Stolen: A Novel, Girl

THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD! The way the author described the events in such detail was so good! Jimbo and tj tried so hard to get close to Chyeene was in such detail as well the relationship between Griffin was so detailed!

Cheyenne Wilder is dozing in the backseat of her stepmom's Cadillac Escalade as her stepmom runs into the pharmacy to pick up some antibiotics when someone starts the car. Immediately, Cheyenne is aware that the driver isn't Danielle based on the the entrance and the smell of cigarette smoke that exudes from the front seat. But, since she is blind, Cheyenne isn't able to see her accidental captor, Griffin. And, Griffin doesn't immediately see his accidental captive Cheyenne until he's already driving away.

Griffin doesn't stop the car and let Cheyenne out or try to do the right thing by any means, instead, he ties her up in the backseat and threatens to shoot her if she doesn't comply. But, in reality, Griffin is shaken and not quite sure what to do, so he takes Cheyenne home to his father, Roy, an emotionally and physically abusive drunk, who runs a chop shop with his two cronies, who are anything but upstanding citizens.

Cheyenne doesn't seem to have any cards to play in this game, she's blind and sick with pneumonia and in need of her medication. Roy destroyed her cane and smashed the telephone, so escape seems impossible. But, once Roy finds out that her father is the CEO of Nike, greed sets in...will her father pay the ransom, and will Roy set her free if he does? Cheyenne feels like her time is running out... But, Cheyenne isn't the only one that feels like Roy won't do the right thing. Will Griffin defy his father and risk his own life to save Cheyenne?

This novel is well-written and a quick read. It is geared towards teen or young adult readers, but interesting and captivating for other readers as well. The ending is unexpected, and one assumes that there will be more to Griffin and Cheyenne's story...

Girl stolen is a great young adult thriller that will leave you on the edge of your seat and wanting to finish the book in one night. The main character, Cheyenne, in the story is forced to struggle with being blind due to a car accident she was in with her mother three years ago. The story begins when Cheyenne’s step mom goes into the pharmacy to get her prescription. Griffin, a teenage thieve, unknowingly steals the car with her in the back seat, never seeing her under a blanket. Even though Cheyenne is blind; she is smart, strong, and collective. Griffin takes her back to his father’s house, which is a junkyard, and his father is not happy with the girl being there. Surprisingly, the young girls dad is a wealthy president of Nike. This book is truly a page- turner. The author, April Henry does a great job of surprising the reader, at the end of the story Griffin ends up doing the opposite of what the reader would expect and going against his controlling father even though he knows it will negatively affect him.
Some people would see being blind for the past three years like Cheyenne as a weakness, but she takes what she has learned as a resource. She explains that with her being blind she knows how to move things in the dark unlike most people. Also, she said “blind people know how to do things without giving it away”. She said “blind people can look like they are paying attention to you, when they really are paying attention to something else. The book really shows a side of someone that you don’t usually get to see and the author does a great job showing the feelings of both characters. What’s even more surprising is that the book is based on a true story!

Ever since hearing about the unique set-up of Girl, Stolen, I've been wanting to read this book. The whole idea of a guy stealing a car without knowing there was a girl in the back is genius, and I love where the author took it from there.

Then there's the fact that the main character is blind, which makes me so, so happy. I am so glad to finally be reading a book about someone with a disability, without that disability being the main subject of the book. I love how in Girl, Stolen, Cheyenne's disability is just a part of who she is, one aspect of the bigger plot. We need more books like that, in my opinion.

April Henry sure knows how to write a great mystery - the suspenseful atmosphere is so well-done. I wasn't expecting all of it to be so dangerous - Griffin's dad, Roy, sounded like a bad guy, yes, but I wasn't expecting him to be that evil! Girl, Stolen surprised me with its life-or-death danger, for both main characters. The fast-paced plot had me flipping the pages, and towards the end, I literally couldn't stop reading. I was terrified for both of our main characters ad that fear kept my heart pounding throughout the book.

But, even if the idea is what makes Girl, Stolen unique, the characters are what make it all come together. I really liked Cheyenne and her history was very interesting to read about. Resourceful is the word that comes to my mind when I think of her, though I have to admit that word wasn't my idea but stuck with me from Todd Strasser's blurb. Anyways, all the things Cheyenne comes up with in order to save herself are fascinating.

My love for Cheyenne, though, is nothing compared to my love for Griffin. Oh, Griffin... He's terribly misguided by his *insert expletive of choice* father, but he's strong and has a good heart. I felt bad about it, since he's sort of the bad guy in this story, but a happy ending for Griffin was even more important to me than a happy ending for Cheyenne. Therefore, I was a little disappointed by how much the ending focuses on on Cheyenne's story instead of Griffin's. Either way, I loved these characters.

I really enjoyed the relationship between Cheyenne and Griffin. I was dreading some kind of romance between the two, and I'm glad the story doesn't go there. The relationship between Cheyenne and Griffin develops naturally and in a very honest and real way. Their connection is subtle, and I very much appreciate that no unrealistic ideas of romance were forced on the story.

Girl, Stolen is the perfect balance between suspenseful mystery and solid character development. I loved it even more than The Night She Disappeared, probably because this plot is a lot more original. I can't wait for more mysteries from April Henry!

Sixteen year old Cheyenne is lying in the back of her step mother's car, sick from pneumonia when someone jumps in a steals her car. She is of course frightened but her kidnapper does not realize that he is kidnapping her because his real goal was the car not her. As the story unfolds, she finds that her kidnapper, Griffin, is just about her age and lives with an abusive father who sells stolen car parts. An unlikely friendship begins to form between these two as Griffin soon realizes that he is the only one who will protect Cheyenne from his violent father and lecherous cohorts.

The book is well written with two main characters who are scared by disabilities and family situations that have derailed the lives they may have imagined for themselves. Griffin's mother left him with a father who abuses him physically and gives him very little love, using his son to steal cars and letting him drop out of school. Cheyenne's blindness resulted from her an accident in which she lost her mother and three years later she is adapted to a life without sight. Both are damaged but both are survivors who find strengths they never knew they possessed.

I did enjoy this story but there were parts of the story that felt forced, like the author has done so much research on blindness and felt the need to include most of her findings in the book. This would have been fine if she had found a way to seamlessly work it into the dialogue without making it feel like a lecture. These vignettes of information made some of the conversations between Griffin and Cheyenne seem forced. Also the characters did not come to life as much as I would have liked. Maybe this could have been solved with a longer book.

For a very short book, I felt that it was lacking in action and a true sense of suspense. I wanted more, I kept waiting for more to happen but it all gets wrapped up and that's it.

I am glad that the author did not try to create a romantic attachment between Griffin and Cheyenne. I think that would have messed up the message and would be more Stockholm syndrome than real affection.

All in all, I liked it, just not as much as I thought I would have.

While sitting in the parking lot waiting for her step mother to pick up her antibiotics at the pharmacy, six-teen year- old Cheyenne Wilder gets kidnapped. Griffin finds a nice escalade, and is sure that his father would approve of his skill in stealing the expensive vehicle, but is unaware that Cheyenne is in the back seat of the car as he turns the key hanging in the ignition. Suddenly he realized he has gotten more then he's bargained for when she screams, fighting for her life. When he is finally able to stop the car he considers letting her go but is afraid she is able to tell what he looks like. She begins to fight him when he goes to tie her up and realizes it is no use as he holds what she thinks is a gun to her head. She tells him she is blind and hopes he will release her but Griffin decides to take her to his father and then let her go after every one is asleep. When his father finds out that Cheyenne's dad is very rich he plans to ransom her to her father. When Griffin realizes that his father never intended to let Cheyenne go, that he planed on killing her and keeping the money, he tries to help her.

April Henry, the author, weaves a brilliant suspense story that keeps you on the edge of your seat. She also leaves it open for the reader to make their own conclusion to how the story may continue. It is also a good reference for how a blind person lives. I truly enjoyed reading this book and feel that it would be a good suspense book to have children write a report on or just read for your enjoyment.

Girl Stolen was an exciting and original mystery that had me gripping the pages right to the very last word. Cheyenne was a great main character who I liked right away. Her plight was heartbreaking and I just wanted to tell her everything was going to be okay.

Cheyenne was a main character different from any I've read about before. An accident a few years earlier left her blind and changed her life forever. Although the third person narration didn't let me connect with Cheyenne as much as I would have liked, I did feel for her and everything she was going through. April Henry really did her research because I learned so much more about what it is like for a blind person, especially a teenager who wasn't born blind. The novel contains some flash backs so the reader can better understand what happened to Cheyenne and also to read about the heart breaking first months when Cheyenne wanted to give up after realizing she would never see again.

The novel starts off with a bang (Cheyenne being kidnapped) and the reader is constantly at the edge of their seat until the end. It was horrifying to read about Cheyenne's ordeal because she could never truly understand her situation. The second she realized it wasn't her stepmother getting into the car left my heart pounding and I was terrified for her- especially because she was also very ill. As the novel progresses you realize Griffin didn't mean to kidnap Cheyenne, only to steal the car. Unfortunately things take a turn for the worse when Griffin's money hungry father realizes Cheyenne's father is the head of Nike and will do anything to get Cheyenne back.

Readers also got to read things from the side of Griffin, the guy who accidentally kidnapped Cheyenne and must now face the realization that his father is not just going to let her go. I liked being able to see things from both Griffin and Cheyenne's perspective and it made me realize he wasn't really a bad guy.

It's hard to review this without spoiling anything because there are so many twists and turns in the plot. A few things were a little predictable but there was one scene at the end that truly freaked me out, I totally didn't see that coming!

Girl Stolen was a great mystery that was completely different from any "kidnapping" story I've ever read. It was intense, heartbreaking, and I highly recommend it. I can't wait to read more by April Henry in the future!

Griffin didn't mean to kidnap Cheyenne Wilder when he stole that Escalade, but now that he's got her his only choice is to keep driving home. Home is a chop shop, two total morons, and his father, a criminal mastermind wannabe. This isn't great news for Cheyenne, who is almost totally blind. It's not great news for Griffin either, who is at the beginning of a path toward some hard truths about his family.

You could call both Griffin and Cheyenne victims of circumstance. While Griffin has been given few chances in life, he's still got a good streak that Cheyenne clings to for survival. Similarly, Griffin has an opportunity for a second shot in Cheyenne. They are both, in many ways, wildly similar people given very different lots in life, which cross at random one day in a shopping mall.

Really great pacing, dialogue and characters. My only gripes come at the end, which seemed a little less then believable. There are pages of discussion over how your other senses compensate for blindness, and still Cheyenne is tricked oh so easily. Follow this with a rather quick rescue in a dire situation that is drawn out by an admirably strong car window. The two chop shop morons also present some interesting moral weirdness at the end that rang hollow. I was also hoping for more of a conclusion between Griffin and Cheyenne. It seemed quickly tacked on in efforts to tie up loose ends before the story is dropped with an open-ended line.

Maybe kidnapping plots can never find truly satisfying endings, however I still mostly liked it regardless.

Girl, Stolen by April Henry
Henry Holt and Company, 2010
213 pages
YA; Contemporary; Suspense
4/5 stars

Source: Library

Summary: As Cheyenne rests in the car, Griffin breaks in and steals it without noticing her. She begs to be let go, but he's too far implicated to release her. Upon discovery of her identity (the daughter of the president of Nike), Griffin's father has big plans for her. Oh, yeah and she's blind.

This is another book that I probably wouldn't have read if not for the Contemps challenge. I like sweet coming of age love stories, not boys implicated in their father's criminal activities and girls terrified out of their mind. I am glad that I read it though.

It is quite fast-moving as Cheyenne adjusts to her new situation and almost immediately begins formulating an escape plan. She was very brave and used what she had at her command to her advantage. Tied in with Cheyenne is Griffin who wanted to boost a sweet ride and yet feels sympathy for Cheyenne especially in the face of his father's greed and his father's employees' lust. He moves on a path toward redemption and escape from his father through their conversations and how she challenges him.

Overall: A very fast read that should have you on the edge of your seat.

Cover: I think the hands are creepy and that the cover as a whole definitely reflects the suspenseful nature of this read.

This novel is about sixteen year old Cheyenne Wilder, a girl who is kidnapped--accidentally--by Griffin, a young man who had no intention of taking her against her will in the first place--he just wanted the car!--too bad Cheyenne was asleep in the backseat, hidden safely under a blanket. By the time both he and Cheyenne realize what has happened, it's too late to turn around, drop her off somewhere, and send her on her way with the promise of hunting her down if she opens her mouth. But Cheyenne tells Griffin something that will either save her, or be her end: She's blind.

Cheyenne was a strong character despite all her disadvantages, and though at times she seemed whiny, I always understood why, and was able to connect with her and root for her every step of the way. I felt for Griffin as well, even with knowing very little about him. I cared for him as a character and wished and hoped for the best for him, because he, in a sense, was in a situation much the same as Cheyenne.
Girl, Stolen was the first of its kind that I have ever read. I've never read a book based purely on abduction, or where the protagonist is blind. I have always felt a little iffy toward books of that subject, just on the fact that I've never read anything like it. But when I saw Girl, Stolen while I was browsing the store, I just felt I had to have it. I'm so glad I clicked `Buy'.
Wow. That was all I can remember thinking as I got through each chapter. Some were better than others, but most had me on edge, not wanting to miss anything that was happening, but not being able to make my eyes stop reading so quickly! But that's just the kind of book this is. It's very fast-pace, with something happening in almost every scene that has you thinking you can't get to the next page fast enough. I think that is why I finished this book in just one sitting! But at the same time, the author knows when to slow it down, explain what is going on so you're not confused, and then pick everything back up and have you once again dying to know what happens next.

As I said before, I had never read any book where any of the characters were blind, nonetheless being held captive. So I didn't know what to expect, and I found myself thinking before I picked this up, "How is the author going to explain what is going on, and have the protagonist describe things when she can't even see? How is she going to try to escape?" I feel almost silly now, having thought like that. The way April Henry has Cheyenne describe things through sound, smell, touch and feel... it was beautifully crafted and enduring.

The only thing that I wasn't so crazy for was all of the explanations. I'll be the first one to say I love when authors take the time to slow things down and tell us readers some back story, or something important to the storyline, but during some scenes, I felt April went a little too far in, telling us things that didn't add to the story; it just filled up the word count. I mean, I love now knowing how to steal a car and get away with it--I'm just kidding--no, not really--but did we really need a step-by-step instruction guide on that? I really hope not...
But like I said, April has a way of storytelling, and I adore her writing style.
This was my first April Henry book, and I'm sure it won't be my last!

"Please let me go, I won't tell!" -Girl, Stolen

I admit that GIRL, STOLEN didn't immediately catch my eye. It wasn't until a few trustworthy sources recommended it to me that I really gave it a second thought... The description was, for lack of a better term, cheesy. Luckily, my friends are wise and convinced me to to set aside my first impression because GIRL, STOLEN's quick-witted heroine is definitely worth meeting.

My favorite aspect of GIRL, STOLEN was most definitely Cheyenne. My younger sister is visually-impaired, though not to the extent of our main character, and the author's descriptions rang true. Cheyenne is a strong, smart young woman that's easy to connect with and even easier to be inspired by. I'm excited to share this novel with my sister, in hopes that she too will find some inspiration in Cheyenne's perseverance and strength.

I suppose there was a slight romantic plot line, but I wouldn't classify this novel as romance. It was hinted at, but wasn't of any major consequence.

Parts of GIRL, STOLEN may be predictable and there isn't much time for in depth development of the secondary characters, but this novel is still a 5-star in my book based solely on the clever main character.

I really loved how different Cheyenne is different than how a usual protagonist of mystery novels are. At first it seems like a normal girl accidentally getting kidnapped by a guy named Griffin, but then the there's a twist that lets her alive. I found it very interesting that a girl who is sick and blind is able to convince the kidnappers to be able to live. I really love how strong Cheyenne is since she became blind, and that she tries her best to hide her sadness and fear. The twists in the end really surprised me, but overall I feel like I want Cheyenne and Griffin to be a couple although it's odd. However, he didn't become how he is in the story because he wanted to and the fact that he helps her makes me want them to be a couple cause I think it'll be a one odd yet cute couple. Anyways there are many mysteries and craziness going on which I love, and how Cheyenne keeps coming up on ideas to try and escape made me think how she is brave and strong.

I received an advanced copy of Girl Stolen by April Henry from Goodreads giveaway. I heard some buzz about the book so I looked forward to reading the book.

I enjoyed Girl Stolen but it did start off a little slow. The story begins when Cheyenne is kidnapped as a result of a car jacking. The car jacker unaware that she was in the backseat decides to go ahead and keep her with him. He doesn't immediately realize is that Cheyenne is vision impaired. The realization of her handicap creates a dilemma for him and influences his decision on how to handle the situation.

The book as I stated earlier starts slow except for the car jacking itself. As the story unfolds you do begin to care for the characters especially the car jacker, Griffin. You realize that there is more to Griffin than just a boy who steals cars. The author portrays Cheyenne's blindness as part of the story and does not it up. You do however, learn a little what it might feel like to be visually impaired and what a sighted person takes for granted. The story builds to the exciting ending where I couldn't put the book down trying to see the resolution. I would recommend this book to any teen who likes mysteries and books with some character development.

Girl, Stolen is basically a simulation of what it would be like if you were kidnapped and you were blind. And what it would be like if you were the kidnapper. I liked the book because you could feel the struggle of Cheyenne throughout the book the the author did a great job explaining what Cheyenne was imagining considering she is blind. I loved how most of the book was a mystery, and how they accidently stole Cheyenne. The story started when Griffin stole a car not knowing that Cheyenne was in the back, and he stole her too, and ended with one million dollars of ransom.
One day Cheyenne’s step mother left to refill her prescriptions and left Cheyenne in the car with it running. Griffin and his buddies stole the car to please his father. About one minute later they realize they just stole a girl. She tries to fight them but she is too weak. It also doesn't help that she is blind except for a tiny blur out of one eye which does not really help. They realize she is blind and they take her to their house in the middle of nowhere.
Griffin didn't even know Cheyenne was in the back of the car until they had drove onto the road. Griffin was thinking of letting her out just then. But he thought that if he did that she would describe him to the police and they would catch him. Instead of letting her go he took her. Later on through the drive she told them she was blind hoping that she would be able to be dropped off. But of course that didn't work.
In conclusion this was a great book it was action filled, mysterious. I like how Griffin became the good guy even after Cheyenne hit him in the head with a wrench twice. April Henry the author did an amazing job describing the details throughout the book it really helped me understand the book. Basically this was an all around great book that I would recommend to anyone.

It would be horrifying in itself just to be kidnapped as a teenager, but add in the fact that you are blind and it has to be the worst thing imaginable! When I first received Girl Stolen, for some reason I kept shoving the book to the back of my reading stack. The book wasn't really on my radar and I hadn't read many reviews at the time for it. So when I finally picked it up again, I decided to give it a go and see what it was all about.

The point of view in this book alternates between Cheyenne and Griffin. Cheyenne was in her stepmothers SUV while she was in getting Cheyennes prescription for pneumonia. Cheyenne had left her seeing eye dog at home and soon realizes that was a mistake. Griffin jumps in the SUV and steals it with Cheyenne in the backseat. When Griffin realizes that Cheyenne is in the SUV, he panics and realizes he has made a major mistake. Not knowing what to do, he takes her with him to his house where his Father comes up with a plan to hold her hostage for ransom money.

It was refreshing to read about something that could happen so easily in our world today. I liked the twist of having the victim be blind as it caused some story arcs that wouldn't have been there if she wasn't. I wanted to dislike Griffin so much, but like Cheyenne I started to see a softer side to Griffin and realize he didn't really want any of this to happen. His father is abusive and I can see him doing this as a way to gain his fathers approval. As the story progressed, I was cheering for Cheyenne and Griffin. I wanted them to both overcome all of the obstacles that were thrown at them.

If there was one thing that I didn't like about this book, it is the ending. I absolutely can't stand open endings that are left open for the readers interpretation. I like closure when I finish reading that last page of a book. To me, it always feels like the author just decided not to finish the story because they got tired of it. I like to read a finished product! Some people might enjoy these types of endings, but I am not a fan of them.

It would be horrifying in itself just to be kidnapped as a teenager, but add in the fact that you are blind and it has to be the worst thing imaginable! When I first received Girl Stolen, for some reason I kept shoving the book to the back of my reading stack. The book wasn't really on my radar and I hadn't read many reviews at the time for it. So when I finally picked it up again, I decided to give it a go and see what it was all about.

The point of view in this book alternates between Cheyenne and Griffin. Cheyenne was in her stepmothers SUV while she was in getting Cheyennes prescription for pneumonia. Cheyenne had left her seeing eye dog at home and soon realizes that was a mistake. Griffin jumps in the SUV and steals it with Cheyenne in the backseat. When Griffin realizes that Cheyenne is in the SUV, he panics and realizes he has made a major mistake. Not knowing what to do, he takes her with him to his house where his Father comes up with a plan to hold her hostage for ransom money.

It was refreshing to read about something that could happen so easily in our world today. I liked the twist of having the victim be blind as it caused some story arcs that wouldn't have been there if she wasn't. I wanted to dislike Griffin so much, but like Cheyenne I started to see a softer side to Griffin and realize he didn't really want any of this to happen. His father is abusive and I can see him doing this as a way to gain his fathers approval. As the story progressed, I was cheering for Cheyenne and Griffin. I wanted them to both overcome all of the obstacles that were thrown at them.

If there was one thing that I didn't like about this book, it is the ending. I absolutely can't stand open endings that are left open for the readers interpretation. I like closure when I finish reading that last page of a book. To me, it always feels like the author just decided not to finish the story because they got tired of it. I like to read a finished product! Some people might enjoy these types of endings, but I am not a fan of them.

Girl, Stolen by April Henry was an amazing book that I just fell in love with. The author, April Henry, did a great job making the story suspenseful and extremely interesting. This book was the exact opposite of tedious. There was not a dull moment anywhere in the book! I read a lot of books, and it takes a lot for me to absolutely fall in love with a book. I feel like people, who like suspenseful and exciting stories, should peruse this book. It will definitely keep them interested and excited. When I was reading the book, I never wanted it to end, and I finished the book fairly quickly considering the fact the book only has 213 pages which I was disappointed about. If there was one thing that I would change about Girl, Stolen, I would change the book length. I would have loved it if the book was longer. This book left me with this abyss that could only by filled with another good book.
This book had a heroine who was absolutely brilliant. Cheyenne, our cogent protagonist, had extremely bad luck that led her to be in a very unfortunate situation. Cheyenne Wilder is the sixteen year old daughter of the president of Nike. Three years ago, she was in a hapless accident that caused her to lose her mother at the age of young thirteen as well as her sight. Do not let the fact that she is blind fool you. Her blindness has let her be deft in other things. When her stepmother's car is stolen by a young man named Griffin, her world is turned upside down. Griffin did not have a clue who Cheyenne's father is or that she was even in the car. By the time Griffin realizes that more came with the car than he originally thought, it is too late. Once Roy, Griffin's nefarious father, realizes who Cheyenne's father is, he decides that there is a reason to keep her. In my opinion, reading this book will not be a waste of your time.
I ratiocinate that the age range for this book should be 11 and up. There is a certain amount of maturity mandatory to read this book because it has certain content that some children may not be mentally prepared for. There are certain parts where Roy acts invectively towards Griffin and sometimes that turns into physical attacks. This is the main reason why I feel the age range should be 11 and up.

Bestselling adult and teen thriller writer April Henry will not disappoint suspense fans with her latest nail-biter. Sixteen-year-old Cheyenne Wilder is sleeping in the back of her stepmom's car when the vehicle is stolen. Then her kidnappers discover that she's the daughter of a sportswear CEO. She knows they will not need her once they get their ransom, so she has to find a way to escape before she's killed. While that premise is page-turning enough, readers will also wonder what will happen to Griffin, the young man who just thought he was stealing a car and is himself a sort of hostage of his abusive father.

Cheyenne is also struggling with pneumonia. She had been in the car while her stepmom picked up antibiotics and wanted the keys in the ignition for the heater. Though she's been blind for three years, she still has to work to use all her other senses to figure out what her surroundings are like. When she's tied up, she's able to break a glass and keep a piece without her captors knowing, but she has no idea where she is or what way would lead to help.

From the moment he realizes there's a passenger in the new Escalade he stole, Griffin knows his life will be changed forever. Suddenly, helping his father run his chop shop seems shameful rather than a way to make a living. Cheyenne can't see him or his dingy house, but suddenly Griffin is seeing everything more clearly. He now realizes what the two rough men who work for his father are really like: they're monsters who want to rape Cheyenne while waiting for her money.

Griffin's dad hits him while demanding five million dollars from Cheyenne's family. She and Griffin get to know each other through the tension-filled day and realize they are both without mothers, neither can read, and they have many similar feelings. That bond stirs hope in Cheyenne and a grim resolve in Griffin to break from his father's downward spiral.

Guns, a dangerous escape attempt, and a criminal more dangerous than either Cheyenne or Griffin realized they were dealing with ratchet up the suspense right until the end. April Henry does a terrific job recounting the difficulties of Cheyenne's blindness and Griffin's life, and readers will find sympathy for both in this pulse-pounding thriller.

--- Reviewed by Amy Alessio

Cheyenne feels awful. She and her step-mother have just left the doctor's office where x-rays revealed that Cheyenne has pneumonia. Her step-mother leaves her resting in the running car while she heads into the store to pick up a prescription. It all seems simple, until a stranger slips into the front seat and steals the car.

As the car thief speeds out of the parking lot, a glance in the rear view mirror reveals he has a passenger, but by now it's too late. When Cheyenne realizes what is happening, she begs her captor to release her, promising not to tell anyone. When her promises are ignored, Cheyenne reveals the real truth - she is blind.

Griffin, the young car thief, is in a panic. His actual target in the shopping center parking lot was to steal packages from unlocked vehicles. Stealing a car was not part of the plan, but when he saw the classy SUV was just sitting there with its engine running, he reacted. Now he will be delivering a really cool car to his father, but the added surprise of a kidnapped girl is definitely going to complicate matters.

Cheyenne tries to use her remaining senses to follow the route Griffin takes into the country. She knows she isn't far from home, but she has no idea how to figure out exactly where she is. When her kidnappers find out she is the daughter of the company president of Nike, they are determined to demand a sizeable reward. As they plot and plan their next step, Cheyenne listens carefully for clues revealing their names and the location of the house where she is being held.

Author April Henry has created quite a thriller guaranteed to keep readers on the edge of their seats. GIRL, STOLEN is filled with plenty of excitement and suspense. There is the obvious complication of Cheyenne's blindness and the added difficulty of her physical illness and her immediate need for antibiotics. Those problems alone would be enough for most authors, but Henry adds other creative plot twists that will keep readers on their toes. GIRL, STOLEN is a must-read for action and adventure fans.

Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"

Cheyenne has pneumonia, it's so bad she stays resting in the car while her step-mom goes to fill her prescription. Cheyenne is also blind, so she doesn't think much of it when the car door opens and they start to drive off. That is until the driver realizes there's someone in the back and Cheyenne realizes the driver isn't her step-mom. Griffin was just trying to steal a car, not kidnap a girl. Now he doesn't know what to do. Cheyenne just wants to get away but being sick and blind isn't going to make this an easy option.

This was a great book about accidental kidnapping. I liked that we got some background about Cheyenne learning to live with her blindness, since she wasn't born blind. It was also nice to get some insight into how Griffin got to the point in his life where he is stealing cars. I really enjoyed this book though and how fast paced and real it was. There were a few twists that seemed sort of weird but they helped the plot line. I also liked how clever her other kidnappers seemed to be, even though they seemed kind of dumb at first. This was a very quick and interesting read, and I recommend you pick it up. It made you wonder how you would handle being in Cheyenne's position or even in Griffin's position. This was a great read and I will look forward to any new YA books April Henry comes out with.

First Line:
"Cheyenne heard the car door open."

Favorite Lines:
"If she could get to a phone.
If she could find another way to alert the authorities.
If she could persuade Griffin to save her.
If she could escape.
Nothing but ifs."

Griffin steals a car. He does not realize at first that therere is a girl sleeping in the backseat. Then he meets Cheyenne, a blind teenager who is waiting for her stepmom to come back out from the pharmacy with Cheyenne's antibiotics. Griffin begins to panic. His father begins to see dollar signs when they realize that Cheyenne is the daughter of Nike's President. The car theft officially becomes a kidnapping with ransom included. This book had a lot of twists and turns would keep readers hooked. Griffin and Cheyenne are interested characters. I could see both HS girls andc boys enjoying this book. At just over 200 pages, it is a quick read but a good one. I recommend it.

[...]

April Henry's Girl, Stolen is a suspenseful thriller about sixteen year old Cheyenne, a blind girl with pneumonia who is inadvertently kidnapped by a carjacker while her stepmother is in the pharmacy picking up her prescription. When Griffin, the teenage carjacker, discovers Cheyenne in the back of the SUV, he wants to let her go but decides to consult with his father first. Unfortunately for Cheyenne, when Griffin's father finds out that her family is extremely wealthy, he decides to hold her for ransom. But will he really let her go if the ransom is paid? Will Griffin stand by and let his mistake turn into murder? Can Cheyenne escape and find help on her own?

What I Liked:
- My favorite aspect of this book was how brave and resourceful Cheyenne was and how thoroughly her blindness was integrated into the story. Her blindness was presented in a believable and enlightening way, and I liked that she was so smart and capable.
- Despite Griffin's criminal history, he was easy to sympathize with because he found himself in a difficult position - torn between his compassionate impulses and his abusive father's demands.
- This book is a page-turner! The carjacking/kidnapping happens on the very first page, and the pace doesn't let up until the very last page. So although this book is fairly short, it is intense from start to finish.
- The setting has a gritty realism that I liked. From the sink filled with dirty dishes to the hot dogs and ramen Griffin prepared for Cheyenne, the two main characters and their environment felt realistic. It didn't ever feel like a sugar-coated fictional world.

What I Liked Less:
- Aside from Griffin, the bad guys were stock villains who didn't seem to have any ethical concerns about kidnapping, rape, murder, or theft. I found them fairly generic and easy to hate. In a book with so few characters, I wanted every one of them to be compelling and conflicted.
- The last couple of chapters resolved the story a little too quickly for my taste.

Girl, Stolen is a suspenseful YA novel about a blind girl who is kidnapped and held for ransom. I look forward to checking out more of April Henry's thrillers, like Shock Point, Torched, Learning to Fly, the Claire Montrose mysteries, and the Triple Threat novels (which she co-writes with Lis Wiehl).

The book Girl, Stolen was an exciting and original mystery that had me gripping the pages right to the very last word. Cheyenne was a great main character who I liked right away. Her story was heartbreaking and it really adds to the story as each page is turned.

Cheyenne was a character different from any I've read about before. An accident a few years earlier left her blind and changed her life forever. Although the third person narration didn't let me connect with Cheyenne as much as I would have liked, I did feel for her and everything she was going through.
I really loved the plot and the whole idea of the book, but a small glitch in the story structure did throw me off a little bit was the third person narration, which I kept hoping would change to a first person perspective, but I guess it worked for the most part, since each chapter alternated from a narration of Cheyenne's perspective, back to Griffin's. Other than that, the book was excellent and I would definitely recommend it to any who are interested.

When Griffin, a teenage boy, steals a vehicle, he accidentally kidnaps Cheyenne Wilder, a blind girl, who was asleep in the backseat. Hoping to please his father, he takes the vehicle home anyway, thinking he can dump Cheyenne somewhere after dark. But once it comes out that Cheyenne's dad is the president of Nike, Griffin's dad has no intention of returning her unless he gets a big ransom. And maybe not even then.

This book was a quick read. The story moved right along and kept me hooked. I enjoyed Cheyenne's character and found it interesting to read from a blind girl's point of view. I also enjoyed Griffin's character, his turmoil, and how everything worked out in the end. I would have liked a bit more story before the book ended. The plot was resolved, but I felt as if a few more pages would have resolved things between Cheyenne and Griffin.

I really adored Girl, Stolen. This is the first book that I've read from April Henry and I had been looking forward to reading it for a while and it did not disappoint. The story is well thought out, smart, fast-paced, with suspense and action, and a twist towards the end. And with the added strain of a teenage girl's blindness and pneumonia, this accidental kidnapping is unlike any other I've read, so it definitely peaked my interest. It is fresh and original.

The characters are believable, with Cheyenne being my favorite. I liked how despite her handicap of being blind and sick, she is not portrayed as weak and helpless. The author focuses more on Cheyenne's strengths than her weaknesses and utilizes them to the fullest extent. Don't underestimate her. In fact, she is quite an extraordinary, remarkable, and brave young girl. The amount of strength and fight in her to try to survive this ordeal is just incredible and inspiring. Even though this is just a work of fiction, it still gives you a testament of what a blind person is capable of overcoming when faced with obstacles. Cheyenne never gives up hope. Her intelligence as well as her methodical planning and strategic ingenuity make up for her blindness. Cheyenne finds the strongest weapon in the most unlikely place - through communication - which I thought was interesting. But she also uses her handicap to her advantage, trying to evoke sympathy, in hopes of gaining some leverage in her situation. So she really leaves no stone unturned.

Griffin, the teenage boy who accidentally kidnaps Cheyenne when he steals her stepmom's car, is another character who, while I shouldn't like him because he is one of the bad guys, kind of grew on me once I got to learn more about him, as his damaged layers were slowly peeled back as you read through the book. He is torn between doing what's right and doing what his father expects of him, so his vulnerability is easily visible. The book does a great job of detailing the internal conflicts and thoughts of the kidnappers. For me the story was just as much about Griffin as it was about Cheyenne. I felt that it was just as important to try to "free" Griffin as it was to free Cheyenne. There are certain parallels in their lives that allow for them to relate - or seemingly so - which you have to decide, is it a genuine connection or a strategic one? You'll have to make up your own mind about this if you read this book.

I found myself caring about what happened to the characters. And I was rooting for Cheyenne the whole time. The exciting part about reading this book is that it's unpredictable - to me at least - because it could go either way, good or bad. I didn't know what was going to happen next, which made the journey more thrilling and suspenseful.

Money is such a powerful incentive for some of the captors that they are willing to selfishly hold Cheyenne for ransom despite never being kidnappers before. Even though Cheyenne is literally the blind one, for me it felt like her captors were also "blind," being blinded by money. You get to see the extent to which some people will go for money and how greed can affect some people in a negative way by clouding and overpowering rational reasoning and good judgement in the weak-minded. The book has a lot of underlying depth, dealing with themes and issues of peer pressure, morality, trust, the handicapped, overcoming obstacles, courage, and hope.

While there is definitely some tension throughout the book, I wish there had been a little more conflict between Cheyenne and her captors. But this is understandable as her captors were not natural kidnappers. I also wish the story would have taken place over a longer period of time, as it only spanned a few days. It would have allowed for the story to not feel so rushed towards the end. And the search for Cheyenne isn't highlighted as much as I would have liked, only briefly mentioned in the book. But overall, I was very impressed and satisfied with the book. The plot is solid from beginning to end. I highly recommend everyone to read this book!