  His abduction is odd, for he never hurts her physically, but he does give her a drug that he administers regularly to calm her.  Her friends and family search for her for several months, to no avail.  It is her little sister Raven, who spots a suspicious black car driving by the family home each evening, who never gives up, not even after the police dismiss her claim as ridiculous.  This rising action leads to an exciting climax that young readers will anticipate nervously.  Although the falling action is over-dramatic, and the subject matter of abduction is not new by any means, fans of mystery, horror and teen terror will not be able to put this book down because Brandi’s predicament is exactly like something right out of today’s news.    

Port City High constitutes a series of several books:  High School High, Deported, Taken and The Public Eye are examples.  All revolve around three friends whose lives are shaped by their relationships with each other, with their families and with their school.

Summary: The Port City High girls are back: Shane is fresh from rehab, ready to rejoin her high-school friends and try out for the play, Marisa is moving forward with her plans to become a model, and Brandi has a new love on-line who naturally wants to meet her!           

Kidnapping-Fiction                                    --Martha Squaresky