Description

"Like Siberia itself, this story is wild, mysterious, full of danger—and then, quite unexpectedly, captivates you with its beauty. I was so glad I went on the adventure." —Goldy Moldavsky, New York Times bestselling author of Kill the Boy Band

Notes from My Captivity is a sharp, sensitive, and darkly funny novel perfect for fans of Libba Bray’s Beauty Queens and Adam Silvera’s More Happy Than Not.

Adrienne Cahill cares about three things: getting into a great college; becoming a revered journalist like her idol, Sydney Declay; and making her late father proud of her.

So when Adrienne is offered the chance to write an article that will get her into her dream school and debunk her foolish stepfather’s belief that a legendary family of hermits is living in the Siberian wilderness, there’s no question that she’s going to fly across the world.

But the Russian terrain is even less forgiving than Adrienne. And when disaster strikes, none of their extensive preparations seem to matter. Now Adrienne’s being held captive by the family she was convinced didn’t exist, and her best hope for escape is to act like she cares about them, even if it means wooing the youngest son.


  • Forced Proximity: Trapped in a tiny, isolated hut, Adrienne's only potential ally is Vanya, the quiet, watchful son she is supposed to be manipulating for her escape.
  • Captor/Captive Romance: What begins as a strategy to survive slowly becomes something far more complicated, blurring the lines between manipulation and a real, dangerous connection.
  • Paranormal Mystery: As Adrienne fights to stay alive, she is haunted by visions of a mysterious girl who seems to hold the key to the family's darkest secrets and the dangers of the forest.
  • Darkly Funny: A sharp, witty narrative voice perfect for readers who like their survival stories with a heavy dose of sarcasm and high-stakes tension.

About the author(s)

As a baby, Kathy Parks was thrown out with the bathwater. This experience shaped her life and art. She is the author of novels including The Lifeboat Clique and Notes from My Captivity, and she also works as an advertising copywriter. She lives with her husband, Michael, in Boulder, Colorado.

Reviews

I loved this book. ...like Siberia itself, this story is wild, mysterious, full of danger—and then, quite unexpectedly, captivates you with its beauty. I was so glad I went on the adventure. - Goldy Moldavsky, New York Times bestselling author of Kill the Boy Band

“An inventive, multilayered tale about family, faith, mysticism, and survival, offering harrowing life-or-death adventure, as well as robust characters as memorable as they are unique.” - Publishers Weekly

“Haunting. Mesmerizing. Completely unforgettable.” - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Offering danger, romance, and a few ghosts, this is a trip that will capture readers’ attention. A fast-paced read for fans of survival fiction with well-developed characters.” - School Library Journal

“Parks deftly peels back layer after layer of mystery… This intriguing tangle of menace, cultures, familial and romantic love, and the supernatural will draw teen fans across genres.”   - Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“Readers looking for a unique, edgy read will love the latest from the author of The Lifeboat Clique (2016).” - Booklist Online

“A wildly original story of love, loss, and of course a possibly-mythical possibly-cannibal family creeping around the Siberian wilderness. I couldn’t put it down!” - Jilly Gagnon, author of #famous

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