The Bunker Diary by Kevin Brooks

Waking up to a nightmare, knowing you have been kidnapped and have no idea where your captor has placed you. This is the situation main character, Linus, finds himself in after living as a teenage vagrant for a while. He is alone and stuck inside what seems to be a basement or bunker with the only way out being an elevator that can only be controlled from the outside. The Bunker Diary was filled with suspense and mystery that drives you to read until the end.

Always being a fan of mysteries and thrillers, I was intrigued when I read the description for this book. I was not expecting to enjoy it as much as I did and figured it would be a book with a happy ending and similar to other books I have read in the same genre, but I was pleasantly surprised. This story was well-written and made me feel the fear of not knowing where you are or even why you were taken. 

It all starts with a stupid mistake. Linus knew that he should not help that blind man and felt that something was off, but he reluctantly continues on. As he goes to help the blind man, he is drugged and kidnapped and put into a bunker by himself. He is only given a diary and able to get few supplies by writing and list and leaving it on the elevator. One by one, more people start to arrive until each room in the bunker is filled. Different ages, genders, and races, this strange mix of people cannot figure out who took them, why they are down there, or if there is a possibility of escape.

The characters were all interesting and you definitely felt more sympathy for some than others. Linus is a strong character who proves he is wise beyond his years and takes care of most of the people in the bunker and is constantly trying to figure an escape. The ending of this book was unexpected and slightly frustrating but I felt it was the perfect way to end the story. If you are a fan of mystery, thriller, crime, or suspense novels, check out The Bunker Diary from the teen room today.

-Lauren