Review Detail

DON’T CALL ME GRETA is a gripping tale of a young girl trying to understand where she fits into the world. She discovers police on her doorstep out of the blue one day and her entire world is turned upside down. She learns that her mother, who has been wonderful to her, is actually a criminal and her kidnapper. She was taken from her real family just after birth and has been living as Piper instead of Greta, which is her real name. She has to go through the painful experience of being ripped away from the only family and home she’s ever known and is forced to move in with her biological family who are complete strangers to her. So she goes on the run with her brother’s best friend, sneaks across the border into Canada and ends up living at her grandmother’s cottage for a few days. She becomes famous overnight with the media’s coverage of her and she’s quickly picked up by the police and her biological father. Her new life with her new family is a nightmare as she tries to fit in with hostile family members and a dysfunctional family. I won’t spoil the ending, but it’s a fantastic story that will keep you turning the pages as fast as possible.

I loved Piper/Greta as a character. She’s strong and isn’t afraid to stand up for herself. She’s clever too. I couldn’t believe how long she was able to evade the police when she was on the run. I devoured this book! The drama was intense and the characters were interesting and complex. Her bio mom was absolutely horrible and so was her older sister. They were awful to Piper. Her bio dad was incredible and was one of the best parts of this story.

The romance could have been a bit better. I didn’t feel that strong of a connection between Finn and Piper. It almost felt like they were going through the motions. I was more interested in the drama going on with her family. That was what kept me turning the pages. When the story focused on her relationship with Finn, it felt like the pacing slowed way down. I just didn’t care as much about their relationship. I wanted more of the kidnapping drama.

DON’T CALL ME GRETA is a fast-paced story of a girl whose life gets turned upside down. Her tale is unforgettable and will stay with the reader for a long time. I highly recommend it for anyone who loves to read suspenseful stories for teens.