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A review by haleyelisereads
How I Lost You by Janet Gurtler
4.0
Wow, wow, wow!! What an intense story about friendship, going into How I Lost You, I really didn't know what was going to come from it, I had never read a story that's main focus was around a friendship and I worried I would end up not enjoying it. Thank goodness I totally loved it!!
How I Lost You is through the eyes of Grace, Grace knows two things are for sure, 1. she wants to play paintball with the all female college team the Grinders and 2. that Kya Kessler is her best friend that she would do anything for. But as summer comes closer to an end, and Kya is slipping further away from herself, Grace will come to realize that not all friendships last forever, no matter how hard you try to save the other person, sometimes you have to let them go.
This was such a great story! If you are someone that has ever let go of a friendship for the better, then you need to read How I Lost You! I really felt I could connect with Grace, I had a girl in high school that I was insanely close with...we always had tons of fun together when we hung out, lots of inside jokes, and could tell each other anything and everything, she was one of my best friends next to Kira. But as high school went on, I started to realize how much she enjoyed drama, and lying, and it wasn't just little white lies, it would be long fabricated stories about her being pregnant and having to get an abortion, or her even having cancer (and none of it would be true)...after awhile I just couldn't take it anymore, I started to question everything she would tell me, wondering if it was the truth or not. We had a falling out, and it was for the better. We stayed in contact everyonce and awhile afterwards..but things never went back to how they were, and now we don't talk at all. Sometimes I miss how we were, but then I realize that my life was much less complicated after she was out of it, and for me it was for the better in the end.
Like I said though, I really felt I could connect with Grace. She tried everything to keep her and Kya's relationship above water, she let Kya get away with ALOT of wrong doings, and tried to forgive her and move on. Grace was just an all around amazing friend to Kya, I felt so bad for Grace being treated the way she was by Kya, Kya knew Grace would forgive anything she did, and she took advantage of it. When Grace eventually stands up for herself I just wanted to jump up and down with excitement for her. Overall Grace was just really an astounding character, you really see her grow in How I Lost You, and she is a character I think anyone that has ever felt like a doormat to someone, could relate too.
While I didn't like Kya, I still felt sorry for her, she goes through something, that I think is one of every girls worst nightmare. I know it's my greatest fear, so I did feel very much sorry for her, I really wished Kya would've overcome what she went through, but I guess if she had, there wouldn't have been a story. Going along with the topic of Kya, one thing I would've like to have seen from How I Lost You was an explanation from her, I know it didn't matter to the story, but in the end I really wanted to know WHY Kya had lied to James and Grace, what did she gain from it? At the end of the story I know it's not something that mattered, but her lying to them was the only thing that I couldn't think of a 'why' to it.
There is also a slight romance in How I Lost You, that I really enjoyed. Grace meets a guy named Levi, that is shy and sweet. I think without him there for Grace she wouldn't had been able to stand up to Kya. Levi was an important character in my eyes. The romance in this story isn't a big focus though, and for once I am glad it wasn't This story was about having an amazing friendship with someone, then learning and realizing that not everything can last forever, and that sometimes it ending is the best thing for you.
I immensely recommend this book if you enjoy contemporary novels, and want something a little different. For anyone that has ever felt like a doormat, or let go of something that you wished you didn't have to. This is a story for you.
I will def be picking up Janet's other novels after this!
How I Lost You is through the eyes of Grace, Grace knows two things are for sure, 1. she wants to play paintball with the all female college team the Grinders and 2. that Kya Kessler is her best friend that she would do anything for. But as summer comes closer to an end, and Kya is slipping further away from herself, Grace will come to realize that not all friendships last forever, no matter how hard you try to save the other person, sometimes you have to let them go.
This was such a great story! If you are someone that has ever let go of a friendship for the better, then you need to read How I Lost You! I really felt I could connect with Grace, I had a girl in high school that I was insanely close with...we always had tons of fun together when we hung out, lots of inside jokes, and could tell each other anything and everything, she was one of my best friends next to Kira. But as high school went on, I started to realize how much she enjoyed drama, and lying, and it wasn't just little white lies, it would be long fabricated stories about her being pregnant and having to get an abortion, or her even having cancer (and none of it would be true)...after awhile I just couldn't take it anymore, I started to question everything she would tell me, wondering if it was the truth or not. We had a falling out, and it was for the better. We stayed in contact everyonce and awhile afterwards..but things never went back to how they were, and now we don't talk at all. Sometimes I miss how we were, but then I realize that my life was much less complicated after she was out of it, and for me it was for the better in the end.
Like I said though, I really felt I could connect with Grace. She tried everything to keep her and Kya's relationship above water, she let Kya get away with ALOT of wrong doings, and tried to forgive her and move on. Grace was just an all around amazing friend to Kya, I felt so bad for Grace being treated the way she was by Kya, Kya knew Grace would forgive anything she did, and she took advantage of it. When Grace eventually stands up for herself I just wanted to jump up and down with excitement for her. Overall Grace was just really an astounding character, you really see her grow in How I Lost You, and she is a character I think anyone that has ever felt like a doormat to someone, could relate too.
While I didn't like Kya, I still felt sorry for her, she goes through something, that I think is one of every girls worst nightmare. I know it's my greatest fear, so I did feel very much sorry for her, I really wished Kya would've overcome what she went through, but I guess if she had, there wouldn't have been a story. Going along with the topic of Kya, one thing I would've like to have seen from How I Lost You was an explanation from her, I know it didn't matter to the story, but in the end I really wanted to know WHY Kya had lied to James and Grace, what did she gain from it? At the end of the story I know it's not something that mattered, but her lying to them was the only thing that I couldn't think of a 'why' to it.
There is also a slight romance in How I Lost You, that I really enjoyed. Grace meets a guy named Levi, that is shy and sweet. I think without him there for Grace she wouldn't had been able to stand up to Kya. Levi was an important character in my eyes. The romance in this story isn't a big focus though, and for once I am glad it wasn't This story was about having an amazing friendship with someone, then learning and realizing that not everything can last forever, and that sometimes it ending is the best thing for you.
I immensely recommend this book if you enjoy contemporary novels, and want something a little different. For anyone that has ever felt like a doormat, or let go of something that you wished you didn't have to. This is a story for you.
I will def be picking up Janet's other novels after this!