Shane, Marisa, and Brandi are back and ready for new adventures at Port City High. Things seem to be going pretty well for them with new love interests, some good news here and there, but when Brandi disappears, it will be up to Marisa and Shane to find out where she is...or where the body is...

TAKEN is a very different story from what I expected. Going into it, I thought it would have a Pretty Little Liars type feel, but I was wrong. TAKEN is a story with mystery, danger, and a little romance, but told in its own special way. Marisa, Shane, and Brandi all have distinct personalities and their own lives. The different scenes with them dealing with individual problems shape their characters nicely and provide solid pacing to keep the story going. The real life issues Shannon Freeman gives her characters are harsh and frightening, issues that are very real for many people. The look into lives that are wrapped in those realities is done very well and insightfully.

The dialogue and the mindset of the characters are less mature than the characters' problems, however. While it is a young adult book, the dialogue between the characters is geared toward the younger end of the age group. It feels more middle school drama in some of those areas than young adult/high school level. This does fit with the age of the girls, but it closes off some of the ability to connect with the characters for those older than that young end.

Overall, TAKEN is a quick, decent read. I would not group it in any favorites, but it definitely does have its own high points to bring to them table with the great scenes of different lifestyles and lessons. I would recommend it most to tween or extremely early teens.