Series Sunday: Finding Emma

(Finding Emma #1)

Series Sunday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie of Precision Reviews. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.

• Read an installment of a series.
• Share your review/recommendation below.
• Include the title, author and series name.

My Series Sunday pick is Finding Emma, the first book in the Finding Emma series by Steena Holmes. The story begins with three-year-old Emma gone missing. For the next two years, her mother Megan has numerous sightings of her missing daughter: in the grocery market, at the playground, at the donut shop, etc. Looking for her daughter is affecting her marriage and distracting her from parenting her two other daughters. Everyone suggests it is time to move on. Just when Megan is accepting her daughter is gone, she has another sighting of a little girl resembling Emma at the local fair. The next sequence of events changes the course of both families' lives.

"Emma's disappearance created crevices deep within their souls." ~ pg. 25

True to the title, majority of the book is about finding a missing girl named Emma. The point of view alternates between Emma's family and her life with the people who kidnapped her, Jack and Dottie. As I read each chapter, I became more conflicted. Of course Emma should be returned to her family but why am I growing fond of Papa Jack? Surely I am not siding with kidnappers, right? I knew the story must end with Emma being found, but author Steena Holmes did a really good job of playing both sides.

"Over 800,000 children are reported missing every single year." ~ pg. 22

Finding Emma has been in my TBR pile since shortly after its release in 2012. It is an easy to read novel about a tragedy that happens far too often in the real world. Finding Emma will make a good book club selection sparking dialogue amongst readers. Check back next week for my review on the sequel Emma's Secret.

Title: Finding Emma
Author: Steena Holmes
Published: April 2012
Pages: 198
Edition: eBook
Challenge: Popsugar Own But Haven't Read Before
Rating: ♥♥♥♥