Reviews

The Lovely and the Lost by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

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.

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.

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"

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.

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.