ARC Review: The Lovely and the Lost

The Lovely and the Lost by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Genre: YA Contemporary Mystery
Length: 336 pages
Publisher: Freeform
Source: I received a free ARC from the publisher through Netgalley. Thank you! This did NOT affect my honest review.
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository
My Rating:

Goodreads Synopsis: Kira Bennett’s earliest memories are of living alone and wild in the woods. She has no idea how long she was on her own or what she had to do to survive, but she remembers the moment that Cady Bennett and one of her search-and-rescue dogs found her perfectly. Adopted into the Bennett family, Kira still struggles with human interaction years later, but she excels at the family business: search-and-rescue. Along with Cady’s son, Jude, and their neighbor, Free, Kira works alongside Cady to train the world’s most elite search-and-rescue dogs. Someday, all three teenagers hope to put their skills to use, finding the lost and bringing them home. But when Cady’s estranged father, the enigmatic Bales Bennett, tracks his daughter down and asks for her help in locating a missing child—one of several visitors who has disappeared in the Sierra Glades National Park in the past twelve months—the teens find themselves on the frontlines sooner than they could have ever expected. As the search through 750,000 acres of unbridled wilderness intensifies, Kira becomes obsessed with finding the missing child. She knows all too well what it’s like to be lost in the wilderness, fighting for survival, alone. But this case isn’t simple. There is more afoot than a single, missing girl, and Kira’s memories threaten to overwhelm her at every turn. As the danger mounts and long-held family secrets come to light, Kira is forced to question everything she thought she knew about her adopted family, her true nature, and her past.

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My Review

The Lovely and the Lost in Three Words: Captivating. Dogs. Mysterious.

I don't believe I have quite read a YA book like this one before. Since I don't want to give too much away, and because I want you to actually read this review, I am writing my review in short bullet points.

Reasons why you should read The Lovely and the Lost:

• It's a unique story
• There are search and rescue dogs
• The excellent writing makes for a seamless reading experience
• Features a solid mystery
• The main character is extremely compelling
• Family secrets are abound
• It's a real page-turner
• Did I mention the dogs?!

The Bottom Line: If you don't want to buy a copy, although you should, then at least request a copy at your library!