The Distance Between Lost and Found

by Kathryn Holmes

Ever since the night of the incident with Luke Willis, the preacher’s son, sophomore Hallelujah Calhoun has been silent. When the rumors swirled around school, she was silent. When her parents grounded her, she was silent. When her friends abandoned her… silent.

Now, six months later, on a youth group retreat in the Smoky Mountains, Hallie still can’t find a voice to answer the taunting. Shame and embarrassment haunt her, while Luke keeps coming up with new ways to humiliate her. Not even meeting Rachel, an outgoing newcomer who isn’t aware of her past, can pull Hallie out of her shell. Being on the defensive for so long has left her raw, and she doesn’t know who to trust.

On a group hike, the incessant bullying pushes Hallie to her limit. When Hallie, Rachel, and Hallie’s former friend Jonah get separated from the rest of the group, the situation quickly turns dire. Stranded in the wilderness, the three have no choice but to band together.

With past betrayals and harrowing obstacles in their way, Hallie fears they’ll never reach safety. Could speaking up about the night that changed everything close the distance between being lost and found? Or has she traveled too far to come back?

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Fiction, Survival, Mystery, Realistic Fiction, Adventure

320 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 17, 2015

About the author

Kathryn Holmes is the author of The Thirteenth Circle, co-written with MarcyKate Connolly, as well as the Class Critters chapter book series (Tally Tuttle Turns Into a Turtle, David Dixon’s Day as a Dachshund, and Madison Morris is NOT a Mouse!). She also wrote the young adult novels The Distance Between Lost and Found and How It Feels to Fly.

Kathryn grew up in Maryville, Tennessee, and now lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband, daughter, and piles upon piles of books. A graduate of The New School’s MFA in Creative Writing program, Kathryn works as a freelance dance journalist, among other writing gigs.

Reviews

[Emily May · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part emotional contemporary, part survival story; part deeply sad, but part a story of hope against the odds. In short: this is one strong YA debut.

I've been turned off by many of the contemporary YA novels due to be released in 2015, all of which seem to promise some combination of Rainbow Rowell meets John Green meets Matthew Quick. I've enjoyed books by all those authors but now I'm looking for something fresh that can also pack an emotional punch.

Well, I found it.

This book does something rather different. We first receive a painful introduction to our protagonist - Hallelujah (Hallie) - who is the victim of vicious and constant bullying. We are told that things weren't always that way; that everything changed the night of the incident with Luke. It will be a while before we discover what that incident is, but this doesn't make the treatment of Hallie any less horrifying and infuriating. Literally. As soon as I felt myself becoming furious on the very first page, I knew I was hooked.

But that's only the background to this story. The actual story begins in the present when Hallie, new girl Rachel, and her ex-best friend - Jonah - get lost in the woods while on a youth group trip. As the days go by and the three teens begin to lose hope of a rescue, they must all rely on each other to survive and avoid injuries, poison ivy, starvation and the wild animals who live in the woods.

I felt a constant emotional pull throughout this book, which is the main reason it works so well. It took less than a page for the author to make me care about Hallie, only a couple of chapters for me to also care about the other two. These characters mattered to me. And isn't that the main ingredient for an excellent book? They are all well-drawn, confused, funny and deserving of sympathy.

It's a powerful tale about survival on all levels. The very literal survival of the "lost in the woods" scenario, but also learning to survive deeper wounds of the emotional kind. The dynamic between Hallie, Jonah and Rachel works really well; you get a real sense of the developing friendship between them and their banter is both heartwarming and hilarious.

The ending is all kinds of wonderful. I was torn between crying, cheering and swooning. Perhaps I did a bit of all three. I'm looking forward to what Ms Holmes writes next.

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[Shelby *trains flying monkeys* · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I didn't really read the blurb on this book very well when I picked it up. I saw lost in the woods....


And kids having to survive in the Smoky Mountain wilderness..


And I was totally in. I love those kinds of books.

Then I realized that this book is kinda Christian based. But it was so good that I kept reading it. Then I realized..I kinda liked it.

The kids in this book are all on a youth retreat in the mountains. The main character Hallelujah Calhoun aka Hallie has suddenly changed her personality. The reason why? The preacher's son.
Something happened between Hallie and Luke (he is the turd) and now she is being bullied. Hallie does not stand up for herself though, she just becomes invisible. She stops having friends and just exists.

Then the youth group is going on a hike one day.


Hallie has met a new girl named Rachel who is determined to be her friend no matter how much she gets flack for it.
During the hike Hallie, Rachel and her previous friend and Luke's best friend Jonah get separated from the group.
They only have the basics with them with very little food, no shelter and it's pretty cold up in the mountains.

This author knows these mountains well. She writes one of the best scenes with rain pouring down on these kids that I've read.

(I got caught in the rain in the mountains one time before I was old and fat-and it still is in my head)

Now for the verdict, this is a pretty decent little book. I liked the main characters and even though it's religion based I didn't feel preached at.
The romancey part is not over the top either. It actually was kinda sweet.
WHO AM I? Liking a sweeter book? I must go read some horror asap.

Booksource: Library


Featured review for this one is my friend Alienor French Frowner's review. She didn't like the book as much as I did but that's what makes goodreads interesting. We don't have to like the same books.

[✦❋Arianna✦❋ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars!!

“The Distance Between Lost and Found” is not your usual YA romance story. It’s a mystery/realistic fiction/coming of age story that deals with many important themes. It’s a raw, honest, real and powerful story that deals with a sensitive subject matter. It’s an inspirational story and I can say in some way it also was an educational read. This was my first survival story, so I didn’t know what to expect. I'm glad to say I really enjoyed it. The survival aspect of the story (and not only) is done really well and kept me intrigued from start to finish.

The story starts off with Hallelujah ‘Hallie’ Calhoun, a sophomore girl who’s on a youth group retreat in Smoky Mountains. She doesn’t want to be there. She’s lost and alone, without any friends and all she wants is to go home. She’s doesn’t have any friends not because she doesn’t know anyone there or because she’s not friendly, but because six months ago she lost everything that mattered for her, when Luke Willis, the preacher’s son, spread some nasty rumors about her and lied everyone about what really happened 'that night'. On top of that she’s constantly bullied, not exactly physically, but maybe in a worse way, emotionally. She feels so ashamed and embarrassed and suffers silently because no one gave her the opportunity to speak for herself, to tell the real truth. Not even her parents…or her ex-friend, Jonah. She knows she was a coward back then and she thinks it's too late to change anything.

The only person in this group retreat who’s willing to talk to Hallie is Rachel, a new girl to the group who doesn’t know anyone there, so who doesn’t know Hallie’s reputation.

The actual story begins with Rachel who doesn’t to be there anymore and want to go home. Hallie is willing to go with her and shortly Jonah, Hallie’s ex-friend decides to fallow them. They think they know the way back home, but they get lost in the woods. As days pass by they have to rely on each other to survive, stay strong and avoid the forces of nature, starvation, injuries and wild animals.



This was a great, powerful, relatable story and I have to say I was hooked from the beginning. First, because I wanted to know what happened with Hallie and after, because I wanted to know if they will survive in the woods. Even if the actual story is about survival, it’s a story about hope, finding yourself, standing up for yourself, forgiveness, second chances.

First and foremost and want to say I really enjoyed the writing – it was simple, yet poignant and IMO perfect for this kind on novel. The story’s plot is not complex. It’s actually very simple, but it’s very well done. So it's the storyline.

Hallie is a very real and relatable character. I sympathize with her from the beginning and I was really sad to find out what happened with her. At first she’s portrayed as a vulnerable character. She’s lost and she wants to be invisible. She misses her old life and she misses singing. My heart broke for her and I wanted so badly to give her a hug and to tell her to stay strong. Her character development is well done and it was great so see the ‘new Hallie’. Being alone in the woods so lost and afraid made her see everything in a new light, mafe her realizes that she was wrong not standing up for herself and also that is only up to her to make things right and her image. This 'experience' in the woods changes her attitude for the better. She becomes (more) courageous, determined to change herself. She finds ‘her voice’, her inner strength and in the process she heals herself.

As for the other two important characters – they felt real and relatable as well. Rachel is a likeable character from the beginning. She’s friendly, funny, understanding and I could tell she would be a great friend for Hallie. Jonah is a believable character. Of course I didn’t like what he did in the past, but I really felt he’s sorry. There’s a hint of a romance, but well just a hint, but I thought it was the perfect amount for this story. I liked the bond between these characters. It felt genuine.

Overall, a fantastic read!I'm looking forward to read more by Kathryn Holmes.

[Sue · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNFED AT PAGE 174

I usually do not review ARCs early, especially if I did not like it. But I had read quite a few disturbing books lately that lean to misogyny and sexism. Sexism is still sexism, no matter how sly or someone's intention are.

I could sometimes swallow these things when reading a book. I could look passed it, but if it’s coming from the hero, the main guy of the story, the guy I was supposed to swoon over and find good. No, thanks.

I really liked The Distance Between Lost and Found. Somehow it reminded me of Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick. I gave it four stars, it is problematic in some ways, but it is not sexist or misogynistic. And the ending was concrete and healthy.

If you don’t want to get spoiled and have every intention to read the book, I highly advise you to close the window right now because I’m going to break down why this book bothered me.

Luke, the son’s preacher and Hallelujah, the protagonist of the story were part of a Christian camping group. He invited her to come in his room and she agreed, things are starting to heat off and when Hallelujah said she wanted to take it slow, don’t want it. Luke yanked her, she fell on top of him. Then the door opened. The organizer of the camp and his wife, Brad (Luke’s friend) and Jonah (Halelujah’s friend) came in. Luke vehemently denied and said Hallelujah came into his room and she thrown herself to him. How fucking disgusting is that?

Here’s the exact passage from the book.

“I wanted to go in the bathroom to get myself together before going back to my room, but Luke grabbed my wrist. He asked me if I was seriously going to leave him hanging. I told him to let me go, and I tried to pull away, but he was holding me so tight. He said, ‘You’re not leaving here until you give me a real good night.’ He yanked me toward him, and I fell and landed against him on the bed, and—” That’s when the panic had kicked in. The sudden realization that Luke had the upper hand, that he was bigger and stronger, and that this, to him, seemed like no big deal.

(....)

“Brad came in first, saying something about getting caught in the hall. Jonah was next. Then Rich and his wife, Jill. And my first thought was, I’m safe now. It’s okay. It took a few seconds of everyone staring for me to realize what it looked like. Me, a complete mess, in my pajamas, my tank top all stretched out, my bra falling off—on Luke’s bed. I was pretty much lying on him. And then I couldn’t move. It was like I was frozen.

“Luke pushed me away, hard. He said, ‘Hallie, I told you. No way.’ He said it so loud, and he was making this face like I was—like I was so pitiful. Like he was so far out of my league. Like he felt sorry for me. Before I could think of a single thing to say, Jill grabbed my arm, stood me up, and marched me out the door.”

As if that wasn’t bad enough. Nobody did a proper fucking investigation. They just fucking took Luke’s word as if its one of the top ten commandments. They did not even question or inquired Hallelujah’s part of the story.

Here comes some of the disturbing, intense shaming coming from a Christian camp group organizers and the protagonist’s parents.

In Rich and Jill’s room, the lectures had started. Hallelujah doesn’t remember the exact words, aside from Unacceptable, over and over, and We’re going to have to call your parents. She does remember the looks of disapproval and disappointment. (.....) “At breakfast the next morning, I had to sit at the chaperones’ table. I wasn’t supposed to talk to anyone. And everyone was staring. Whispering. Luke had already started telling people that I’d snuck over to his room, in my pajamas, and thrown myself at him. He was even saying I’d tried to give my bra as a souvenir.

After that, almost rape scene incident, people started bullying her and Luke is the number one instigator. Hallelujah’s friend Jonah also stopped talking to her. And here comes the enraging part.

Jonah just took Luke’s word, he stopped talking to her and has been silent during all those six months everyone is bullying Hallelujah. Here’s his reason and THIS IS THE LAST STRAW. THE REASON I FUCKING STOPPED READING THIS CRAP.

Jonah said sorry for all those times he ignored her and he confessed he liked her the whole time.

“Right. But like I said, I didn’t know that. You were practically on top of him, and you looked like—and Luke said it was all your idea, and you didn’t say anything, not then and not after—” He breaks off. Picks up again. “I didn’t like thinking about you doing something like that. I was mad. I wanted it to be me. That’s why I didn’t stand up for you. I liked you,” Jonah repeats, “and I didn’t want to still like you, because—”

“Because I was a slut?” Hallelujah asks quietly. Even quiet, the word is harsh. It cuts the night. “Or because I was a slut with someone else?”

“Both, honestly.” Jonah keeps his eyes on hers. “Don’t look at me like that. Do you want me to lie?”

“No,” she says after a moment. “No more lies.” Jonah nods, slowly. “Then I have to tell you something else. Just in case we don’t make it home.” Hallelujah’s stomach lurches. “What?”

Jonah breaks eye contact. He studies the top of Rachel’s head. “I never stopped liking you,” he mumbles. “I tried. I really did. I thought by ignoring you, by staying mad at you, I could make it go away. But I couldn’t. So when Luke told me the truth on Monday, the first thing I thought was, I missed my chance, she’s different now, and—” Now he looks at her. Right at her. “I helped do that to you, to someone I liked, and I have to carry that around—”

Jonah is just as bad as Luke. They’re all awful in their own fucking way.
He was mad and angry because Luke and Hallelujah were kissing and it’s not him. That’s why he didn’t stand up for her when she needed him as a friend. Jonah thought friendzoning exist. Haha fuck you.

After that incident, he admitted he doesn’t want to liked her anymore because she was being a slut with someone else and he even have the nerve to pat himself at the back to make himself feel better. DO YOU WANT ME TO LIE TO YOU? Thank you very much for not lying to us dear readers, because it just showed your fucking true color. You’re a slut shaming, misogynistic douchebag who thinks you are entitled or have any right who Hallelujah kissed.

After learning the truth from that night. Jonah said “I helped do that to you, to someone I liked, and I have to carry that around—”. No, you don’t get to say things like this and expect people to pity you. You had a chance to clear it with Hallelujah for all those six months time frame but you did not do anything except watched people torment the protagonist because she was being a slut to someone else that isn’t you. Am I right? You deserved to fucking carry that guilt around your shoulder for the rest of your life.

What's horrifying is this kind of social problem is coming from YA genre where I think most of the readers are young girls. I don't want any girls growing up or women thinking this behavior from any guy is anywhere near okay or hot. The world is changing. As a reader, I think it’s our job to demand books that is up for our standards, that doesn’t promote, glorify and romanticize problematic problems like this and as the author I think it is also their job to make sure all of our request and problems are being heard.

I stopped reading right there. I don’t have any intention of picking this book again or to skim it for any matter. I refuse to support books that cater to plots that are like this.

An advance copy was provided by the publisher for this review.

[Alienor ✘ French Frowner ✘ · Rating 2 out of 5]

"She feels hope well up. She isn’t sure what to do with it. Hope is scary. Expecting the worst is easier."

Actual rating : 2.5 stars, rounded up at 3 because I'm lost, guys. More I think about it, more I reread some parts, less I want to round up. Guess I can be fickle like that.

▩ Open the book. Hooked. Mad. Hooked. Uncomfortable. Hooked. Worried. Hooked. Scared. Hooked. Overwhelmed. Hooked. Annoyed. Yeah, but hooked.

▩ Close the book. I feel like I've been brainwashed and that I just reached the end of the spell.



Warning : My review has high potential to drive you nuts, because I seem to be completely unable to make an opinion about this book. I literally spammed my adorable and patient friend Chelsea (again, sorry thanks) with my contradictory feelings.



First of all, This book was awfully hard to rate. Because while I can't deny I was hooked from page one and completely drowned into the story, I have issues I just can't overtake. More that I think about it, more I'm pissed, that's why I'm writing this review today, otherwise my rating may get lower and lower and lower...

░ Part one : Survival - Theirs, and mine ░

What's the hardest? To survive days without food nor clothes or to survive bullying, lies, and loneliness? We're there with them, seeking out what to eat, what to drink, where to sleep, where to go.

In the mountain, everything is different, nothing makes sense anymore and everything is more important. Talking, not talking. Standing for ourselves, waiting. Trusting, leaving. Forgiving?

Hope. Despair. Crazy. Terror. Chills. Positively FURIOUS. At some point, I wanted to slap and hurt someone, for real.

░ Part two : The characters - Their force, and their failures ░

▦ Jonah - So believable and real. So flawed. Bitter. Heart-warming at some point? Yeah, I guess. Now - can I forgive him his prior behavior? The shame is, I don't think so. I know, I know, Hallie and him will reach an understanding and yeah, I can understand it to some extend but there's this sentence. This FUCKING sentence. You know what? I'm mad because I can't quote it without spoiling the whole mystery to you, so I won't.

Except into these wonderful spoiler tags. I know I'm tempting you, but resist guys, because THIS IS A MAJOR SPOILER. You've been warned.

Jonah was her best friend. He didn't talk to her in 6 months. He let everyone bullying her. WHY? That's why :

“Right. But like I said, I didn’t know that. You were practically on top of him, and you looked like—and Luke said it was all your idea, and you didn’t say anything, not then and not after—” He breaks off. Picks up again. “I didn’t like thinking about you doing something like that. I was mad. I wanted it to be me. That’s why I didn’t stand up for you. I liked you,” Jonah repeats, “and I didn’t want to still like you, because—”

“Because I was a slut?” Hallelujah asks quietly. Even quiet, the word is harsh. It cuts the night. “Or because I was a slut with someone else?”

“Both, honestly.” Jonah keeps his eyes on hers. “Don’t look at me like that. Do you want me to lie?”

YOU DON'T SAY?! She was KISSING a boy. Oh, yeah, Jonah. Thank you for your honesty. You're way to good to me.

Well, in a nutshell, let's say that I don't buy the reasons he brings to explain his complete lack of support for his FRIEND during SIX MONTHS, while she was BULLIED. So, yeah, unfortunately he is believable. Yeah, his flaws make him interesting. But damn, how in the world I'm supposed to root for him? How in the world I'm supposed to accept it? I must admit that he's sometimes cute, but he also is a fucking hypocrite.

▦ Hallie - I wanted to shake her, to comfort her, to understand her, to support her. Yet she wasn't relatable to me, because I had a hard time accepting that she didn't defend herself, and well, I'm going to talk about the God thing after so I won't start here otherwise I'm afraid I'll never stop.

▦ Rachel is awesome, understanding, funny and open-minded. Really, I have nothing to reproach her. The relationship which is gradually growing between them is really genuine and enjoyable to follow.

░ Part three : The message? ░

Oh my goodness can we stop talking about God. That's understanding because they belong to a church youth group so yeah, I can't really whine about it but damn, that was difficult for me. Actually I just reread the blurb and wanted to slap myself. But what can I say? I was spoiled by blurbs so many times that now I only skim them more often than not. Damn me. I didn't get the church youth thing. Trust me, I don't want to be offensive, but the fact is, I really struggle to connect with characters who talk about God all the time. That's all.

Now, I can't stop thinking about it and wondering what message this book is supposed to carry : they were talking about god way too often and sorry, but they drove me fucking nuts. This was just too much for me.

Is being lost in the woods a part of God's plan? Oh, COME ON.

Don't forget that Hallie was bullied because of something Luke, the perfect little Christian, told everyone. And of course, OF COURSE, everybody believed him, including her parents, because the guy is considered that reliable, mainly because he's the preacher’s son.

What a fucking and maddening bullshit.



... by the cynical ME. If you have a problem with that, well, sorry but not sorry. I do think that people are often hypocrite when it comes to the difference between what they preach and how they act. If every single person who is religious was utterly good and understanding, well, the world would be different RIGHT?

So, for me, what's the main message? The main message is that church stuff can be a complete hypocrisy.

The only thing I can say is that the ending didn't fully satisfy me - I needed more closure, to be frank. Anyway, in the end, this experience changed Hallie's personality and believings, making her stronger. That's something I was glad to see.

░ Here's where I am. On the fence. ░

On the one hand we have a really compelling survival story which was unputdownable, but in the other, I can't bring myself to accept the male lead's behavior and I was strongly annoyed by the constant references to religion. Perhaps I'm overthinking it. Perhaps I'm not being fair. Oh, well. This review is only my opinion after all.

[Aj the Ravenous Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Distance Between Lost and Found, a YA contemporary is surprisingly a very symbolic, literary read. The plot which had many layers was very engaging. I appreciate the author’s strategy in putting across the meaning of the story. How Hallie’s struggles and her losses (of confidence, self-worth, friends and even the desire to sing) were mirrored in what she, Rachel and Jonah went through when they got lost in the mountains during a youth church camp and they had to literally fend for their lives.

I found it very meaningful and ironic that Hallie found answers to her inner conflicts while in physical isolation and struggle. It meant a lot that even though she was literally alone with two supposedly strangers but who soon became her friends, she was also finally able to voice out what really happened to her and finally earned a sense of freedom and earned back her self-respect. She was finally liberated from being a victim of bullying and social ridicule after almost practically losing her life while in the mountains.

I found it really surprising because I haven’t read a lot of survival stories in YA contemporaries and this one was written very well. It was almost sort of like reading a dystopian novel where the teenage characters had to fight for their lives in the wilderness except here, there are no mutts or unnatural scientific creations to threaten their lives. In the end, all three characters came with realizations on the value of life, faith and love.

[Lauren (TheBookishTwins) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy via Edelweiss for review purposes.

First Impression: The Distance Between Lost and Found is a powerful and moving story of survival in both the physical and mental sense. I LOVED it, and Hallie (short for Hallelujah) is very much a relatable character who struggles to find her voice, but when she does it's truly inspirational.

"The storm won't last long. And, Hallelujah realizes, sometimes you need the storm to really appreciate the sun and the blue sky."

Review: Something bad happened between Hallie and Luke Willis, the preachers son. Luke, because he's an absolute shitface (mind my language), lies about what happened and Hallie suffers the consequences. She's tormented and bullied, distrusted by her parents, shunned by her peers and abandoned by her friends. Six months later, Hallie returns to church youth group and they're out hiking in the mountains. Hallie continues to be tormented, Luke takes pride out of her shame and embarrassment. When she meets Rachel, a fun outgoing new girl who knows nothing of Hallie's and Luke's past, who hasn't heard the nasty rumours, Hallie is still on the defensive and thus is quickly distrustful of Rachel. When out hiking, Rachel, Hallie and Jonah -- Hallie's ex-best friend -- get separated from the group and must stick together to survive. They begin to form a strong bond and the life and death struggle is enough to encourage Hallie to speak out, to stand up for herself and to stop being tormented by the past.

I was excited about The Distance Between Lost and Found. I don't entirely know why, I just was. Yet, I had every right to be because it's a deeply moving story and I'm glad that I had the opportunity to read it.

Whilst at times it may seem like The Distance Between Lost and Found is just about trying to survive in the wilderness, trying to rely on each other, it's much more than that. It would have been a great story still if it wasn't, but I think the touching storyline and fantastically developed characters and back-story (for everyone, not just Hallie) was what made The Distance Between Lost and Found a book I won't be forgetting anytime soon.

It's an important novel because it shows the REALITY of situations like this, which is incredibly disturbing. Everybody took the preacher's son, and the popular kids side because he was found in a compromising position and OF COURSE he couldn't do any wrong, could he? But also, WE MUST PROTECT HIS REPUTATION.

It's wrong, and I hate Luke and everyone else for it, but stuff like this actually HAPPENS, and it needs exposure, because girls need to know they can speak up.

They put Hallie in a position where she feels threatened to tell the truth, but it's also disgusting that's she's treated the way she is.

Hallie is a very courageous character who is deeply hurting and can't find the strength to speak out about what happened. She's vulnerable inside, but the silence is just a shield -- keep your head down and it will go away, they'll find something new to talk about. It doesn't happen like that, and Hallie comes to realise it. It was a wonder and an inspiration to get to watch Hallie make that choice. I enjoyed Rachel as a character too, her supportiveness, her openness and general optimism in the face of danger. She was a great friend to Hallie, despite just meeting. Jonah, whilst at times he acts entitled, has some serious character development throughout the novel (though I wish they'd just stayed friends). Luke was someone I detested from the start and people who do something intentionally hurtful and so emotionally and mentally scarring should be punished for what they did.

Overall, The Distance Between Lost and Found is a book I will probably find myself recommending frequently because the story behind it is a powerful one, because Hallie ends up the one in control.

[Dear Faye · Rating 4 out of 5]

PH/Filipino readers!!! You can win a review copy of this one of the blog!!

I think Lady Luck has blessed me because I just found another awesome read that pulled the right heartstrings. My friends, I present you, The Distance Between Lost and Found, the novel-that-you-better-read-soon-or-else.

Or else what, you ask?

OR ELSE YOU'LL MISS ON A FANTASTIC BOOK, THAT'S WHAT!

This book surprised me on so many levels. I had thought it was all about the usual finding yourself book (which is not bad by any means, don't get me wrong), but I quickly found out it was so much more beyond that. Yes, it was still about finding yourself and your voice especially when the world is against you for the pettiest of things, but it was also about a book of self-recovery and healing, of second chances and promises, of friendship and love - not simply just for others, but for oneself. It was heart-rending, heart-warming, and absolutely inspiring, all at the same time. Who knew the mountains were the perfect place to survive not just the wilderness, but the scars of your soul?

If that doesn't entice you to read this, I don't know what will.

Meet Hallelujah, a girl who used to live the normal life in a normal high school setting, who suddenly found herself ostracized because of a nasty rumor spread about her. She lost her place in school, her friends, her family's trust, and her passion in singing - all because someone thought it was amusing to make a sport of her misery. She endured it for so long, she didn't know any other ways to cope with it... then one day, she goes to a youth retreat in the mountains. She meets Rachel. And gets lost with her and Jonah, exposing them to the wilderness and to the pain she has bottled up inside her for so long.

And man, they hurt a lot. You really feel for her here. You see how she tries to keep it all inside her; how she tries to keep an indifferent façade; how hurt she is when even her trusted friends turned their backs; and how she's so wary of trusting others, and herself, again. She has a very genuine and honest voice here, making you forge an emotional connection to her quickly and easily. And not only her, but the rest of the characters, too - Rachel and Jonah, who both have their own burdens to carry on their shoulders. They were written so realistically, so beautifully, and in such a human way that we feel they could have been us, too. 

And the journey they had together was so meaningful. It wasn't just a matter of survival of the physical kind - storms, dangerous rivers and waterfalls, landslides, starvation - it was also a survival of the soul and the heart, as they finally face the problems they wanted to run away from. I used to think that the setting doesn't really matter when it comes to this theme, but in this particular case, the mountains and the hardships they've gone through together really helped get that impact home. The scenery here is absolutely breathtaking and at the same time so ominous; it was pure in its essence and yet also so dangerous. The mix was really well-done and executed.

All in all, this is a strong YA contemporary debut. Definitely check it out if you want to read a refreshing take of finding your voice, even when it seems impossible.

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[Elle (ellexamines on TT & Substack) · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a heart-wrenching story. It just goes to show that sometimes, randomly picking up a book that's been on your kindle for years is a good decision. This is a story about losing yourself and finding yourself. The plotting here is used as a metaphor; the characters must not only find safety, they must find themselves. Perhaps it sounds cheesy when we're talking about it in a review, but this book is far too emotionally real for cheesiness.

The Distance Between Lost and Found stands out for one main reason: character work. This book follows three main characters and excels perfectly at bouncing one other off each other. All three leads are developed and interesting.

Hallie's character development especially was perfectly written. She's crafted with so much love and respect. Kathryn Holmes makes you feel as if you know her, inside and out. Her two best friends, Jonah and Rachel, stand out as well, each with distinct characterization and intriguing personas. Jonah especially is written with serious talent. His story is one of forgiveness.

Kathryn Holmes also does some incredible relationship development. The genuine friendship developing between the main characters made me so happy. No instalove or instafriendship here! The romance felt just as well developed as every other element of the story.

I just found out about ten seconds ago that the author of this also wrote How It Feels To Fly, possibly my favorite pre-read of 2016 thus far. I think I'll be following her from now on!

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Going to keep this nice and short!

How did I come to read this? Basically I thought it was something else on my bookshelf but it was the WRONG book! I don't know how that happened!

HOWEVER I did enjoy this book, sometimes I found it quite difficult to read because in the first section (maybe two) you see how awful Hallie is treated. I'm never very good when it comes to reading about bullying as it brings up some painful memories, but I really loved seeing Hallie come into her own (especially the end few paragraphs) I was cheering her on and honestly felt SO proud of her!

I loved the relationship between Hallie, Rachel and Jonah and you can see them go through really tough times, but they have each other (which is kind of nice)

Overall it was a good read, if you're not religious or don't believe in anything along them lines I'd suggest you don't read this as there is praying and it is a Christian Camp...

[Cindy Rodriguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kathryn Holmes does a great job of blending the adventure/survival story with contemporary YA issues. First, on the survival front: Holmes does not go easy on her characters. Hallie, Rachel, and Jonah purposely leave their group and figure it would be easy enough to find their way back. Right. The physical challenges they face include a limited amount of food and clean water, poison ivy, and a severely sprained ankle--for starters. Things get worse. Much worse. The increasing tension related to their survival make you care about the characters and their fate, as they in a life or death situation.

Next, on the social/emotional front: Being stranded in the Smoky Mountains would have been enough as far as conflicts go, but Holmes adds another layer. These teens are on a religious retreat rife with gossip and back-stabbing, stemming from an incident that happened much earlier. Hallie's pain is real and raw. She has to dig deep into her physical and emotional reserves not only to survive this situation but also to get through it with renewed faith in herself, God, and those around her.

[Jess at Such a Novel Idea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. It does not affect the outcome of my opinion in any way.

Compelling, beautiful, and harrowing -- this book had me from the first paragraph. A great plot, interwoven with some fabulous and deep backstory made this a read I won't forget anytime soon. A story of bullying, a story of finding your voice, a story of survival (in more ways than one), and a story of finding who you are in the world -- this was an excellent read.

Review MUCH closer to March, but if you have a chance to get the ARC, I highly recommend it.

4.5/5 stars

[Lauren Morrill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I beta-read this one, and it's so amazing. Put it on your to-read list NOW!

[Romie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m seriously so pleasantly surprised! I remember buying this book on my 19th birthday, I’ll be 22 this year, which means it took me nearly 3 years to finally get to this book. But I did. And I didn’t exactly remember what it was about, so I went into this book without really knowing the synopsis, and I think maybe that’s one of the reasons I ended up enjoying this book this much. Also I read it in less than 5 hours. I just decided to read this book in one sitting and, okay it was two because I had to stop to eat, but it made the experience even more enjoyable.

I liked the kinda mystery aspect of this story. When we meet Hallelujah, we know she’s being bullied by this dude Luke who turned everybody against her, but we don’t know why. Something happened between them, we can only guess for most of the book what exactly did happen. It was nice knowing at the same time as Rachel and Jonah — Hallelujah’s new and former friends.

Basically Hallie, Rachel and Jonah are on this Youth hiking thingy and something happens and they get lost. It’s the story of how they’re trying to survive in the woods and how they overcome their past. I liked seeing how each of them grows throughout this adventure, it was definitely interesting, but I had now idea how much religion would play such a huge part in the story. It’s not that it was bothering me, not at all, but yeah I guess I would have liked to know because maybe I would have enjoyed the scenes they talk about God more? Sometimes I just felt like it was forced but that’s just my opinion, someone may have experienced these scenes completely differently they I did.

I enjoyed the huge role friendship plays in this book, it was definitely something I liked reading about, and also, I liked the way the story was told. I just think it was well written, it wasn’t too dense, it read quite easily and that’s always a good thing.

3.5

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)
Hallelujah is being bullied. Ever since an event 6 months ago that concerned a boy called Luke, Hallelujah has been friendless and constantly sneered at.
Now finally un-grounded, and on a youth-group trip, Hallelujah remains a victim, and feels that even the new girl Rachel will turn on her once she finds how unpopular she is.

Then, unexpectedly, Hallelujah, Rachel and Jonah are separated from the group whilst on a hike, and find themselves lost in the woods.
What really happened between Hallelujah and Luke? Does she really deserve to be ostracised the way she has been? And will they all make it out of the woods alive?


This was an intriguing mystery story, and I was so desperate to find out what happened between Hallelujah and Luke!

I liked Hallelujah, and I felt so sorry for the bullying she had to put up with. Luke was being so awful to her, and her friends were siding with him, leaving her so alone! I felt so bad for her, and I just hated the bullying. Bullying is awful, but when it comes from people who used to be your friends it is even worse.

The storyline in this was pretty good, I desperately wanted to know what had happened between Hallelujah and Luke, wanted Hallelujah and Rachel to become friends, and a bit further in I wanted them to find help! The mystery over what happened in the past, as well as the question over how long Hallelujah, Rachel, and Jonah were going to be lost, and whether they would even all survive was pretty gripping, and I had to keep reading to find out what happened!
There was a touch of romance, but it wasn’t too much, and fitted in with the story really nicely.

The ending to this was good, and I was pleased with the way things played out. I really hope that Hallelujah’s days of being a victim are over now.
Overall; good YA mystery/survival story,
7.5 out of 10.

[Kels · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure exactly how I feel about this book. It's well written with nicely developed characters, and an interesting plot line, yet I just didn't connect to it on an emotional level. For me, The Distance Between Lost and Found was a rather mild and tame read (which is extremely surprising considering the intensity of the plot), but I was looking for that "emotional punch" as Zoe states in her review, which pretty much summed up my thoughts on it.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This may be my favorite YA book this year. In fact, in a long time. It's a simple read about a Christian youth camp that Hallelujah didn't want to go to because the preacher's boy told some lies and ruined her reputation. But she goes and meets Rachel, the new girl, and ends up on a trail with Rachel and a former friend, Jonah. They get lost. It's a bad lost. For days. The author details the lostness and the hunger, the lack of shelter and warmth. It's quite well written.

Within this story of being lost, getting injured, trying to be found, another story is taking shape. The lost and found is both physical and metaphorical. Hallie was a victim of bullying which led to mobbing. During the time she is lost and experiencing the things she experiences, she finds a different perspective. Having gone through an experience of this sort, I found a lot of deep meaning and truths in this process. Hallie's story is one of any of us who has felt helpless in a situation and eventually identified with the role of helpless victim. She examines her part of the problem and how she has contributed. Even though it is mostly a Christian fiction, the author examines the process and the solution much more deeply than simply turn the other cheek and forgive. She examines the damaged relationships from gossip, rumor, and how those relationships may be changed forever, particularly if the victim plays the victim role.

The book was empowering to me as I reviewed my own situation and found the silver linings, examined my silence where I needed to fight, yell, and make a scene but feared the mindset was already set. Maybe it was but what if it wasn't?

There were metaphors in the scenes with Jonah and the fish, the injured bird, and so many others. What could have been a simplistic "love your neighbor" story, took it deeper by examining the wounds, looking at the irritants that kept it infected, resolving to do differently, and loving yourself.

Clean read. I'll pass it onto my children.

[Gail Nall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such an amazing book. It's equal parts sad, exciting, funny, and thought-provoking. I do love a survival story--and this one is about not only physical survival, but also emotional survival. The story is set in the Smokey Mountains, and the setting is so well-written. Beautiful book!

[Kerry Cerra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hallelujah (Hallie, Hal) has suffered gravely at the lies of the preacher's son, Luke, and as much as she's suffering, she can't bring herself to tell anyone the truth about what really happened that night. She know she should. She wants to. But she can't. And Luke continues to torture her socially to make sure she stays quiet. But, getting lost with two other campers in the Smokey Mountains while on a youth group trip, Hallie begins to find her inner strength. Rescued or not, she makes peace with herself, with her two companions, and God. This is a most beautiful story filled with much hope. If you like this, I also recommend NATURE GIRL, by Jane Kelly. Both of these are sure to be on my favorites list for a lifetime.

[ily · Rating 1 out of 5]

Este libro me hizo enojar.

Estás loca, Hallie. ¿De verdad vas a enamorarte de la persona que permitió que te se burlaran de ti sin mover un dedo para defenderte?

“Right. But like I said, I didn’t know that. You were practically on top of him, and you looked like—and Luke said it was all your idea, and you didn’t say anything, not then and not after—” He breaks off. Picks up again. “I didn’t like thinking about you doing something like that. I was mad. I wanted it to be me. That’s why I didn’t stand up for you. I liked you,” Jonah repeats, “and I didn’t want to still like you, because—”

“Because I was a slut?” Hallelujah asks quietly. Even quiet, the word is harsh. It cuts the night. “Or because I was a slut with someone else?”

“Both, honestly.” Jonah keeps his eyes on hers. “Don’t look at me like that. Do you want me to lie?”

Jonah no es el único asshole del libro. Luke le hace mucha competencia. Él fue quien empezó los rumores que destruyeron la reputación de la protagonista. ¿Por qué? Lean.

“I wanted to go in the bathroom to get myself together before going back to my room, but Luke grabbed my wrist. He asked me if I was seriously going to leave him hanging. I told him to let me go, and I tried to pull away, but he was holding me so tight. He said, ‘You’re not leaving here until you give me a real good night.’ He yanked me toward him, and I fell and landed against him on the bed, and—” That’s when the panic had kicked in. The sudden realization that Luke had the upper hand, that he was bigger and stronger, and that this, to him, seemed like no big deal.

Esto casi terminó en violación. Hallie claramente dijo que no quería seguir tan rápido, pero Luke no la escuchó y continuó. Pero alguien abrió la puerta de la habitación y encontró a una chica después del toque de queda en el cuarto del hijo del pastor. ¿Quién salió perdiendo? Hallie. No ayudó el que ella no quisiera hablar, que dejara que todos asumieran que ella fue quien le sedujo.

¿Lo peor? La historia se desarrolla en un campamento cristiano. CAMPAMENTO CRISTIANO. Los chaperones, organizadores y los propios padres de Hallie no dejaron de juzgarla por el incidente que tuvo con Luke, y ellos prácticamente la trataron como lo peor de lo peor.

“At breakfast the next morning, I had to sit at the chaperones’ table. I wasn’t supposed to talk to anyone. And everyone was staring. Whispering. Luke had already started telling people that I’d snuck over to his room, in my pajamas, and thrown myself at him. He was even saying I’d tried to give my bra as a souvenir."

Y todo el mundo le hizo caso. Incluso Jonah, uno de sus amigos más cercanos.

Otra cosa que me molesta es que, al final, cuando tengo esperanza y creo que la protagonista ha tenido suficiente de dar lástima, y va a darle a Luke su merecido, viene y le dice que contará toda la verdad a sus amigos. Yo pienso: ¿Para qué? ¿Para que esos "amigos" que te trataron tan mal se sientan mal por juzgarte y burlarse de ti y señalarte durante todo este tiempo?


Conclusión: a) Hallie no se valora a sí misma si piensa que con recuperar a sus amigos tendrá más autoestima, b) Luke y Jonah son unos idiotas que deberían irse a la mierda, y c) el libro es misógino, contiene mucho slut-shaming, es aburrido y se vuelve tedioso leerlo después de algunas páginas, y DA UN PÉSIMO EJEMPLO A LAS JÓVENES LECTORAS.

Leído para el 2015 Reading Challenge: 28. Antónimos en el título

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those books that I wasn’t going to request because I had so many review books that I had yet to read but then I just sit there and stared at the computer screen before I found myself hovering over the download button. And I guess you already know what happened from there since you’re reading this review. In all honesty though, I’m glad I gave into temptation because this was such a gripping and captivating story.

Hallelujah (Yes, that’s her real name and I don’t think I ever really got used to it) isn’t expecting to have much fun when she goes on the annual youth retreat after the big ‘scandal’ that happened last year. A scandal that she was the center of. Now, no one will talk to her and everybody makes fun of her so when a girl named Rachel tries to talk to her, Hallie (I like that name much better) immediately goes on the defense. But when Rachel, Hallie and Jonah, a boy that she used to be friends with before the scandal, gets separated from the rest of the group on a hiking trip, the only choice they have is to stick together.

Hallie was a little hard for me to relate to, only because she stayed quiet and didn’t step up and defend herself when the scandal broke and I’m the complete opposite, I would have shouted my side of the story from the top of the world, and damn anyone who didn’t listen or believe me. But with that being said, I understand that not everyone is like me in that way and I did feel like everything that Hallie went through made her grow as a character and by the end, I was on her side.

Rachel and Jonah were really good side characters and I really feel that not only did the situation help Hallie come to terms with everything that had happened to her, but Rachel and Jonah also had a big hand in it too.

The Distance Between Lost and Found is an intriguing and enthralling story about friendship and coming to terms with who you really are and who you want to be. Hallie’s struggle is so honest and raw that it will grasp readers from the very first page.

[justonemorechapter · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Actual rating: 4.5*

The Distance Between Lost and Found was a very sweet book. It was simple yet sort of complicated, if that makes sense. Regardless the story was beautiful and a remarkable debut novel for Kathryn Holmes.

I loved how this book was a perfect realistic fiction read. It was true to the genre with a great balance between realistic and fiction. In realistic fiction books I try to think of how relatable the story and characters are. Books like these can be hard to come by as they are often unrelatable making it hard for me to connect to them. The Distance Between Lost and Found was relatable enough but also fiction enough, which made it quite enjoyable as it had the ideal balance.

On the relatable note Hallie was so easy to connect to. She made mistakes, she was confused, and she wanted to change things but didn’t really know how to. These are problems everyone faces and I really cared for Hallelujah because of them. As she starts to finally discover her voice and speak the truth that she has kept inside of her, she becomes a powerful role model. Seeing how courageous Hallie acted was very inspiring.

Really the only thing I wasn’t too big on in The Distance Between Lost and Found was… (Possible spoiler here – now you can’t say that I didn’t warn you ;)) that with books like these where the main characters get lost it’s almost a guarantee that they’ll be found. It’s either that or they just end up living in the wilderness which might make for a boring ending. While it may take some time and they may not be in the best condition, they will most likely be found and found alive. What kind of ending would it be if the main characters just died alone in the woods and that was it? I most likely wouldn’t give a 4.5/5 to that book.

The Distance Between Lost and Found was an amazing book. It had a powerful message, relatable characters, and a story that is definitely worth a read.

-J

Originally posted at www.justonemorechapter.ca

[Jessica Woodbury · Rating 4 out of 5]

Right now my book selection consists of reading blind: starting something knowing nothing about it, giving it time to grab me, and moving on if it doesn't. This book is one that had me from the start and made me feel really good about my current process. I may never have picked it up from the summary and missed the great experience that came from reading it.

Hallelujah's shame and struggle after a scandal last year at Youth Retreat have affected her deeply. When she gets lost in the woods with the new girl and her former best friend, it sounds like an awfully convenient plot twist. But nothing in this book feels convenient. The people in it feel real, it is a YA book that never condescends, that reads like plain old "fiction" fiction rather than YA.

What I admire most about this book is how Hallelujah, Rachel, and Jonah talk about God and religion and belief with an openness and clarity that seems unheard of in books. They are simply teenagers trying to figure it all out.

[Beth (YA Books Central) · Rating 4 out of 5]

"But she's also talking to God. Because she's alone and lost and tired, and now would be a great time to feel like there's someone watching over her, like everything's going to be okay. But she doesn't. It's like there's nothing there."



What a beautiful, emotionally gripping story of a young girl who overcomes being bullied and proves to everyone how strong she really is.

When reading the synopsis of this book I knew that I was about to enter a story full of emotion and heartbreak but I also knew I was going to find a beautiful story of survival as well. Just by reading the title "The Distance Between Lost and Found"...I knew that this book would take me on this young girl's journey of losing and re-discovering herself.

The main character of the book is named Hallelujah. I had some issues following the character at first because the name was so odd and unusual but then people begin to call her by a shorter name, Hallie, and this helped tremendously.

The story begins with Hallie experiencing first hand...bullying. Hallie was involved in an "altercation" about a year ago with a young boy named Luke. Throughout the first half of the book we do not know what exactly happened between Luke and Hallie that produced horrible rumors that reflected bad on Hallie. The rumors and lies that were told made Hallie look as though she was the "bad guy" and that Luke was innocent in the matter. Because of all the issues that Hallie was facing...her parents decided to send her to a youth group summer camp to try and help her face and overcome her issues.

"She feels uneven and bristly. All the time.
She thinks about being somewhere else, anywhere else. Anywhere Luke isn't. Anywhere she doesn't have to keep reliving what happened."

When the story begins Hallie is already being bullied by the people that caused her hurt to begin with and I found it a little bit odd that Hallie ended up at an youth summer camp with these same people. But because she is at this youth summer camp with these people then she is given the opportunity to face her "demons" and bring out the truth about what really happened instead of the lies that were told.

Hallie meets a new girl at the camp named Rachel. Rachel is visiting the camp for the first time so she has no idea of the rumors about what happened between Luke and Hallie. Rachel is Hallie's first chance in a long time at a true friendship. I loved how Rachel continued to try and be-friend Hallie even after Hallie turns her away several times to be alone. This showed Rachel's true character and that she was the perfect friend for Hallie. Hallie needed someone strong and persistent to help her recover from her issues.

The relationship between Jonah and Hallie was also a beautiful reminder of forgiveness. Both Hallie and Jonah made bad choices when it came to their friendship/relationship and to watch them work on their issues and learn to forgive each other throughout the book was a beautiful example of true friendship.

"And now, Jonah, who looks hopeful despite everything, but not hopeful for the things they all need--not hopeful for rescue, or food, or warmth. Hopeful for her."

I really enjoyed this book and the powerful message that it brings. Bullying is inexcusable and people who are involved in this type of offensive behavior should be made to face the consequences. Bullying is not only an emotional attack but it is a physical attack as well and should not be taken lightly. I also loved the survival aspect of this book. Hallie is faced with so many obstacles in such a short amount of time and because of these situations she learns more about herself. She learns how to forgive not only the people who have offended her but also she learns to forgive herself. This was truly a great book and I would recommend it to anyone who has ever had to deal with bullying or had to face a difficult situation. The Distance Between Lost and Found is a gripping, powerful story about facing your demons and learning to find yourself among the wreckage.

[Book]

This would have been a good book as just a wilderness survival story, but Holmes also explores friendship, trust, and faith which makes the story even richer. Add this to your TBR.

[Jeraca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this free eARC in exchange for my honest review.

So I just have to say it: I would never want to be named Hallelujah. I get why, but man oh man do I feel sorry for this girl!

I am quite surprised by how well I enjoyed this novel. The synopsis sounded good, but when I was reading it I devoured the story and could not wait to see what else the three main characters were going to encounter next.

Even though this novel is set at a youth group trip and God was mentioned quite a bit, it wasn't an overload of religious aspect. Since I don't go to church or practice any religion, I was a little nervous about that, but the author did an amazing job tackling this topic that even a non-religious person could enjoy without feeling like they were pushing religion on them.

I loved how Kathryn Holmes wrote this book. The struggles that each character went through was so real and exactly how teenagers feel. And when they were fighting to get back home, they were fighting internal struggles right along with the external troubles.

I'm really glad I got this book and finally read it. I cannot believe this is Holmes' first novel and I will have to be on the lookout for more of her works in the future!

[Read InAGarden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hallie's life changed the moment she stepped out of her normal role and acted on an impulse. That impulse led to bullying, lies and torment. Six months later she is still trying to pick up the pieces of her life when she goes on a church retreat. A day hike in the woods goes terribly wrong when Hallie, Jonah and Rachel get lost and have to learn to depend on each other for survival. Over several harrowing days, Hallie finds the strength to reveal to Jonah and Rachel what really happened six months ago and in turn begins to find the courage to heal.

This book deserves a more eye catching cover.

[Sandra Waugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a good read!

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Consistently thoughtful, realistic, and compassionate handling of difficult personal situations in the midst of a very scary practical one.

[Jen Ryland (jenrylandreviews & yaallday)]

This story took a while to get going, but by the halfway point, when things really got grim for this trio of teens who run off from a church hiking trip, then get lost in the wilderness, I settled into the story and ended up enjoying it.

There was one thing that drove me a bit crazy but that I learned to live with. I'm not a huge fan of books written in the third person present. To me, it's a weird (and distancing) tense, as if the whole story is being told in voiceover.

But I did come to like Hallie. (sorry, I can't just call her Hallelujah. Another problem with the third person present is I had to read her name 954 times.*) As the story opens, she is obviously hiding something, something that has made her an outcast among the popular kids in her church group and harmed her relationship with Jonah, who follows her when she runs off from the group. The book is coy about Hallie's secret until about halfway through, and as she finally starts talking about what happened to her and how it has affected her, the story really gets going.

I liked the way that the whole survival-in-the-wilderness story paralleled Hallie's learning to stand up for herself in other situations. When all seemed lost, the book raises questions of faith, which I was hoping would happen, given that the characters are all religious to various extents.



*No I did not count them. I used the Kindle search function.