Reviews

The Lovely and the Lost by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

thevaliantqueen's review

adventurous emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

jalialynn's review against another edition

4.0

rtc

darktwistedreads's review against another edition

emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

It was good. I enjoyed the concept of the rescue dogs and Kira's sad backstory. I'm unsure if this is a series though, but if it is I would totally read the sequel.
I didn't really like how fragile everyone treated Kira, but at the same time it's understandable since she went through such a traumatic experience.
I loved Jude and Gabriel too!
P.S the sheriff is a butt!!

kendallclements's review

adventurous dark emotional lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

doremelodie's review

3.0

Somewhat confusing book. I don’t think there was an actual conclusion. MC finds herself in a deja vu scenario of looking for a lost girl in the woods. While searching for the missing child, secrets are uncovered of a potentially estranged brother of a delinquent, a suicidal son/boyfriend who may have been one of the few people who knew the true paternity. 

Personally, I thought it would have been the mom. 

im211's review against another edition

5.0

One for all, and all for trouble.

JLB is one of those authors who can master character development and atmospheric plot altogether without leaving anything to be desired.

Thoughts

I normally don't care for pets involved in books (except for church in TMI, Sebastian in[b: Slated|12743472|Slated (Slated, #1)|Teri Terry|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1453582609l/12743472._SY75_.jpg|17882885],...& mostly cats, yeah) however this book gave such a unique perspective of dogs that made the story more wholesome and enjoyable. It is downright adorable and refreshing to read.

The characters were no less, from a concerned, steely mother to a carefree brother and a rebel for a best friend. Its obvious Kira is territorial of her family, that with how her family reacts around her, it was sweet, funny & conveys how her adoptive family understands her despite her quirks.

The hunt itself was enthralling, realistic given their age groups and the unravelling of the tension surrounding her family just added to the enigma of this book, and it was an epically prosed book with an ending that has you questioning for further possibilities.

justlily's review

4.0

As usual, Jennifer Lynn Barnes can yank me out of a reading slump. Was this super overdramatic the entire way through? Yeah. But I loved it. It had everything I need out of a good YA mystery and there wasn't even a romance to kill the vibes. Super quick read and there's dogs!

cathyatratedreads's review

4.0

The Lovely and the Lost is a story of the love and support of family, of one teen figuring out who she is and what her place in the world is. It’s a mystery and a bit of a thriller, and it held my interest the whole way, as it revealed bit by bit the answers to the questions it presented throughout. I had read Barnes’ The Naturals and enjoyed that, and this had a similar feel. Entertaining but also a sweet book about love and being loved.
*I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Read my full review, including rating for content, at RatedReads.com: https://ratedreads.com/lovely-and-lost-young-adult-clean-book-review/

blogginboutbooks's review

3.0

Working dogs are trendy in fiction right now and with good reason -- the subject is fascinating. Reading about SAR dogs and their training was my favorite part of THE LOVELY AND THE LOST. In fact, I could have done with more of that and less of the plot's constant melodrama. The characters are likable enough, but none of them feel like real people. They're all very intense, aggressive, and the teenagers talk like actors reading a script, not real kids. Plot-wise, the book moves along at a good clip. I read it quickly because I did want to see what was going to happen. I found the big reveals disappointing and the finale a bit ... odd. It didn't feel all that satisfying to me. In the end, then, I found THE LOVELY AND THE LOST to be just an okay read. I'd give it a C+.

aconn's review

4.0

This story has a unique main character, an interesting mystery, and plenty of family drama. I liked exploring trauma and triggers through the eyes of Kira. I didn’t guess the ending! I would not recommend the audio book version.