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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.
mfumarolo's review
4.0
Personally this book was more of a 3.5 for me, but I’d absolutely recommend it to young adult readers looking for a mystery story combined with a dash of survival know-how and lots of family drama (at times, Grey’s Anatomy levels of it). Jennifer Lynn Barnes has done it again, and this is a must-purchase anywhere her Naturals and Fixer series are popular.
deb_is_reading's review
3.0
2.5//
Not really exciting at all. Not enough mystery for a mystery. Not enough excitement for a thriller. But a whole lot of feral girl trying not to be feral.
Not really exciting at all. Not enough mystery for a mystery. Not enough excitement for a thriller. But a whole lot of feral girl trying not to be feral.
whatthefuqgrey's review
5.0
Before you read this amazing book please read these two lines, and if they are triggering I would at least caution you to be aware of them.
"Bad things happen to bad little girls"
"Let me out, I'll be a good girl"
"Bad things happen to bad little girls"
"Let me out, I'll be a good girl"
ipomoea's review
4.0
I received a print ARC at ALA Midwinter 2019
Kira was found in the woods, feral and abandoned. After years of a loving family and therapy, she’s mostly normal, but remains acutely aware of her differences. Her adoptive family, led by the woman who found her, works in search and rescue with dogs, and Kira is most comfortable with her dog, on foot and free with a person to find. When Kira’s estranged father appears in her life and asks for her help, she and her adoptive brother and irrepressible neighbor enter a case in a national forest, one of missing children and found bodies. But in the process of finding the children, Kira’s family’s past as well as hers will have to be faced and resolved.
I’m not sure what made me pick this up at Midwinter, but I’m so glad I did. Kira’s background of trauma (including abuse and abandonment) is dealt with in a realistic way, as something that, while it’s with her at all times, it doesn’t overwhelm her life. I deeply appreciated Barnes’ decision to not insert a romance subplot that wasn’t needed for Kira, because a love interest wouldn’t make her life better or more fulfilling. The search and rescue process is fascinating to me, especially the dogs’ work. Kira’s self-sufficiency is appealing, and something I’ll talk up when booktalking this to teens and mature middle grade readers. Her family is a wonderful group of supporting characters, even if Free (the neighbor) is sometimes a bit too Manic Pixie Dream Girl.
I’d recommend this to readers wanting adventure, animal stories, and books without a love story.
Kira was found in the woods, feral and abandoned. After years of a loving family and therapy, she’s mostly normal, but remains acutely aware of her differences. Her adoptive family, led by the woman who found her, works in search and rescue with dogs, and Kira is most comfortable with her dog, on foot and free with a person to find. When Kira’s estranged father appears in her life and asks for her help, she and her adoptive brother and irrepressible neighbor enter a case in a national forest, one of missing children and found bodies. But in the process of finding the children, Kira’s family’s past as well as hers will have to be faced and resolved.
I’m not sure what made me pick this up at Midwinter, but I’m so glad I did. Kira’s background of trauma (including abuse and abandonment) is dealt with in a realistic way, as something that, while it’s with her at all times, it doesn’t overwhelm her life. I deeply appreciated Barnes’ decision to not insert a romance subplot that wasn’t needed for Kira, because a love interest wouldn’t make her life better or more fulfilling. The search and rescue process is fascinating to me, especially the dogs’ work. Kira’s self-sufficiency is appealing, and something I’ll talk up when booktalking this to teens and mature middle grade readers. Her family is a wonderful group of supporting characters, even if Free (the neighbor) is sometimes a bit too Manic Pixie Dream Girl.
I’d recommend this to readers wanting adventure, animal stories, and books without a love story.
hitbooksnotgirlz's review
4.0
Search and rescue dogs!? Smart puppers. Big yes. I didn’t really love the main twist but the rest of the book was powerful enough to carry me through.
audreyjouss's review
5.0
une histoire prenante, du suspense, des émotions, des personnages compliqués et attachants...
Peut-être juste une ou deux "loose-end" mais bon, pas grave
Peut-être juste une ou deux "loose-end" mais bon, pas grave
sarahlopod's review
4.0
This review can also be found on my blog.
disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for review consideration. All of the opinions presented below are my own.
I blew through this book, which I requested from NetGalley on a whim. It follows a girl named Kira who trains search and rescue dogs with her adoptive family. Kira herself has a mysterious past that slowly comes further to light as the story progresses. While there were a couple of moments that seemed a little overdramatic and pulled me out of the story, I found this to be wildly compelling otherwise. The characters were all distinct in their own ways and I loved seeing their relationships play out on the page. The plot kept me interested, and I didn’t predict the twist at the end. Overall a really good read, and I’ll definitely be checking out more of Jennifer Lynn Barnes’ work.
disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for review consideration. All of the opinions presented below are my own.
I blew through this book, which I requested from NetGalley on a whim. It follows a girl named Kira who trains search and rescue dogs with her adoptive family. Kira herself has a mysterious past that slowly comes further to light as the story progresses. While there were a couple of moments that seemed a little overdramatic and pulled me out of the story, I found this to be wildly compelling otherwise. The characters were all distinct in their own ways and I loved seeing their relationships play out on the page. The plot kept me interested, and I didn’t predict the twist at the end. Overall a really good read, and I’ll definitely be checking out more of Jennifer Lynn Barnes’ work.