A review by cakt1991
Where the Lost Ones Go by Akemi Dawn Bowman

dark 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

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own. 

I have  heard a lot of good things about Akemi Dawn Bowman’s work, although I have never picked up one of her books until now. However, if they’re all as good as Where the Lost Ones Go, I’m excited to explore more. 

Having just read a book about expressions of grief mingled with paranormal elements, I find it continually fascinating how people worry about stories being “too similar,” for whatever reason, especially from marginalized voices, as apart from those elements, they’re so different…even the expressions of grief are different! I loved following Eliot on her journey as she reckoned with her grandmother’s passing, including attempting to make contact with her spirit. 

Eliot is very easy to relate to, as I also lost my grandmother around a similar age as she did. This was a very nostalgic read for me as a result, and while my process of grieving wasn’t identical to hers, I couldn’t help but enjoy living vicariously through her. 

I enjoyed the “haunted house” aspect and the twist on the ghost story. It’s subtly creepy and atmospheric, and I enjoyed following Eliot as she explored and unearthed the Hall’s secrets. 

I also love the romance that develops between her and Hazel. It starts as a friendship, and blossoms slowly into something more. There’s a twist where Hazel is concerned, and while I found it pretty obvious, I’m also not the target audience, and I appreciate how it was written in a clever way without overly spoon feeding it to the audience. 

This is a fun paranormal middle grade, and one that for the most part, holds appeal for older audiences as well. If you enjoy ghost stories that also explore grief and loss, I recommend keeping an eye out for this one.