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Kidnapping. Fiction.
Blind. Fiction.
People with disabilities. Fiction.
Love. Fiction.
It's been six months since blind, pneumonia-ridden Cheyenne Wilder was accidentally kidnapped when the car she was in was stolen. Six months since Griffin Sawyer, her erstwhile kidnapper, helped her escape his opportunistic father, Roy, who demanded a ransom. In this sequel to Girl, Stolen (2010), Cheyenne has changed. With Roy's trial approaching, star witness Cheyenne has picked up some self-defense from her new bodyguard. She also braces to see Griffin for the first time since the incident. But Roy has masterminded plans of his own, and when Cheyenne is kidnapped again, it's anything but accidental. Not knowing what Griffin's part is in all this, Cheyenne assumes she's on her own. In alternating perspectives, this follows both Cheyenne and Griffin through the days leading up to the trial. Though the stakes are certainly high, this is a familiar-feeling thriller. As with the previous installment, the real strengths are how Cheyenne navigates her world and the extra layer of difficulty her blindness presents. An exciting and satisfying conclusion to Cheyenne and Griffin's story.
Horn BookSince she was held for ransom by Griffin's father six months ago, blind teenager Cheyenne (Girl, Stolen) has been learning survival training. Those new skills come in handy when her former kidnapper's henchmen try to prevent her from testifying at his trial. Cheyenne and Griffin are well-realized characters even if the villains are largely two-dimensional.
Kirkus ReviewsThe story of Cheyenne and Griffin continues in this sequel to Girl, Stolen (2010).Six months after her kidnapping, Cheyenne Wilder is preparing for the trial of Roy Sawyer, the man who held her for ransom, dealing with her overprotective parents, and learning self-defense techniques from her new bodyguard. Cheyenne can't—and won't—let being blind stop her from becoming stronger. Yet when it comes to Griffin Sawyer, the boy who accidentally kidnapped her but helped her escape, Cheyenne doesn't feel strong. Griffin is going to testify against his father, Roy, which causes Roy and his half brother, Dwayne, to begin plotting. Through third-person chapters that shift perspectives, readers see how, together with TJ, another accomplice from the first kidnapping, Dwayne sets events in motion to kidnap Cheyenne again. In a pulse-pounding sequence, Cheyenne must find a way to use what she has learned to save herself and Griffin—but when Dwayne threatens more than just the two of them, how can two teenagers, one of them blind, defeat a fully grown man? Providing plenty of background for anyone who did not read the first book, this novel offers action, with a disabled protagonist heading the white cast of characters. Cheyenne's blindness makes her an out-of-the-ordinary thriller star, particularly when emotions like confusion and self-doubt are shown, helping readers get under her skin. While Dwayne and TJ remain cardboard villains, they still constitute a credible menace. Readers will be rooting for Cheyenne and Griffin from the edges of their seats. (Thriller. 12-18)
School Library JournalGr 7 Up-his novel picks up a few months after Girl, Stolen left off. Having survived her kidnapping, Cheyenne is back at home, trying to reestablish her life but chafing under the increased security put in place by her father and stepmother. She hasn't spoken to Griffin, her erstwhile, accidental kidnapper and love interest, but can't seem to get him out of her head, and not just because she's preparing to testify against his father, Roy, in his upcoming trial. Griffin is planning on testifying, too, and inevitably the two are thrown back together as Roy plots to keep both of them out of the courtroom. This book offers the same suspense and tightly paced action as its predecessor. Told from alternating viewpointswhich begin to feel a bit clunky and random at timesthis work gives much attention to the survival training Cheyenne (who is blind) has received since returning from her first ordeal; these details make her a strong protagonist and help build up to the action-packed climax. Griffin, who is dealing with testifying against his father as well as the death of his mother, receives a less thorough treatment. VERDICT Although written as a sequel, this volume stands on its own and should be considered for any YA collection looking for contemporary suspense titles.—Bobbi Parry, East Baton Rouge Parish School System, LA
Voice of Youth Advocates (Thu Apr 28 00:00:00 CDT 2022)In this sequel to Girl, Stolen (Macmillan, 2010/VOYA August 2010), Cheyenne is still something of a prisoner. Six months earlier, she was kidnapped for ransom, and now she awaits her day in court to convince the jury that she can identify exactly who her kidnapper was, despite her inability to identify him by sight (she is blind). For six months, her life has been in personal lockdown, with a twenty-four-hour bodyguard and activities restricted to home and school; this means that, for six months, she has not spoken to Griffin. Then, he begins to secretly message her on Facebook. Despite his accidental hand in her kidnapping, Cheyenne knows that he is a good guy. When she agrees to sneak out to meet him, however, she is again taken captive by Griffins family, and this time, they are not promising her safe release. Cheyenne finds herself once again in the fight of her lifeonly this time, she is not sure if the boy she loves is fighting to save (or end) her life. Count All Her Bones is a thrill ride, as fast-paced and exciting as the first installment. Refreshingly, this is not a text where the protagonists disability is the sole focus of the plot or her character. Part thriller, part romance, part adventure, the book focuses on Cheyennes life post-kidnapping and her extensive self-defense and martial arts training, which make for a narrative of advocacy and self-empowerment. Readers will likely find Cheyenne a fierce, female protagonist to root for, and the texts surprising turns will keep them hooked.Courtney Huse Wika.
ALA Booklist
Horn Book
Kirkus Reviews
School Library Journal
Voice of Youth Advocates (Thu Apr 28 00:00:00 CDT 2022)
A teen girl sets out to save her former captor in this much-anticipated sequel to the young adult thriller Girl, Stolen Six months ago, Griffin Sawyer meant to steal a car, but he never meant to steal the girl asleep in the backseat. Panicked, he took her home. His father, Roy, decided to hold Cheyenne--who is blind--for ransom. Griffin helped her escape, and now Roy is awaiting trial. As they prepare to testify, Griffin and Cheyenne reconnect and make plans to meet. But the plan goes wrong and Cheyenne gets captured by Roy's henchmen--this time for the kill. Can Cheyenne free herself? And is Griffin a pawn or a player in this deadly chase? April Henry masterminds another edge-of-your-seat thriller in Count All Her Bones . A Christy Ottaviano Book "Providing plenty of background for anyone who did not read the first book, this novel offers action, with a disabled protagonist heading the white cast of characters. Cheyenne's blindness makes her an out-of-the-ordinary thriller star, particularly when emotions like confusion and self-doubt are shown, helping readers get under her skin. . . . Readers will be rooting for Cheyenne and Griffin from the edges of their seats. " -- Kirkus Reviews More heart-pounding thrillers from April Henry: The Girl I Used to Be The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die The Night She Disappeared Girl, Stolen The Point Last Seen series: The Body in the Woods Blood Will Tell Praise for Count All Her Bones : "A thrill ride . . .Part thriller, part romance, part adventure . . .Cheyenne a fierce, female protagonist to root for." -- VOYA "A pulse-pounding sequence . . . Readers will be rooting for Cheyenne and Griffin from the edges of their seats." -- Kirkus Reviews "This book offers the same suspense and tightly paced action as its predecessor . . ., this volume stands on its own and should be considered for any YA collection looking for contemporary suspense titles." -- School Library Journal "An exciting and satisfying conclusion to Cheyenne and Griffin's story." -- Booklist Praise for Girl, Stolen : "Be ready to be startled and inspired as the story reaches its climax. Readers will race to the end." -- The Strand Magazine "The pace is impeccable, becoming rapidly more frantic as Cheyenne realizes her chances for success are dwindling. In addition, the premise itself is powerfully realistic and compelling, with one small incident (Griffin's jumping into a car that had the keys in the ignition) snowballing into a nightmare series of events that will change everyone." -- BCCB "Henry ( Torched ) spins a captivating tale that shifts between Cheyenne's and Griffin's thoughts. Both are well-built, complex characters, trapped in their own ways by life's circumstances, which--paired with a relentlessly fast pace--ensures a tense read." -- Publishers Weekly "Readers will be hard-pressed to put this one down before its heart-pounding conclusion." -- School Library Journal "Spine-tingling...Reminiscent of Gail Giles' thrillers and tension-filled to the last sentence, Girl, Stolen will resonate with readers long after the cover is closed. With a thoughtful and eye-opening look at disabilities, it highlights Cheyenne and Griffin's resourcefulness and resiliency as they save themselves--and possibly each other." --BookPage "Thoroughly exciting." -- Booklist "Grabs your attention with the first page you read. . . . Each page holds new questions that are answered in the most unexpected ways." -- VOYA , 5Q review