ARC Review: Monday's Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson

Monday's Not Coming
Author: Tiffany D. Jackson
Publication: Katherine Tegen Books (May 22, 2018)

Description: From the critically acclaimed author of Allegedly, Tiffany D. Jackson, comes a gripping new novel perfect for fans of E. Lockhart and Gillian Flynn about the mystery of one teenage girl’s disappearance and the traumatic effects of the truth.

Monday Charles is missing, and only Claudia seems to notice. Claudia and Monday have always been inseparable—more sisters than friends. So when Monday doesn’t turn up for the first day of school, Claudia’s worried.

When she doesn’t show for the second day, or second week, Claudia knows that something is wrong. Monday wouldn’t just leave her to endure tests and bullies alone. Not after last year’s rumors and not with her grades on the line. Now Claudia needs her best—and only—friend more than ever. But Monday’s mother refuses to give Claudia a straight answer, and Monday’s sister April is even less help.

As Claudia digs deeper into her friend’s disappearance, she discovers that no one seems to remember the last time they saw Monday. How can a teenage girl just vanish without anyone noticing that she’s gone?

My Thoughts: This is a story of a girl who is looking for her missing friend. Claudia and Monday have been best friends since first grade but, when Claudia returns from a summer spent with her Grandmamma in Georgia, Monday is gone. They had big plans for this eighth grade year and Claudia can't imagine spending it without her best friend.

The main problem is that no one else thinks that Monday's disappearance is a problem. Claudia's mother says maybe she's sick. The school says she never enrolled. And even Claudia's favorite English teacher isn't able to get any answers when she questions the school or social services. Claudia keeps trying to call but the number is out of service. Despite the fact that her mother doesn't want her to go to Claudia's neighborhood which is the most dangerous in Washington, DC, Claudia doesn't find out anything when she talks to Monday's mother. Monday's older sister keeps giving her conflicting stories, i.e. that she's home sick, that she is living with her father, that she is living with an aunt.

Claudia really needs her friend at school. She is dyslexic but has been able to cover it up because Monday has been doing her writing for her and reading to her. Despite her learning disability, which she will do anything to hide, she is a talented dancer who has been moved up to a higher age level at her dancing school and talented as an artist which mainly shows up in the creative way she does nails.

The story is pretty straightforward and doesn't have a happy ending but the writing style adds depth to the story by shifting around in time with each chapter. Here are the first four chapter titles so that you can see what I mean: September, The Before, The After, One Year Before the Before. I was right there with Claudia feeling her frustration as she couldn't get anyone to care as much about Monday's disappearance as she did. The story was horrifying, heart-breaking, and the kind of story that will haunt my thoughts for a long time.

Favorite Quote:

Rumors are born with legs that can run a mile in less than a minute.
Rumors eat up dreams without condiments.
Rumors do not have expiration dates.
Rumors can be deadly.
Rumors can get you killed.

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from Edelweiss. You can buy your copy here.