Minus by Lisa Naffziger

Minus by Lisa Naffziger

My Rating: ★

I received a copy from Letter Better Publishing Services through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

After being home schooled for most of her life, Beck is nervous and on her way to college. Her overprotective and paranoid dad is driving her to college and dropping hints about staying home, but Beck is excited about going to university and doesn’t have plants to change her mind. Their trip is going great until they stop at a gas station so Beck can use the bathroom. When Beck comes out, the gas station is trashed, and her dad is gone. Scared and confused about why her dad took off without her, she takes off on foot and hopes to meet up with some friends she made through her university online group until she contacts her dad. Along the way, Beck discovers the truth about her life and why her dad has always been so paranoid.

I thought this book had an interesting concept and it really drew me in before it went off the rails. I think Lisa Naffziger had something going there early in the story. It’s clear that something is up with Beck’s dad from the start. He’s paranoid, doesn’t think Beck should use her phone unless it’s to communicate with him, and has rules about the kinds of apps she can use and how to not draw attention to herself. It’s very clear that he abducted her at some point in her life but that she doesn’t know this since she was raised by him.

Once Beck is separated from her dad, I could see why the story is marketed as a thriller because I felt on edge like Beck did. However, the story starts go to off the rails as Beck tries to find her dad. The story asks me to suspend more and more belief the closer it gets to the end. At some point, I couldn’t spare anymore. The way Beck’s abduction case is handled is questionable at best and there’s more focus put on her kidnapper’s perspective and well-being in relation to her than there should’ve been.

I understand why Beck is attached to her kidnapper. He’s raised her and that’s who she sees as a parental figure. That said, this aspect could’ve been handled much better. I also wish that we saw her reuniting with her mom before the story ends rather than her kidnapper. It seems to cater to Beck’s “father” more than her and her biological family for a story about someone who was kidnapped and just had their entire life changed again when he finally gets busted.

I think the opening was great and the artwork is nice, but it lacks depth and compassion for Beck and her biological family. Overall, it comes off as one big kidnapper’s redemption arc and that’s not something I can get behind.