Book of the Moment: Stolen by Lucy Christopher

Stolen is the heart wrenching debut novel by Australian/British author, Lucy Christopher. Gemma steps away from her parents for a minute to get some coffee and clear her mind from her most recent argument with her mom at the airport in Bangcok, en route to Vietnam. In the cafe, she meets 20 something year old Ty whose penetrating blue eyes capture Gemma's attention. He smoothly pays for her coffee...and drugs it...

All she remembers is a haze ridden mash of a journey and Ty's tall, rugged body by her side every inch of the way. She soon wakes up in the middle of the Austrailian outback...deserted...middle of nowhere...with her captor. Ty. He doesn't abuse her in any way but Gemma is set on escaping. She tries every escape route but soon finds...there aren't any. She also finds that her kidnapper isn't as deceptive as she thinks he is. He has stolen her away...and expected her to live like him...and love him. But in the end...will he steal her heart too?

WOW...
*sigh*
This book was truly one of the most moving books I have ever read. I admit that I cried every bit of the way. My heart was wrenched back and forward, at times hating Ty...and at times loving Ty. Just like Gemma. The author has written such a compelling story that the reader is feeling the same emotions and confusion Gemma feels. I just wanted to believe under all that craziness, Ty really was good. And he was. But his intentions were all bad and in the end...it didn't work out. It made me so sad though to see Ty so screwed up. He truly is just looking for his place and where he belongs and he finds that in dry desert of Australia. And he feels that Gemma is a part of that...and so he steals her. It really does make me sad to see him like that. Gemma's story is truly one of a kind and a kind that is heart- wrenching. I loved this book and I just chewed my way through it. I was completely engrossed with this story and I was just captivated by it all.
And it leaves you wondering...as Gemma finds her self somewhat drawn to Ty...was it because she saw him for who he truly was?
Or was it Stockholm Syndrom?
This question keeps gnawing at me and really it's for the reader to decide what they think. There is no definite answer...
I loved this book and it definitely covered my 2011 goal of reading a truly moving book. Stolen is a beautiful book told through Gemma writing a letter to her captor...Ty.
Everyone should read this amazing book.
I can't wait to read Lucy Christopher's other novel, Flyaway.

I give it a well deserved 6 out of 5!