Dead to Youby Lisa McMann

Ethan was abducted from his front yard when he was just seven years old. Now, at sixteen, he has returned to his family. It's a miracle... at first. Then the tensions start to build. His reintroduction to his old life isn't going smoothly, and his family is tearing apart all over again. If only Ethan could remember something, anything, about his life before, he'd be able to put the pieces back together. But there's something that's keeping his memory blocked. Something unspeakable... (goodreads.com)

Release date: THIS WEEK, people!Do you know what we need more of in YA literature? We need more gripping, mysterious, thrilling, NON PARANORMAL, STAND ALONE novels.Lisa McMann delivers all of that in Dead to You. True story.I love McMann's novels. She's always writing about something refreshingly original and has a way of drawing you in and never letting you go until you hit that last page. Her Dream Catcher trilogy has paranormal elements in it, but it's pretty scary and mysterious and it's not your average paranormal romp with scary creatures that live under the bed. I still have not read Cryers Cross though I plan to at some point, but so far I have loved every single book this woman has written that has crossed my path.I thought the premise of Dead to You  was super interesting. What happens to a family when the child they thought was lost to them forever suddenly returns? That alone was enough to get me to put this way high up on my I NEED TO READ THIS! list. You have no idea. I wasn't expecting a mystery of sorts and in no way was I ever even close to expecting that ending. Woah.Double, triple, woah.During a time where I have so much going on that I can't keep my brain focused long enough to stick to a book, Dead to You kept me reading from start to finish with desperate page turns so I could just get my eyes on MORE! MORE! MORE!Ethan was actually a very likable character and I felt so strongly for him and his struggle with trying to fit back into a life and family he'd be away from for 10 years. I was often thinking the parents were being foolish, expecting things to go back to normal right away. Why put him in room with a brother he'd not seen for ever, after you know he was homeless and having a tough go of it. I would have been totally all about giving him his space, but still making sure he knew the rules. I'm not sure that enrolling him in school three days after he's reunited was the smartest of ideas, but maybe just putting everything back to normal was the best way to go about a really traumatic and difficult transition?I am in no way an expert or even knowledgeable about this sort of event in life, so my opinions are just based on my gut reactions to things.The one character I thought I wouldn't like, was 6-year old Gracie, however she grew on me quite quickly and I loved reading the scenes between her and "Efan".So much going on, all emotional and psychological and even mysterious. I could not put this book down.Once I hit the end, boy, WOAH.I really do not want there to be another book coming out. I want to be happy that this book concluded as it did because I find that makes it so much more poignant and hard hitting. I am hoping among all hopes that this is a stand alone book (of which we need more of! So! Tired! Of! Series!) that just leaves you wanting more from the author and her amazing imagination. Lisa McMann is a blessing to have in the YA literature genre because her books are never boring and always original. THANK YOU, LISA!!!