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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
THE LOST AND THE FOUND by Cat Clarke is a riveting mystery about a family dealing with the sudden reappearance of their long lost daughter 13 years after a devastating kidnapping. The writing and character development is excellent.
This book was an extremely interesting examination of the ways in which tragedy affects different members of a family—particularly from the viewpoint of a younger sister who has gotten used to being an only child. The influence of media coverage (or lack thereof for most families) is something I’d never actually thought much about when it came to recovering a kidnapped child.
The book ended with a fantastic twist. Unfortunately this development didn’t pack quite the same punch as it could have due to the fact that I’d watched a tv show recently with a similar premise. In spite of having guessed the ending, it was definitely worth a read!
Note: I received a FREE ARC (advanced reader copy) from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book was an extremely interesting examination of the ways in which tragedy affects different members of a family—particularly from the viewpoint of a younger sister who has gotten used to being an only child. The influence of media coverage (or lack thereof for most families) is something I’d never actually thought much about when it came to recovering a kidnapped child.
The book ended with a fantastic twist. Unfortunately this development didn’t pack quite the same punch as it could have due to the fact that I’d watched a tv show recently with a similar premise. In spite of having guessed the ending, it was definitely worth a read!
Note: I received a FREE ARC (advanced reader copy) from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
heartbreaking, I want to read it all over again and have a little cry
cat clarke is a genius, she's been one of my favourite authors for a long time, and this book might just be my favourite of hers
cat clarke is a genius, she's been one of my favourite authors for a long time, and this book might just be my favourite of hers
Very engaging story. Not totally surprising or anything, but very satisfying.
Definitely wasn’t expecting the plot twist. Honestly I was getting bored of the book and it seemed tedious to finish but things got very interesting after the plot twist. However I do feel like I have many questions and it could’ve ended a different way. 3/5 stars.
dark
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I would love to rate this book even higher it was amazing . Great pot twists
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Pretty good mystery, but it's always annoying when the endjng isn't a surprise
Opening Line: "She knows, she definitely knows."
I bought this on a whim, mainly due to the fact it was only 99p on kindle. However, after reading the blurb I was intrigued. I have never read a book by Cat Clarke before and I don't know why but it sure won't be my last. The Lost and the Found was a really good mystery/thriller read. It was a little bit of a slow burner for me but once I got into the story I really thought it was wonderful and emotional.
Six year old Laurel is kidnapped from her garden. Her little sister Faith is the only witness. Faith never got to have a normal childhood because of this tragic incident. However, thirteen years later Laurel comes home and Faith wonders if they can really be family again? And is everything really as it seems?
As I mentioned above I did find this to be a slow burner. It took me a few chapters to really get into the swing of the story. That may be because this isn't my usual type of novel. However, once I got into it, I devoured it. Another of one of those staying up until nearly 3am type of reads. I found myself really invested in these characters lives and needing to more about Laurel. I liked the chemistry between Faith and Laurel even though at times it felt forced but given the context of this story it felt right.
The way the author tells this story really feels like a teenager is writing it. You get right into the characters mindset. You can feel for them and understand the emotional turmoil purely from the authors writing style. Not many authors can do that. You can tell it's an "adult" writing from a teenager's point of view. However, with Cat she really has a special voice. If her other novels are written like this I will be checking them out soon.
My only downside of this story was I found it just a little bit predictable. I was hoping for a story filled with mystery and suspense but I sort figured everything out from early on. Although, saying that I still found myself enjoying the story. And there is one part (I won't say where and I won't say what) that broke me! I was sobbing mess. I actually gasped and then broke down into a tearful-snot-filled mess.
I do recommend this one. It's a really good YA story with a hint of mystery. And why not go grab it quick while it is still only 99p from the kindle store, the link is at the top of this review.
Favourite Quote: Guilt is never faraway in this house. It lurks under the floorboards and behind the walls. You can hear it whispering late at night if you listen closely.
I bought this on a whim, mainly due to the fact it was only 99p on kindle. However, after reading the blurb I was intrigued. I have never read a book by Cat Clarke before and I don't know why but it sure won't be my last. The Lost and the Found was a really good mystery/thriller read. It was a little bit of a slow burner for me but once I got into the story I really thought it was wonderful and emotional.
Six year old Laurel is kidnapped from her garden. Her little sister Faith is the only witness. Faith never got to have a normal childhood because of this tragic incident. However, thirteen years later Laurel comes home and Faith wonders if they can really be family again? And is everything really as it seems?
As I mentioned above I did find this to be a slow burner. It took me a few chapters to really get into the swing of the story. That may be because this isn't my usual type of novel. However, once I got into it, I devoured it. Another of one of those staying up until nearly 3am type of reads. I found myself really invested in these characters lives and needing to more about Laurel. I liked the chemistry between Faith and Laurel even though at times it felt forced but given the context of this story it felt right.
The way the author tells this story really feels like a teenager is writing it. You get right into the characters mindset. You can feel for them and understand the emotional turmoil purely from the authors writing style. Not many authors can do that. You can tell it's an "adult" writing from a teenager's point of view. However, with Cat she really has a special voice. If her other novels are written like this I will be checking them out soon.
My only downside of this story was I found it just a little bit predictable. I was hoping for a story filled with mystery and suspense but I sort figured everything out from early on. Although, saying that I still found myself enjoying the story. And there is one part (I won't say where and I won't say what) that broke me! I was sobbing mess. I actually gasped and then broke down into a tearful-snot-filled mess.
I do recommend this one. It's a really good YA story with a hint of mystery. And why not go grab it quick while it is still only 99p from the kindle store, the link is at the top of this review.
Favourite Quote: Guilt is never faraway in this house. It lurks under the floorboards and behind the walls. You can hear it whispering late at night if you listen closely.
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Death, Rape, Sexual content, Kidnapping
This book definitely took a while to get to some more interesting intriguing stuff but I feel like the whole beginning of this book was longer for a good reason. The beginning of the book took time to explore the past events, the current situation, how the family is dealing with Laurel being missing for 13 years, Faith’s thoughts about having a missing sister be the talk of the town for 13 years, and overall how Laurel’s disappearance has shaped her family. The ending was definitely an interesting twist and this book left me feeling emotional. The article at the end explaining how this book was a dedication to all the other missing children and how this book was loosely based on a true story really left me shooked to the core.