Sadie vs. Otherwood
Or Great vs. Mediocre!

I began with Otherwood this round and I thought at first that it was a sweet yet very 'elementary aged' story (it's meant to be middle years so I was hoping for characters my student would connect with) that I personally had a hard time reading and maintaining interest as I forced myself to turn the page. The story delves into other realms/ dimensions with dark seeded histories where hate and lies direct the plot, which creates an interesting enough story but perhaps it is my dislike of or for lack of a better explanation, lack of imagination, that drew me away from enjoying the novel.
Stewy and Ella are likable enough and their imaginations are wondrous and enjoyable as I reminisce about childhood and the challenges of growing up but the book could not compare to Sadie.

I might be biased in choosing Sadie as the winner due to the fact that I opted to listen to this one as an audio book and I believe it was written to be read aloud. I love investigative reporting on true crime and this one certainly left me feeling like I'd just watched/ listened to not only a report of, but the protagonists take on all that occurs.
The format comes to life outside of the book as a podcast follows and an investigator trails the case of Sadie, her past, and the people that aid in her journey to justice. Typical of the heroes journey, she encounters troubles along the way but in the end, although left with an open ending, we can judge that our heroin has succeeded on her journey.
The protagonist is likable and the reader can't help but feel sympathetic to her struggles as we learn more about her past.
The appeal is in the format- a podcast, when listened to is really intriguing and then a novel tied together- loved it!

Krystal and Rachel~ Jan Reimer