Mila Santos Is (Not) Dead

pre: intro

MILA SANTOS IS (NOT) DEAD

A new adult novel about about self-preservation, friendship, the open road, and ice-cold revenge. By Jasper, @astrologay, circa 2021.

EXTENDED SUMMARY

Malachi learned young that you do what you have to do to survive. Raised in a traditional, conservative family, he had to pretend to be someone he wasn't and hurt the people he cared about to avoid the wrath of his violent, unpredictable father.

    When his best friend Mila goes missing, he does what he has to do to find her. Distrustful of the police, he takes the search into his own hands. In the dark woods, alone with a stranger, he finds a grisly crime scene—and Mila's clothes, torn to shreds.

He knows something is off about the scene, other than the obvious. Because while the police treat the investigation like a murder case, Malachi knows his best friend better than anybody. And the more he finds, the less convinced he is that Mila was murdered.

    He thinks—no, he knows—she's alive somewhere out there. Maybe in danger.

    As sightings of Mila pop up all over the country, Malachi seeks help from the only person he knows with a car: his mortal enemy, Reza. They hit the road, following the sightings like a roadmap. It's a race against time to find Mila before it's too late, before she's gone for good.

    But is Mila in danger? Could a girl like her ever be? Malachi and Reza could be risking their lives and their futures to save a girl who doesn't need to be saved.

    Malachi doesn't know. But the closest person in the world to him is missing. And he's going to do what he has to do to find her.

SPECIAL THANKS TO

Lev. We don't talk anymore, but this book would not be what it is now without you.

My mom.

The folks at Wattpad, and the Wattpad Stars program. Your faith in me restored my faith in myself.

My dog, who didn't help one bit and constantly distracted me, but she doesn't speak English or know what a book is, so she gets a pass.

All the survivors out there.

CONTENT WARNING/TRIGGER WARNING

Language, innuendos, drug use, alcohol use, violence, death, murder—the usual. Homophobia, and a homophobic hate crime. Child abuse. Rape and sexual assault (not shown in the text, but alluded to/mentioned).

A WORD OF ADVICE

This is a book about victims fighting back. This is a book about victims, with their backs against the wall, becoming survivors.

In this book, Mila, Malachi, and Reza are the victims of child abuse, rape, homophobia, and hate crimes. In this book, Mila, Malachi, and Reza fight back.

This is not just a side-plot of the book that you can skip over; it is the main plot of the book, its heart and soul. If any of these topics make you uncomfortable, I would recommend skipping it.