This was raw and honest memory that will break your heart. Although sad, it was ultimately a story of survival. It highlighted the lasting impact childhood trauma has on a person, and the heartbreaking reality of so many survivors. Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for a chance to read and review this book.

Wow what an unbelievable book, to be quite honest one of the best and hard hitting I have ever read, I know nothing about Gaia Cooper but she sounds like an amazing young woman, I live not too far from Rotherham so heard all about what happened but this book was amazing, thank you for writing it AAA

Modern Slave by Gaia Cooper

First time read of this type of book and what a heartbreaking story it was .
A young girl , failed by the adults around her, meets up and is abused both physically , emotionally , and sexually by a group of men who also lead her down a path of crime.
You can't say you enjoyed the book due to the content but Gaia I wish you a good life and thank you for using the experience of your own life to help others.

Modern Slave is a fictionalised account of the true life experiences of Gaia Cooper,who as a 14 year-old was sucked into the orbit of a grooming gang, Troubled teen Gaia ,always the outsider, was desperate for love and attention but settled for "being useful" to a couple of petty criminals much older than herself . With the crimes they expected her to carry out ,getting little or nothing in return for risking prison,getting more and more serious,she's also subjected to increasing levels of violence and abuse. Finally leaving her old life behind her Gaia opens her door to 2 policewomen in 2015 asking her to help them in their investigation into the now notorious grooming gangs.

This is a very disturbing and hard-hitting story with Gaia seemingly unable to break the ties with her abusers,I suspect more than a touch of "Stockholm Syndrome" as some of her decisions are distinctly strange. The writing style is quite "young adult" ,maybe what the author is aiming for as it's written by very experienced ghostwriter Veronica Clark,who knows what she's doing. Gaia now talks to young people about her experiences to serve as a warning and I'd guess this is the market she wants this book directed towards.

My only problem with the book is that Gaia doesn't ever appear to see things from other people's point of view,there were good adults in her life that she criticises despite her own actions having the consequences she blames them for. Likewise,aside from one instance when she's totally correct that an officer let her down,she criticises the police for not taking action in instances when she's outright refused to tell them anything.

That aside it's an important book,albeit rather simplistic in places for an adult reader.

Good read

This was a fast read. I've read a few other books ghostwritten by Veronica Clark; they are usually very well done, well put together, and keep you reading.

In 2015, it looks like Gaia Cooper has made a new life, got kids, and put the past behind her. But one day police call, and it brings everything crashing back to her. Hundreds of girls had been reported missing in the 1990s and 2000s, and Gaia had been one of them.

The book then goes back to those times; when she's at school. Her real dad had disappeared. Mum was a hippy. They'd moved from London.

Neglected and ill-treated by those who should have protected her, and coerced into crime by others. She was just 14 at the time of all these happenings in the book. A sad story of events after getting in with the wrong crowd. It was so hard to get out of. So she just offended again and again.

Mostly well portrayed, and fast moving. For me, it just went off a bit in the later stages, I kind of lost patience as, when it seemed she'd learnt her lesson, and would start again, she just got herself back in deeper.

I was going to give this 4 stars, but the last section wasn't as good, hence my 3 star rating. I didn't like some of it, won't say what so as not to give away any spoilers.