What Is Lost

What Is Hidden #2

by Lauren Skidmore

Angry at his failure to exact vengeance on the prince, mask maker Joch flees Venesia to find his lost love. When a red-cloaked assassin promises answers, he has little choice but to trust her-though he may be walking into a trap. Unravel the deception in this dazzling story of second chances that will keep you guessing to the last page.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Retellings, Romance, Fairy Tale Retellings, Fairy Tales, Fiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published March 10, 2015

About the author

Lauren Skidmore grew up in Kansas, with stints in Ohio and New York, and currently lives in Utah. She attended Brigham Young University where she earned a BA in English Teaching with an emphasis in Teaching English as a Second Language and Japanese. She then spent a year in Japan teaching and travelling. She hasn’t made it to Europe yet, but it’s on the list and has been to 30 states in the U.S. so far. When she’s not exploring new places, you can probably find her on the internet with fifteen windows open and looking at just one more thing before actually getting something done.

Reviews

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm only a *little* biased.

[Katie (hiding in the pages) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the first book and couldn't wait for this one! A Little Red Riding Hood spin-off? Yes!

This story started out with a lot of suspense. Joch, a mask maker, feels like a failure and sets out to find his one true love--who is lost to him. He's escaping and things are quite tense for awhile. He is joined by a mysterious woman and he is almost forced to trust her.
Joch is different than I thought and I enjoyed getting to know him better and in a way that almost made me feel sorry for him. There is definitely more than meets the eye with him and I loved that, because I think that's true with most people. His red-hooded companion is intriguing. I couldn't figure out what she was about and was kept guessing where the story was going to go. Just as I thought I had things figured out, a major twist happened and I was taken by surprise. I love being surprised by an ending!

Content: I would consider it clean!

*I received a copy in exchange for an honest review*

[Koury · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book was a pain to read

[Shayna · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dude. Okay at first I was kind of excited to get more background about the Chameleon, and maybe get the whole "I'd burn the world for you" plot, but it was HORRIBLY EXECUTED. Joch is a psychopath, who has murdered people to obtain a goal. He is not in love with Tatianna, but is in obsession with her. He is so obsessed with this promise he made her, to spend his life with her, I would genuinely be afraid for her safety if she said no. He doesn't understand that people can change their mind and he gives the vibe that if she were to deny him, that whole situation would end in a murder-suicide.

Also, hardly anything happened in this book. It was so boring to read. I'm genuinely confused how a book so small and somehow be so rushed and filled with nonsense.

[Winona · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really had to force myself to finish this book, it didn’t get really interesting until chapter 26 out of 28 chapters. I also didn’t connect with any of the characters, they all fell flat. In the first book I saw huge potential in Joch and I know this story was supposed to be his, to make us like him, maybe even feel bad for him but I hugely dislike him. He is so whiny and weak regardless of it claiming he has so much training and had a hard life. It felt like a first or second draft of a book, and needs serious editing with professional help. I had to check because I thought it was self published but it was actually published through a company. I really wanted to like these books because the idea is amazing and I was willing to move through the writing to read a good story idea, but it felt like nothing had been accomplished by the end of at least this book.

[Lydia · Rating 2 out of 5]

The main character in this book is the villain from the previous book. And while this book tries to explain away his crimes by telling us that he was lied to and manipulated be an even worse person, I don't think that's a good enough reason/excuse for his crimes. This made it difficult for me to care about/connect to him as much as you're supposed to, which made it harder for me to feel invested in the book in general.

[Wendy C · Rating 4 out of 5]

What Is Lost (What Is Hidden #2) by Lauren Skidmore
What Is Lost (What Is Hidden #2) by Lauren Skidmore picks up where book one left off, with Joch running from the Prince and looking for answers about Tatiana and the answers he finds he may not like.
The book was a wonderful retelling of Little Red Riding Hood and a joy to read.
4.4 Stars

[Nanci Skidmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully written and very exciting read! Loved it!

[Emilou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as good as the first book, but it was wonderfully written and the story was very entertaining. I loved the world building for this series, how it is a mixture of Asian and European cultures. The stories, while related to fairy tales, felt unique due to the world-building and characters.

My only issue with this book was how Joch wanted to stop being the Chameleon, but he seemed unrepentant of his actions. He justified that since the Wolf told him to do all those bad things, that he wasn't responsible for all the bad things he had done. I don't know if the author made him this way or didn't want to go through these issues yet (since there will be another book), but I really wanted to smack Joch around for his attitude.

[Krista · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really liked the book before this one so I was excited to read the next two in the series. I didn't love this one. It just left me sad, angry or frustrated. I wanted at least something good to happen but it didn't seem like it ever did. There was interesting and intriguing mystery in it which kept me reading and kept me hopeful and interested. It's a short, easy quick read and for those that like a slightly darker book you may like this one. I did appreciate knowing why the Chameleon was the way he was so this was a good book for that. I just wanted a bit more happiness. So this book was just okay in my opinion.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one much more than the first. Having a fun Japanese touch to is was impressive. I love the legend of the Kitsune and there are many different forms and ways they are this way. With a spin off of Little Red Riding hood it was very enjoyable. Moved just as fast or even faster than the first book. Has a better climax and a fantastic ending. I hope to see those characters again. Good read.

[Hannah · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was an impulse buy. I love fairy tale retellings, and the first book was pleasantly surprising, unfortunately this one fell so very disappointingly flat for me. Gone are the fun cultural elements, gone are the characters we love, and gone is the romance. She tries to build another one with a redemptive arc but it feels very forced and honestly? I hate the characters.

[Shauna · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book felt slow to me. Nothing really happened until the end. Add to that the fact that I never really felt any sympathy for the main character (who was the villain in the first book) and I honestly didn’t enjoy it as much as the first one.

[Shaylee Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written, intriguing adventure told from the previous villain’s perspective.

[Kendall · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's always interesting when the villain becomes the protagonist. I look forward to the conclusion of this series!

[Cassie C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to come!

Update 4/11/15:

It's no secret that I absolutely ADORED What Is Hidden, so it really shouldn't be a surprise that I loved the sequel to it as well, but this book was seriously amazing! Ms. Skidmore has such an amazing talent at re-telling classic fairytales, and I love every single second of it. What Is Lost is a re-telling of Little Red Riding Hood with a MAJOR twist (and I mean MAJOR...you won't see it coming). The one thing that I love about this book (and Ms. Skidmore's re-tellings in general) is that the re-telling isn't blatant, in-your-face classic story. It's subtle and unique. You see hints of the original story throughout the novel, and by the end you have read a wonderfully creative spin on a classic!

This story follows Joch, the mask-maker who is seeking his lost love. From the ending of the first book, you already know that Joch is being hunted by the Prince, so Joch is forced to team up with Kit, a red cloak-wearing assassin. The adventure they go on is filled with ups and downs, twists and turns, and many action packed moments. Joch is much different than I first thought, and I loved being able to get to know him better. My heart went out to him, and you realize that there is much more to his character than first meets the eye. Joch is a very realistic character, and I think many can relate to him in some way. Kit was just plain awesome, and I loved her sarcastic, witty, badass nature. She was a very intriguing character, and I knew there was something more to her character. The interaction between Joch and Kit made for such an interesting read, and whether they realized it or not, they made a great team!

Another aspect of this novel that I greatly enjoyed was the setting. The setting is very Asian inspired, and it made for such an amazing environment for the story to take place. There is a major twist in this book, one you won't see coming. You might be able to guess, but the ending is full of surprises. The ending is non-stop action, and you'll fly through the pages to see if anyone gets their happily ever after.

This is a pretty short read, but it is the perfect length for the story. Ms. Skidmore's writing is fabulous, and the story moves along quickly, but at a good pace. You will never be bored, and constantly coming up with theories. I highly recommend this book for anyone who likes fairytale re-tellings and for fans of the first book in this series. You won't be disappointed!!

Happy reading :)

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the first book in this series, What is Hidden. It was fantastic so I was excited to read this follow up book. As per usual, I don't really read blurbs and back covers very often- especially by authors of books I've already read. I like to be surprised. Sometimes I am REALLY surprised when I start reading. Like this time. I wasn't expecting this book to be about Joch, aka The Chameleon.

Joch isn't the good guy in the previous book. That alone makes you wonder about reading and liking this book, right? But, trust me. You should read it. Especially if you read What is Hidden and liked it.

Learning more about Joch and his history helped a lot. It's always good to be reminded that there is always more to a story or person than what meets the eye. In this story, Joch is on a quest to find his lost love, his first love, his friend. He is quite single minded and determined.

I have to say that I wasn't really kept guessing until the very last page. I had it nailed almost from the beginning but it was still a good journey in reading. My ideas about Joch changed a bit from the first book but I didn't end up loving Joch. This story, to me, feels like the middle bit of a story. The characters are being set up and moved around and we are given more pieces to the puzzle but there is still so much more to come. The ending really left me hanging. I felt a sense of discontentment for sure. A little bit of sadness too. Ugh. I'm looking forward to reading the next book. When does that come out?!

Content: Clean

My thanks to Cedar Fort for allowing me to read and review books for them.

[Rhonda · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 STARS



I was not sure at the beginning if I would like the characters. But I did even though the main two are assassins.

Joch is trying to leave Venesia after kidnapping the prince and trying to kill him in What Is Hidden. Joch is a glass blower, mask maker, assassin. He became a assassin to find his love

Tatiana. Joch under his masks is marked as a assassin the Chameleon.



Kit comes and helps Joch to escape. She is trained by the Wolf to be assassin too. She even used Joch's nick name for her crimes. She wants to find the Wolf too.



Joch and Kit are on a journey to find the Wolf and they have to go through some woods to meet with a Grandmother who knows everything about the criminals and can lead them to the Wolf. They are also being chased by the royal guards of Venesia. The Wolf knows where Tatiana is.



This has some good twists. Some I saw coming others were a surprised. It was a good story.

Lots of drama, mystery, adventure and action. It is also a clean read.

Asks the question who do you trust and love.



The setting is traveling by boat, horse or walking. The people of Venesia always were masks and the masks tell people who and what are their jobs.



I want to read the next book in the series.



I was given this ebook to read by Cedar Fort Publishing. In return I agreed to give a honest review of What Is Lost

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of Joch, the Chameleon and villain in book one. He was someone that I did have some sympathy for but I wasn't sure that I wanted to read a book about him. I like to try to understand what makes someone do the things they do and we were able to learn his reasons for the way he behaved in the first book. There was quite a bit of mystery surrounding him and I wasn't sure at times who to trust. He reluctantly teams up with Kit, who is also mysterious and has quite a few secrets of her own.

What is Hidden references Cinderella and What is Lost references Red Riding Hood. There's a woman that wears a red cloak, and characters that are called Grandmother and Wolf. Joch holds the Wolf responsible for his troubles and wants revenge. He also learns that Grandmother may have the answers to his questions. There are complications along the way to getting what he wants.

This was so different than What is Hidden. I didn't enjoy it quite as much and I really missed Evie and Aiden. I'm not sold on Joch yet, but he's growing on me. There were some surprises and twists throughout the book and the ending sets up the third book to bring all the pieces together. I'm looking forward to reading more!

I received a copy of this book to review. My opinion is 100% my own.

Mel's Shelves

[Constance Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

What is Lost was surprisingly my favorite in the series. When I read the synopsis I wasn't too thrilled about reading an entire book about the antagonist of book one. But the author did a great job with What is Hidden, so I figured she knew what she was doing. Turns out, she's great at writing male POV. I was captivated from the first chapter. This book is full of page turning chases, intrigue, and daggers at the throat moments.


While Joch wasn't someone I added to my list of book boyfriends, he was a very complex character. He had a few more flaws than saving graces, but the author illustrated each aspect in a "This is who Joch is. He is not perfect. Take it as it is" kind of attitude and I really respected it. I loved following him along on his road to redemption and his interactions with the other characters were brilliant. Kit his perfect companion. I loved their bitter banter and the slow kinship that developed between them.



Unlike What is Hidden, I never saw the plot twists coming. I was completely shocked by the ending. So much so, that I just sat the book down for a second and laid there with my mouth open staring at the ceiling. I can't tell you how much I appreciate that kind of an ending in a book.


What is Hidden is great, but What is Lost is what makes the series worth the read.

[Shauna · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a FUN book!

In What Is Hidden you learn about the wearing of masks and of the Joch, the one they called 'the Chameleon.'

Now follow Joch as he flees after trying to kill the prince.

Still seeking answers to find his lost friend from the past, the Chameleon crosses paths with Kit ~ "the red-cloaked assassin."

From her he learns about the woman know as ~ Grandmother.

Grandmother is suppose to know everything and will be able to help them... at a cost... of course...

And he must also be aware of the man they call the Wolf.

The Chameleon has worked with him before and knows that he is not above seeking revenge on them.

Ocean crossings, shifting walls, hiding, running for your life, and more is what you will get in this "tale of betrayal and longing."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Excerpt
“You’re focusing on the wrong things here,” Kit said.

“What should I be focusing on?” I asked.

“The people who want you dead.”

“Does that include you?”

She grinned at me, her white teeth gleaming.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

I LOVED IT!
A GREAT TWIST on Red Riding Hood!
A unique story all on its own!

[Brooke Elden · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was reluctant to like this protagonist, because in book one, he was the villain! I have a hard time with sequels in general but luckily this was short so I forced myself to push through it. But as we progressed, I came around and got into the flow of this story, and managed to forget about the last one. Eventually, I began to sympathize with Joch and even started to like him.

The author has a very nice writing style. It flows well and it succinct and to the point. My favorite! We never wallowed through a swamp of text. I definitely figured out who Kit was long before I was supposed to. I liked the setting (based on Japan) but really, why bother trying to tie this book into red riding hood? The "grandmother" scene was a letdown because Grandmother wasn't really significant. At all. Why did Kit have to lead him to her? Especially when they had already been in the same room as the wolf? It just didn't make sense and seems like it was only there to force the red riding hood connection. Which is just silly.

I'll try to get my hands on book 3 only because I like the writing style and espionage feel and it is Snow White after all. All in all, well done. Nice, quick read, which I always appreciate!

[Mindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very intriguing story and a real page turner! I was immediately drawn into this world. Although I have not read What is Hidden, the author did a great job of explaining the importance of masks in the Venesia region, and what happened with Joch and the prince in the first book. I thought it was very cool to have the bad guy be the focus of the story. I know he was villainous, but I felt sorry for him at times, and I could see a change in him developing. Kit was instantly likable. She had a presence that commanded attention and I loved her spunk and smarts. The ending I saw coming, but the very last pages were a surprise and I am excited for what happens next.

4 out of 5 stars. This is book two, but I never felt lost (LOL). I plan on reading book one as soon as I can.

I received a PDF from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

What is Lost is an enjoyable sequel to What is Hidden. If you haven't already read the first book, I'd highly recommend reading it. Stop reading this review if you haven't read that yet, unless you don't mind spoilers.

I liked that What is Lost was told from Joch's point of view (the bad guy from the first book). That was somewhat unusual, but it helped to understand why he did what he did in book one. I came to like him and Kit, and their interesting relationship.

I suspected who Kit was right away, but did enjoy the story as it came about revealing her true identity.

I was very surprised at the outcome. I definitely didn't see it coming. I enjoy a happy ending, and although Joch ended with good potential for his future, I wouldn't call the ending happy. It was left open for a sequel, which I will happily read.

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sequel to " what is hidden." Joch or the "" is on the run from venesia and their prince who he tried to kill thinking he was responsible for Tatiana's disappearance from his life. He meets kit, who says she wants to help him get revenge on the " wolf". He doesn't trust her at first even though she helps him with his escape. Then when Koch lets down his guard and trusts her, she reveals her secret... She's Tatiana. She was saved by the wolf and then trained, but made her own choices. She left home because she didn't want to go along with joch's plans for marriage and life. In the end joch is captured and is on a ship back to venesia. Another twist is the tiny noble girl, who turns out to be the princess. She sets joch free because she sees that his heart is good. Now he has hope for the future because he can start over without revenge as a goal.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think my love for the first book put quite a damper on this one. I wanted more Evie and Aiden—I never cared about Joch. Unfortunately, that didn't change as I read this book. Joch just isn't that interesting to me and I never cared about his quest. And the Red Riding Hood connection wasn't strong enough, in my opinion. Anything to liven up the story would have been nice.

Those last few pages, though—that's a book I'd be interested in reading. I'm glad Skidmore didn't go the predictable route I was expecting her to go, which is why I bumped up my rating one star. Lauren Skidmore is a good and imaginative writer, and I'm looking forward to whatever she comes up with next. This book just didn't do it for me, another one of those "it's me, not you" cases.

[Melissa’s Bookshelf · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this though not as much as What is Hidden. This book follows Joch after he has escaped from the Prince. He meets up with a girl named Kit who attempts to help him find Tatiana, the girl who disappeared over 5 years ago and was to be his betrothed. The story is loosely based on the fairytale of Red Riding Hood.

For me, the story dragged at times and I didn't see the chemistry between Joch and Kit. It just seemed like this was one of those in-between books in the series that carries the story, but is basically filler until the next book. I guessed the twist pretty early on and so it wasn't a real shock for me. There was one twist I didn't quite see coming and will be looking forward to the next book to see how this plays out.

[Stephanie P (Because My Mother Read) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an entertaining read that kept me guessing on some things right until the end! I loved the setting from the first book and so of course missed it in this book, but I enjoyed the new setting as well and especially seeing the way they overlapped. I'm really excited for the next book to get the conclusion of the story!

[Gayle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure quite what to think about this book at first, with the main character being pretty much the villain from the first story. But as his past was gradually revealed, it became a little easier to like him. I loved the Red Riding Hood references and connections. The ending surprised me with the direction it took. It made me wonder if there will be more to this series...

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book just as much as the first one! It is a very well-written, highly original adaptation of a classic fairytale. All the necessary elements are there to recognize its fairy-tale counterpart, but it is truly its own story. Complex plot, believable characters, and a beautiful cover! Can't wait for more!