Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by popthebutterfly
The Center of the Universe by Ria Voros
4.0
Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the publisher and RockStarBookTours. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: April 2, 2019
Genre: YA Contemporary/Thriller
Recommended Age: 15+ (TW for kidnapping, TW for potential rape, PTSD, sex, and I think there was some small language in this book)
Publisher: KCP Loft
Pages: 506
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Grace Carter's mother --- the celebrity news anchor GG Carter --- is everything Grace is not. GG is a star, with a flawless wardrobe and a following of thousands, while Grace --- an aspiring astrophysicist --- is into stars of another kind. She and her mother have always been in different orbits. Then one day GG is just ... gone. Cameras descend on their house, news shows speculate about what might have happened and Grace's family struggles to find a new rhythm as they wait for answers. While the authorities unravel the mystery behind GG's disappearance, Grace grows closer to her high school's golden boy, Mylo, who has faced a black hole of his own. She also uncovers some secrets from her mother's long-lost past. The more Grace learns, the more she wonders. Did she ever really know her mother? Was GG abducted ... or did she leave? And if she left, why?
Review: For the most part I liked this book. I thought it was well written and it was great to see a tragedy from the perspective of a family effected by it instead of from the viewpoint of the victim. It was realistic and raw. I felt that the character development was great.
However, I did have some issues. I really didn’t like all the misinformation in the book. At one point in the book the father mentions how you had to wait 3 days to report a missing person. This is entirely false. The book is set in Canada and according to the websites I went to, including a government website, it advises people to report missing persons ASAP no matter their age. I usually hear of a 24 hour rule, which is a complete myth and here is why: The first 24 hours in a missing persons case is the most crucial to a case and to the victims life. Your chance of survival and of being rescued decreases significantly after 24 hours is up. I feel it is essential to inform people of the correct times to report missing persons as this can easily mean the difference between life and death for someone you saw/suspect getting kidnapped. The fact that the father waited three days to report the mother missing was very annoying as well. If you think a loved one is in danger or you don’t know where they are PLEASE CALL 911. Another misinformation in the book is that the children in this book were allowed to be interviewed without parental consent. While I’m not exactly sure of the ages of the children as well as the age of majority in Canada, this is a complete falsehood as well. Children have to have a parent or guardian present, even if one of their parents is a suspect.
The back and forth of the time is confusing at first and it takes a bit to get used to. The length for this type of book is really long too, but I’m unsure of how the author could have reduced it. I felt like the book needed to be that long, but it also felt like it was too long as well? It’s a confusing feeling.
Verdict: I recommend this for the mix of contemporary and thriller.
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: April 2, 2019
Genre: YA Contemporary/Thriller
Recommended Age: 15+ (TW for kidnapping, TW for potential rape, PTSD, sex, and I think there was some small language in this book)
Publisher: KCP Loft
Pages: 506
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Grace Carter's mother --- the celebrity news anchor GG Carter --- is everything Grace is not. GG is a star, with a flawless wardrobe and a following of thousands, while Grace --- an aspiring astrophysicist --- is into stars of another kind. She and her mother have always been in different orbits. Then one day GG is just ... gone. Cameras descend on their house, news shows speculate about what might have happened and Grace's family struggles to find a new rhythm as they wait for answers. While the authorities unravel the mystery behind GG's disappearance, Grace grows closer to her high school's golden boy, Mylo, who has faced a black hole of his own. She also uncovers some secrets from her mother's long-lost past. The more Grace learns, the more she wonders. Did she ever really know her mother? Was GG abducted ... or did she leave? And if she left, why?
Review: For the most part I liked this book. I thought it was well written and it was great to see a tragedy from the perspective of a family effected by it instead of from the viewpoint of the victim. It was realistic and raw. I felt that the character development was great.
However, I did have some issues. I really didn’t like all the misinformation in the book. At one point in the book the father mentions how you had to wait 3 days to report a missing person. This is entirely false. The book is set in Canada and according to the websites I went to, including a government website, it advises people to report missing persons ASAP no matter their age. I usually hear of a 24 hour rule, which is a complete myth and here is why: The first 24 hours in a missing persons case is the most crucial to a case and to the victims life. Your chance of survival and of being rescued decreases significantly after 24 hours is up. I feel it is essential to inform people of the correct times to report missing persons as this can easily mean the difference between life and death for someone you saw/suspect getting kidnapped. The fact that the father waited three days to report the mother missing was very annoying as well. If you think a loved one is in danger or you don’t know where they are PLEASE CALL 911. Another misinformation in the book is that the children in this book were allowed to be interviewed without parental consent. While I’m not exactly sure of the ages of the children as well as the age of majority in Canada, this is a complete falsehood as well. Children have to have a parent or guardian present, even if one of their parents is a suspect.
The back and forth of the time is confusing at first and it takes a bit to get used to. The length for this type of book is really long too, but I’m unsure of how the author could have reduced it. I felt like the book needed to be that long, but it also felt like it was too long as well? It’s a confusing feeling.
Verdict: I recommend this for the mix of contemporary and thriller.