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Until We Are Lost
A haunting thriller about one woman’s journey into the painful truths threatening to destroy her.
When Tara Peary’s twin sister Sophie goes missing, Tara dives into New York’s underbelly to find her. Sophie is the one person who’s ever truly understood her, and Tara knows her sister isn’t the only one who needs help.
Tara is also on the run emotionally from her complicated childhood. Her memories are threatening to overwhelm her emotions and derail the hunt for Sophie. A psychotherapist keeps her afloat, but when Tara begins dating her therapist’s young tech-millionaire neighbor, she risks losing the only lifelines she has left.
The more Tara uncovers about her sister’s disappearance and the dark side of the rich elite, the less certain of the truth she becomes. As Tara reaches the center of the mystery, spanning from her childhood home in Georgia to a Southern California beach, she has to decide whether the truth is a price she’s willing to pay.
When Tara Peary’s twin sister Sophie goes missing, Tara dives into New York’s underbelly to find her. Sophie is the one person who’s ever truly understood her, and Tara knows her sister isn’t the only one who needs help.
Tara is also on the run emotionally from her complicated childhood. Her memories are threatening to overwhelm her emotions and derail the hunt for Sophie. A psychotherapist keeps her afloat, but when Tara begins dating her therapist’s young tech-millionaire neighbor, she risks losing the only lifelines she has left.
The more Tara uncovers about her sister’s disappearance and the dark side of the rich elite, the less certain of the truth she becomes. As Tara reaches the center of the mystery, spanning from her childhood home in Georgia to a Southern California beach, she has to decide whether the truth is a price she’s willing to pay.
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First published February 2, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
February 2, 2021
What a twisty, disturbing, thrilling ride from the author of “Girl at the border”.
Sometimes your own mind wants to block your dark memories about the past to protect you from failing your bright future plans. Especially that’s the way how Tara’s mind works to survive after her traumatized childhood times.
Sophie is her twin sister who she can truly trust, the dominant, fiery, sexy, protective, caring one as Tara is more introverted, shy girl who struggles to find her place in the earth because of her parents’ abusive tendencies.
Now Sophie is missing and it’s the exact time for Tara wear her big girl pants to look for her sister at the most dangerous, dark, scary parts of NY. She is ready to face the dangerous world outside to bring her sister back. But could she also face with her blocked memories about her past to see what kind of damage her own parents have done to her?
After working with a psychiatrist she can lean on and seeing a man she can form true feelings, she feels like she’s building a safe and concrete life in NY. But after an unfortunate incident at the party she attends, the darkness comes over, bringing out more dark memories which have been locked at her memory lane.
Overall: even though the storyline’s direction is so foreseeable and twists are predictable, it’s fast, intriguing, well-written psychological thriller. It picks your interest from the begging and you don’t want to put down till it ends.
Some pages would have been emitted. But it is still fast pacing, capturing, moving.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for sharing this riveting ARC with me in exchange my honest opinions.
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Sometimes your own mind wants to block your dark memories about the past to protect you from failing your bright future plans. Especially that’s the way how Tara’s mind works to survive after her traumatized childhood times.
Sophie is her twin sister who she can truly trust, the dominant, fiery, sexy, protective, caring one as Tara is more introverted, shy girl who struggles to find her place in the earth because of her parents’ abusive tendencies.
Now Sophie is missing and it’s the exact time for Tara wear her big girl pants to look for her sister at the most dangerous, dark, scary parts of NY. She is ready to face the dangerous world outside to bring her sister back. But could she also face with her blocked memories about her past to see what kind of damage her own parents have done to her?
After working with a psychiatrist she can lean on and seeing a man she can form true feelings, she feels like she’s building a safe and concrete life in NY. But after an unfortunate incident at the party she attends, the darkness comes over, bringing out more dark memories which have been locked at her memory lane.
Overall: even though the storyline’s direction is so foreseeable and twists are predictable, it’s fast, intriguing, well-written psychological thriller. It picks your interest from the begging and you don’t want to put down till it ends.
Some pages would have been emitted. But it is still fast pacing, capturing, moving.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for sharing this riveting ARC with me in exchange my honest opinions.
August 20, 2020
Tara is in therapy with Dr Christie Lind following a series of traumatic events which occur to her family which led to memory loss for six months. She’s searching for twin Sophie who vanishes two years ago. Tara is working for Seventh Haven, a charity which helps troubled teens. I don’t want to reveal too much about the plot in the book as it will spoil the element of shock and surprise of going in blind! The story is told by Tara and Sophie.
Well, this is certainly sex, drugs and rock n’ roll. The first two thirds of the book are terrific, both girls stories are absolutely fascinating and as the truth dawns on you it’s an excellent plot concept and contains many intriguing twists. Tara’s story is very interesting and we get a massive internal dialogue with plenty of turmoil especially as more of her parents back story is revealed making the storyline darker and darker. All I’ll say about her parents is that their story is very different which I like. This is a story of guilt, lies, buried secrets, a truly dysfunctional family and abuse. Sophie’s story is particularly dark, the things that happen to her while she’s in la-la land are mesmerising and horribly fascinating as she is in dangerous territory which comes back to haunt her. They both get used and enter frighteningly murky worlds. The two stories work well, the writing flows and it’s gripping as you hang in every word. There’s suspense, tension and mystery to ponder on.
However, I find the last part of the book very different to the first three parts. It’s much more disjointed, the author has built up this huge plot and I find the conclusion to be a bit messy and somewhat unsatisfactory, leaving loose ends rather than tying them up.
Overall though this is well worth reading as it’s a really good premise and an intriguing read.
With thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC.
Well, this is certainly sex, drugs and rock n’ roll. The first two thirds of the book are terrific, both girls stories are absolutely fascinating and as the truth dawns on you it’s an excellent plot concept and contains many intriguing twists. Tara’s story is very interesting and we get a massive internal dialogue with plenty of turmoil especially as more of her parents back story is revealed making the storyline darker and darker. All I’ll say about her parents is that their story is very different which I like. This is a story of guilt, lies, buried secrets, a truly dysfunctional family and abuse. Sophie’s story is particularly dark, the things that happen to her while she’s in la-la land are mesmerising and horribly fascinating as she is in dangerous territory which comes back to haunt her. They both get used and enter frighteningly murky worlds. The two stories work well, the writing flows and it’s gripping as you hang in every word. There’s suspense, tension and mystery to ponder on.
However, I find the last part of the book very different to the first three parts. It’s much more disjointed, the author has built up this huge plot and I find the conclusion to be a bit messy and somewhat unsatisfactory, leaving loose ends rather than tying them up.
Overall though this is well worth reading as it’s a really good premise and an intriguing read.
With thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC.
January 24, 2021
Favorite Quotes:
I don’t seem to work and play well with others. Stupidity gets on my nerves.
Seasons change, but not in Hollywood. It’s as if time didn’t move on there, and all the plastic surgery was a desperate attempt to make sure it remained that way.
Maybe to distinguish herself from other evangelists, she made exorcisms her specialty… Whether the exorcisms worked, I couldn’t say. But they did appear to, which, in religion, is the same thing.
I am like nested Russian dolls, she thinks, each part of me inside the other, going deeper and deeper, darker and darker. Tara shivers then, and she knows the meaning of someone walking on her grave.
My Review:
This was an intense and challenging read, which was evidenced in the fact that it took me three times longer to read it than any other book of the same length as I needed to periodically put my Kindle down and seek out a pleasant distraction. The storylines were throbbing with tension, angst, conflict, and inner turmoil; yet written with incredible insight and painful awareness.
I was intrigued and repelled Tara’s disturbing family history as her parents were odious. Her zealot mother was the worst type of loathsome hypocrite; I despised her before I even knew the half of it. All the characters, even the secondary ones, were complicated, dark, and deeply twisted, yet so compellingly written they viciously stabbing at my curiosity. Very few were even likable beings with the dog Hickory being the only one that truly was, and he didn’t fare so well.
I learned two new words and phrases used by Tara’s evangelical faith healer mother to describe myself, I am “resolutely apostate” and apparently have a “Jezebel spirit.” Amen!
I don’t seem to work and play well with others. Stupidity gets on my nerves.
Seasons change, but not in Hollywood. It’s as if time didn’t move on there, and all the plastic surgery was a desperate attempt to make sure it remained that way.
Maybe to distinguish herself from other evangelists, she made exorcisms her specialty… Whether the exorcisms worked, I couldn’t say. But they did appear to, which, in religion, is the same thing.
I am like nested Russian dolls, she thinks, each part of me inside the other, going deeper and deeper, darker and darker. Tara shivers then, and she knows the meaning of someone walking on her grave.
My Review:
This was an intense and challenging read, which was evidenced in the fact that it took me three times longer to read it than any other book of the same length as I needed to periodically put my Kindle down and seek out a pleasant distraction. The storylines were throbbing with tension, angst, conflict, and inner turmoil; yet written with incredible insight and painful awareness.
I was intrigued and repelled Tara’s disturbing family history as her parents were odious. Her zealot mother was the worst type of loathsome hypocrite; I despised her before I even knew the half of it. All the characters, even the secondary ones, were complicated, dark, and deeply twisted, yet so compellingly written they viciously stabbing at my curiosity. Very few were even likable beings with the dog Hickory being the only one that truly was, and he didn’t fare so well.
I learned two new words and phrases used by Tara’s evangelical faith healer mother to describe myself, I am “resolutely apostate” and apparently have a “Jezebel spirit.” Amen!
July 2, 2022
Wow what a mind fuck!!
March 21, 2022
I was really looking forward to this one, as I'm also suckered in by stories about twins. And the mystery sounded fascinating as well. Sadly, I only read 4% in and was turned off by both the trope of the Southern snake-oil preachers who 'believe in God over science' and Tara's work with 'marginalized LGBT teens' and a 'trans boy'.
The author, and the characters, are, of course allowed to make whatever choices they want, with no judgement from me. But there are some things I just don't choose to read about. Moved on pretty quickly from this one.
The author, and the characters, are, of course allowed to make whatever choices they want, with no judgement from me. But there are some things I just don't choose to read about. Moved on pretty quickly from this one.
February 24, 2021
📚 Hello Book Friends! UNTIL WE ARE LOST by Leslie Archer was a surprisingly good read. I actually could not put it down. It was strange and fascinating. The book deals with many difficult subjects such as child abuse, prostitution, murder, and the darkness of the mind. The story is twisted, sexy, and thrilling. I was hooked from the beginning to the end. This is a fantastic psychological thriller.
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February 25, 2021
Read my full review here: https://www.howdidthatbookend.com/unt...
Until We Are Lost is a disturbing, suspenseful novel about the lengths the mind will go to in order to protect itself from traumatic memories. There are some significant trigger warnings that should be mentioned, but they are also minor spoilers so I will list them below the rest of the review for those that need them.
Tara and Sophie as characters were brilliantly developed. I really enjoyed watching Tara’s growth and acceptance of her past. I will say that there wasn’t much depth to any of the secondary characters, other than Tara’s parents.
As I read, I was eager to learn what happened in Tara’s childhood to cause her to forget large chunks of her past. I loved the first few parts of the book, from both Tara and Sophie’s perspectives. The story was entertaining, the plot was enthralling, and the pages turned quickly. I was especially interested in Sophie’s time in LA, where she fell in with a high-flying crowd that most people don’t see the inner workings of.
I really enjoyed Leslie Archer’s writing style. She did a great job of revealing the story layer by layer. The reader always knows more is happening than what they have read so far, and wants to read more to figure out the truth.
Story aside, I don’t quite like the book blurb. It only covers the first couple chapters of the book, and then you find out the “twist”. The rest of the book is really more of an exploration of Tara’s character and the memories she is running from. I didn’t really feel like there was much of a mystery to the book. I thought I was missing something, because there didn’t really seem to be anything else to “figure out” besides waiting for the author to tell you about the trauma that happened in Tara’s childhood. If you’re expecting a story like The Missing Sister, this book is not similar at all.
Until We Are Lost will be available on February 2, 2021. Pre-order it here. Many thanks to Lake Union Publishing for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Trigger warnings: Child abuse and molestation, rape, drug abuse, and animal cruelty.
Until We Are Lost is a disturbing, suspenseful novel about the lengths the mind will go to in order to protect itself from traumatic memories. There are some significant trigger warnings that should be mentioned, but they are also minor spoilers so I will list them below the rest of the review for those that need them.
Tara and Sophie as characters were brilliantly developed. I really enjoyed watching Tara’s growth and acceptance of her past. I will say that there wasn’t much depth to any of the secondary characters, other than Tara’s parents.
As I read, I was eager to learn what happened in Tara’s childhood to cause her to forget large chunks of her past. I loved the first few parts of the book, from both Tara and Sophie’s perspectives. The story was entertaining, the plot was enthralling, and the pages turned quickly. I was especially interested in Sophie’s time in LA, where she fell in with a high-flying crowd that most people don’t see the inner workings of.
I really enjoyed Leslie Archer’s writing style. She did a great job of revealing the story layer by layer. The reader always knows more is happening than what they have read so far, and wants to read more to figure out the truth.
Story aside, I don’t quite like the book blurb. It only covers the first couple chapters of the book, and then you find out the “twist”. The rest of the book is really more of an exploration of Tara’s character and the memories she is running from. I didn’t really feel like there was much of a mystery to the book. I thought I was missing something, because there didn’t really seem to be anything else to “figure out” besides waiting for the author to tell you about the trauma that happened in Tara’s childhood. If you’re expecting a story like The Missing Sister, this book is not similar at all.
Until We Are Lost will be available on February 2, 2021. Pre-order it here. Many thanks to Lake Union Publishing for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Trigger warnings: Child abuse and molestation, rape, drug abuse, and animal cruelty.
April 12, 2021
Tara's family history is literally the definition of f*cked up. Which is probably why she suppressed so much of it, and has become such a private person today. However, with the help of her therapist, Tara slowly starts to let her guard down and we begin to understand what is going on in that mind of hers. We also slowly start to learn more about Sophie.
.
The more we start to learn about Tara and Sophie the darker and darker this story gets. The first two thirds of the book, go back and forth between their POVs and we start to understand their bond that they have. Tara doesn't realize how much she needs Sophie, until she starts to remember more of her past and Sophie doesn't realize how much she needs Tara in the present. Both girls need one another, but it isn't until we learn more about their childhood until we truly discover why. This is a dark/suspenseful story, filled with multiple twists and turns. However, once you hit the last part of the book, it's less suspenseful and more character growth. It almost seemed a little too rushed and I wasn't 100% satisfied with how it ended. Until we are lost is a very intriguing read. It did get a little confusing at times but still a good one.
.
The more we start to learn about Tara and Sophie the darker and darker this story gets. The first two thirds of the book, go back and forth between their POVs and we start to understand their bond that they have. Tara doesn't realize how much she needs Sophie, until she starts to remember more of her past and Sophie doesn't realize how much she needs Tara in the present. Both girls need one another, but it isn't until we learn more about their childhood until we truly discover why. This is a dark/suspenseful story, filled with multiple twists and turns. However, once you hit the last part of the book, it's less suspenseful and more character growth. It almost seemed a little too rushed and I wasn't 100% satisfied with how it ended. Until we are lost is a very intriguing read. It did get a little confusing at times but still a good one.
March 27, 2021
I have mixed feeling about this book-maybe because it was so disturbing and not my usual type of storyline that I read and enjoy. Don’t get me wrong, I like a good psychological mind bending book and this story is just that. The end, finally, comes together nicely except one detail-maybe I missed something. I was not expecting the story end as it did. To me, the details were too drawn out to a point I just had to put it down to take a break so only 4 stars. If you have the time and like deep, sexual, excessive details this might be for you.
October 7, 2020
When the story begins, I was not exactly sure what is going. We have a young woman Tara deeply troubled and traumatized by her past. But though she is seeing a therapist whom she trusts, she doesn't trust her enough yet to reveal the secrets she's hiding. The opening scene Tara tells her therapist Dr. Lind that about a year ago somebody killed her dog, then a few weeks later her mother died, and not long after that her father died in a house fire. And her sister Sophie disappeared; she hasn't seen her since then. Tara says she thought her dog being shot was an omen. This is complicated story we know Tara is hiding something, but we don't know what. She certainly had a horrible childhood, but what does she deal with now. I like that each section begins with a famous quote. One of my favorites is the quote from Robert Louis Stevenson's The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and each quote fits in well with the plot. This novel to me was like an onion, it has many layers and only as we learn more Tara do we find out the secrets. The title too seems appropriate for the story. Thank you to the author, Net Galley, and the publisher for allowing me to read this book as an early read. Check out it for an intriguing and entertaining read!
November 10, 2020
Disturbing, Dark, (Mostly) Delicious Drama. Ok, I gotta put this up front: This book has both rape *and* child molestation "on screen". It works within the story being told, but if you can't handle those two issues for whatever reason, this book isn't for you.
Those two things - both fairly deep in the book, with the child molestation around the 75% mark - aside, this was truly a solid, if dark, twisted drama that presents as one thing and then winds up with something completely different. One of the darkest books I've read in the past few years, but again, within the story being told, the darkness works well. If you're looking for a light and fluffy beach read... this ain't it. If you're looking for more of a "snowed in, want something that can absolutely consume me for a while" read (ala a deep winter read, when this book will be releasing in Feb 2021)... this is near perfect for that. Overall an excellent tale, with the caveats noted at the top of this review. Very much recommended.
Those two things - both fairly deep in the book, with the child molestation around the 75% mark - aside, this was truly a solid, if dark, twisted drama that presents as one thing and then winds up with something completely different. One of the darkest books I've read in the past few years, but again, within the story being told, the darkness works well. If you're looking for a light and fluffy beach read... this ain't it. If you're looking for more of a "snowed in, want something that can absolutely consume me for a while" read (ala a deep winter read, when this book will be releasing in Feb 2021)... this is near perfect for that. Overall an excellent tale, with the caveats noted at the top of this review. Very much recommended.
July 13, 2020
A riveting thriller. I really enjoyed it. It begins with Sophie disappearing and her twin, Tara, desperately determines to find her. She searches through some of the worst, dangerous, parts in New York City. Tara, it seems, really needs her sister, Sophie, who is the only one who understands the terrible childhood they both survived. Tara finds herself only able to cope with the help of her psychotherapist. Although some people might guess where the storyline goes, I'll admit that I did, it is engaging and enjoyable. I definitely recommend this book.
I would like to thank Leslie Archer, the Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I would like to thank Leslie Archer, the Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
July 28, 2020
Thank you #netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for this ARC of Until We Are Lost by Leslie Archer.
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
I wanted to switch up genres and try something new this time. This was definitely a change from my previous book choices. It had me engaged, shocked, appalled, etc. Going into the book I thought it was just going to be a thriller/mystery. I thought we were just going to be figuring out what happened to the main character's sister. There was so much more to it then that. This book does have triggering content so read with caution. To me reading it was like not being able to take your eyes away from a train wreck. Not that the book itself was a train wreck but the unsettling story of Tara's life.
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
I wanted to switch up genres and try something new this time. This was definitely a change from my previous book choices. It had me engaged, shocked, appalled, etc. Going into the book I thought it was just going to be a thriller/mystery. I thought we were just going to be figuring out what happened to the main character's sister. There was so much more to it then that. This book does have triggering content so read with caution. To me reading it was like not being able to take your eyes away from a train wreck. Not that the book itself was a train wreck but the unsettling story of Tara's life.
July 12, 2020
Tara and Sophie are twins. There to help each other. Sophie the dark, sexy , siren. Tara, silent, scared needing g Sophie's strength. As Tara goes in search of her sister, she is bound to encounter darkness and danger. After all that is the world that Sophie tends to immerse herself in. She is not ready to encounter the darkness that was her childhood from the age of five. Each of her parents willing to use her in their own consciousness. The abuse at the hand of her parents and had a lasting influence in her life. One that is so maliscous as to make her mind unable to believe. A twisted psychological thriller that is sure to blow your mind!
September 20, 2020
Until We Are Lost by Leslie Archer a dark and devious five-star read. This wont be for everyone as some of the subject matter is not pleasant but it is an integral part of the story and adds to the drama, so if you can accept that then this will grip you. This was so gripping that I was waiting for the other show to drop even when I wasn’t reading, I was thinking about it, what will happen next and I was consumed by the sisters and their story. It is one that you have to read and take in, you cant skim it as you would miss so much, there are twists in the time line and sub plots that will keep you guessing, this is a great story and one that many would be sad to miss.
September 29, 2020
Wow! This was a deliciously dark and disturbing read, which really had me in a choke hold for the entire thing! The writing was phenomenal, the characters developed flawlessly! It was dark, disturbing, and even a bit demented; which I absolutely love! Unputdownable with so many thrills, chills, twists & turns, and gasp worthy shocks! If you’re like me and love those dark, demented reads, here’s your book! Highly, highly recommend, but have to say don’t start before bedtime, especially if you’re tired, as you won’t be getting any sleep! In fact, just clear the schedule!
Will buzz around platforms and use lower amazon reviewer number on release date!
Will buzz around platforms and use lower amazon reviewer number on release date!
July 17, 2020
Tara Pearys twin sister Sophie has disappeared. The twins had a bad childhood and Sophie is the only one that understands their childhood. The search for Sophis leads Tara into some of the most dangerous places in New York City. This is a psychological thriller that grabs you from the first page and doesn’t let go. It also has quite a few twists. Thank you to net galley for a copy.
August 4, 2020
*I received a galley of this book for review purposes*
Tara has lost both her twin sister, Sophie, and six months of her life. Her search for answers leads her down the rabbit hole of her own mind, back into memories of childhood trauma and onward into the world Sophie found for herself—full of dangerous men and an unsettling proposition.
Based on the description I expected a very different book from the one I actually read. Rather than a twisty missing person suspense, Until We Are Lost revolves around the long-lasting aftermath of childhood trauma and abuse. There is an occasional twist, but the force of this plot revolves around Tara, Sophie, and the childhood they share.
Given this focus, I would have loved to see Archer develop Tara and Sophie's childhood in much more detail than is done. The threads of their childhood story end up as loose ends as the story wraps up and I was left feeling unsatisfied by the way this portion of the story was wrapped up.
In fact, I felt unsatisfied by the way most of the subplots were wrapped up by the end of the book. Archer has taken on a massive plot, and each substory really had enough material to be developed into a standalone book of its own. The drug kingpin and the underbelly of the New York and L.A. drug trade. Each one could have been a book in its own right. Combined they made for a book that feels too busy with the act of letting you know what's happening and doesn't leave enough time or space for the reader to experience it.
Archer does create unique voices for both Tara and Sophie, the style changing so dramatically between parts 1 and 2 it feels like a second author could have stepped in. This is an accomplishment and a refreshing change from multi-perspective reads where every narrator sounds the same. I wish Archer had brought more of this diversity into the lives of the secondary characters, all of whom feel a little too stereotypical to be individuals.
Overall, Until We Are Lost held my interest enough to keep reading, but it's not a book that sticks around when the last page is finished.
Tara has lost both her twin sister, Sophie, and six months of her life. Her search for answers leads her down the rabbit hole of her own mind, back into memories of childhood trauma and onward into the world Sophie found for herself—full of dangerous men and an unsettling proposition.
Based on the description I expected a very different book from the one I actually read. Rather than a twisty missing person suspense, Until We Are Lost revolves around the long-lasting aftermath of childhood trauma and abuse. There is an occasional twist, but the force of this plot revolves around Tara, Sophie, and the childhood they share.
Given this focus, I would have loved to see Archer develop Tara and Sophie's childhood in much more detail than is done. The threads of their childhood story end up as loose ends as the story wraps up and I was left feeling unsatisfied by the way this portion of the story was wrapped up.
In fact, I felt unsatisfied by the way most of the subplots were wrapped up by the end of the book. Archer has taken on a massive plot, and each substory really had enough material to be developed into a standalone book of its own. The drug kingpin and the underbelly of the New York and L.A. drug trade. Each one could have been a book in its own right. Combined they made for a book that feels too busy with the act of letting you know what's happening and doesn't leave enough time or space for the reader to experience it.
Archer does create unique voices for both Tara and Sophie, the style changing so dramatically between parts 1 and 2 it feels like a second author could have stepped in. This is an accomplishment and a refreshing change from multi-perspective reads where every narrator sounds the same. I wish Archer had brought more of this diversity into the lives of the secondary characters, all of whom feel a little too stereotypical to be individuals.
Overall, Until We Are Lost held my interest enough to keep reading, but it's not a book that sticks around when the last page is finished.
November 12, 2020
My Review of
UNTIL WE ARE LOST
By Leslie Archer
Published by Lake Union Publishing
Gifted MBC
******
This book was hard to figure out at first, a tad confusing and a little slow for what I perceived to be a thriller. Right when things would tease me and pick up; just as quickly the flame died. About halfway through the novel is where you get to the cusp of the story and where things begin to make sense. I feel if this wasn’t drawn out as long as it was I would have given the book a higher rating due to having enjoyed the book far more. It played out as a movie but I didn’t feel connected to the main character(s); eventhough I feel I should have. The writing was good but it just seemed to be in the wrong order. The story was there but it didn’t have a pull on me like it originally did and I was happy when I was nearing the conclusion. It’s definitely a good psychological thriller for someone that has a knack for keeping straight so many stories and twists at the same time.
*****
Twin’s, Tara & Sophie Peary escape a tragic fire that leaves Tara scarred. Tara hasn’t seen her sister Sophie since that horrible day 6 months ago and is beside herself to find her.
A past that haunts Tara is one that causes psychological damage and she seeks out help from a psychologist. The trauma she has incurred from her parents have resulted in trying to maintain her grasp on reality. It is keeping her from continuing her search in finding her sister, the only one who protected her.
While searching for the truth, Tara gets sidelined into the world of men with money that have no boundaries and things have gotten dangerous. While Tara only wants to do good and help others; a downfall may just be the what’s in her future.
UNTIL WE ARE LOST
By Leslie Archer
Published by Lake Union Publishing
Gifted MBC
******
This book was hard to figure out at first, a tad confusing and a little slow for what I perceived to be a thriller. Right when things would tease me and pick up; just as quickly the flame died. About halfway through the novel is where you get to the cusp of the story and where things begin to make sense. I feel if this wasn’t drawn out as long as it was I would have given the book a higher rating due to having enjoyed the book far more. It played out as a movie but I didn’t feel connected to the main character(s); eventhough I feel I should have. The writing was good but it just seemed to be in the wrong order. The story was there but it didn’t have a pull on me like it originally did and I was happy when I was nearing the conclusion. It’s definitely a good psychological thriller for someone that has a knack for keeping straight so many stories and twists at the same time.
*****
Twin’s, Tara & Sophie Peary escape a tragic fire that leaves Tara scarred. Tara hasn’t seen her sister Sophie since that horrible day 6 months ago and is beside herself to find her.
A past that haunts Tara is one that causes psychological damage and she seeks out help from a psychologist. The trauma she has incurred from her parents have resulted in trying to maintain her grasp on reality. It is keeping her from continuing her search in finding her sister, the only one who protected her.
While searching for the truth, Tara gets sidelined into the world of men with money that have no boundaries and things have gotten dangerous. While Tara only wants to do good and help others; a downfall may just be the what’s in her future.
January 20, 2021
Thanks to the publisher for the free early copy in exchange for my honest review
Who doesn’t love a quick and easy read? The pacing to this new thriller from Leslie Archer was so quick that I was already halfway through the book before I knew it. UNTIL WE ARE LOST was fairly predictable when it came to the story and I could see some of the twists coming, but that did not take away from how much I enjoyed reading it.
Tara and Sophie are twin sisters, and Tara has been struggling since the disappearance of her sister. In her search for Sophie, she will have to go through dangerous territory in New York and cross paths with some less than savory characters. Still trying to process the trauma from an incident 6 months prior, but she is dealing with memory loss. She begins to see a therapist to try and work through what happened to see what she can remember.
The book is divided up into three parts and each one kept a good pace and held my attention. I always get so bummed when part one starts strong and then things falter, but that’s not the case here! A steady and consistent pace from start to finish and I want to pick up some more by Archer in the future.
Who doesn’t love a quick and easy read? The pacing to this new thriller from Leslie Archer was so quick that I was already halfway through the book before I knew it. UNTIL WE ARE LOST was fairly predictable when it came to the story and I could see some of the twists coming, but that did not take away from how much I enjoyed reading it.
Tara and Sophie are twin sisters, and Tara has been struggling since the disappearance of her sister. In her search for Sophie, she will have to go through dangerous territory in New York and cross paths with some less than savory characters. Still trying to process the trauma from an incident 6 months prior, but she is dealing with memory loss. She begins to see a therapist to try and work through what happened to see what she can remember.
The book is divided up into three parts and each one kept a good pace and held my attention. I always get so bummed when part one starts strong and then things falter, but that’s not the case here! A steady and consistent pace from start to finish and I want to pick up some more by Archer in the future.
January 29, 2021
Guys! This book is dark. The synopsis doesn't give this book justice on how messed up the plot is. ( I'll include TW at the end). The main character, Tara is on a hunt to find her lost sister. After suffering a trauma in a fire, she wakes up 6 months later not sure how and why she ended up where she is. Her parents are dead, and the only other person she can trust is gone.
Tara travels to NYC on the hunt for her sister Sophie. There she dives deep into the underworld of the rich. While on this search, she is trying to unravel the secrets her own mind is hiding. I really don't want to say anything more, because SPOILERS. But just let me tell you - Tara's family is messed up.
The plot was twisty, dark, emotional, and very very disturbing.
Here are all the TW (I hope I got all of them): Drug use, overdose, suicide, sexual assault, rape, child molestation, cutting, physical abuse.
Tara travels to NYC on the hunt for her sister Sophie. There she dives deep into the underworld of the rich. While on this search, she is trying to unravel the secrets her own mind is hiding. I really don't want to say anything more, because SPOILERS. But just let me tell you - Tara's family is messed up.
The plot was twisty, dark, emotional, and very very disturbing.
Here are all the TW (I hope I got all of them): Drug use, overdose, suicide, sexual assault, rape, child molestation, cutting, physical abuse.
January 16, 2021
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Thank you to TLC Book Tours and Lake Union Publishing for my ARC!
From the author of The Girl at the Border comes a haunting thriller about one woman’s journey into the painful truths threatening to destroy her.
This one is a dark, twisted and dramatic read!
There's something about a twin story that always gets me-this one was no exception! I couldn't wait to find out the whole story of Tara and Sophie- so that definitely made it a page turner.
At the beginning, I found it to be a little slow, but once I got invested in the story I felt like it went by fast.
Thank you to TLC Book Tours and Lake Union Publishing for my ARC!
From the author of The Girl at the Border comes a haunting thriller about one woman’s journey into the painful truths threatening to destroy her.
This one is a dark, twisted and dramatic read!
There's something about a twin story that always gets me-this one was no exception! I couldn't wait to find out the whole story of Tara and Sophie- so that definitely made it a page turner.
At the beginning, I found it to be a little slow, but once I got invested in the story I felt like it went by fast.
June 13, 2021
This was a fast-paced thrilling story where Sophie was missing and Tara had to traverse through the city to find her. Along with that, there were a few memories she had blocked, which needed to be released from the darkness of her mind. But things happened which made her question everything including the darkness pervading her.
I loved the comfort of the thriller while kind of guessing what would happen. The story was interesting, in most parts and I enjoyed being kept on the edge of the seat even while predicting some twists.
I loved the comfort of the thriller while kind of guessing what would happen. The story was interesting, in most parts and I enjoyed being kept on the edge of the seat even while predicting some twists.
February 28, 2021
This is a twisty and suspenseful novel. Tara is in therapy to try and figure out how she has lost all memories of six months of her life. She is also in search of her twin sister. Tara remembers there was a house fire that her father died in and her sister has been missing since then. The six months following the fire are the months missing from Tara’s memory. This novel has a lot of interesting twists and covers a lot of ground. I was definitely invested in this book and I was very interested in seeing how this story ended. If you are in the mood for an interesting thriller give this one a read!
October 5, 2021
15% in and I gave up because nothing had happened and it was boring. Tara sees a shrink, spies on her shrink and meets a man. Also the author uses words that are not in everyday use eg enisled.
December 23, 2020
Loved loved loved this book. It has everything one wants in a book that we want to devour in one sitting and this is it. Drama, angst, thrill, twist and turns , this book has it all. I love this genre and this book did not disappoint. I will be re-reading it again because I read it so fast the first time around. Highly recommend this book.
December 15, 2020
A great read. Told in three parts which wrapped up the story nicely. Was a bit hard to figure out but I'm glad I persevered. Dealing with many unspoken tragedies this is a story of personal triumphs and self discovery. A page turner.
August 16, 2020
Thank you Netgalley for an eARC of “Until we are Lost” by Leslie Archer in exchange for an honest review.
Until we are Lost is a psychological thriller that will make your heart race at every twist and turn. This book kept me hooked for first 150 pages; was boring to death for next 100 or so pages, and interesting for the rest of the ride. The first twist in the book was jaw-droppingly wonderful, but unfortunately not for me, because I already figured it out. However, this book is amassed with shocking twists and turns which made me keep turning the pages.
Until we are Lost follows the story of Tara and Sophie, twin sisters. It starts with Tara searching for her sister who is missing. She feels like her sister completes her, and without Sophie, she’d be lost too. She has not only lost her sister, but also six months of her life with no memory at all. She remembers a fire, and then waking up six months later in another city with no memory of what she did during those six months. Slowly and gradually, with the help of her shrink, Christie Lind, she manages to remember her past, confronts certain painful memories that she had been trying to bury deep down herself, and endeavors to heal the wounds inflicted upon her by her parents.
This book is actually divided into three main parts before the final concluding section. The first part tells the struggle of Tara with no memory of six months, trying to search for her missing sister, and settle in her new life with new job and friends. Second part tells the story of Sophie and what actually happened in those six months. Third part, which I thought was the most unsettling part, follows Tara and Sophie’s so-not-normal childhood with their crazy and mysterious parents.
I would have actually loved this book, but the massive plot and subplots were too intense for my liking. A lot of shit was going on, the story kept shifting from past to present, dreams to reality, Tara to Sophie, and it made my head spin. On the whole, the story was really captivating, thrilling, and entertaining. I think I would recommend this book to those readers who are up for a really intense psychological thriller book.
Until we are Lost is a psychological thriller that will make your heart race at every twist and turn. This book kept me hooked for first 150 pages; was boring to death for next 100 or so pages, and interesting for the rest of the ride. The first twist in the book was jaw-droppingly wonderful, but unfortunately not for me, because I already figured it out. However, this book is amassed with shocking twists and turns which made me keep turning the pages.
Until we are Lost follows the story of Tara and Sophie, twin sisters. It starts with Tara searching for her sister who is missing. She feels like her sister completes her, and without Sophie, she’d be lost too. She has not only lost her sister, but also six months of her life with no memory at all. She remembers a fire, and then waking up six months later in another city with no memory of what she did during those six months. Slowly and gradually, with the help of her shrink, Christie Lind, she manages to remember her past, confronts certain painful memories that she had been trying to bury deep down herself, and endeavors to heal the wounds inflicted upon her by her parents.
This book is actually divided into three main parts before the final concluding section. The first part tells the struggle of Tara with no memory of six months, trying to search for her missing sister, and settle in her new life with new job and friends. Second part tells the story of Sophie and what actually happened in those six months. Third part, which I thought was the most unsettling part, follows Tara and Sophie’s so-not-normal childhood with their crazy and mysterious parents.
I would have actually loved this book, but the massive plot and subplots were too intense for my liking. A lot of shit was going on, the story kept shifting from past to present, dreams to reality, Tara to Sophie, and it made my head spin. On the whole, the story was really captivating, thrilling, and entertaining. I think I would recommend this book to those readers who are up for a really intense psychological thriller book.
January 30, 2021
This story follows Tara on a journey to find Sophie.
It explains her childhood and how her life with her parents was so distressing.
It was a book that I didn’t love it but didn’t hate it either. Can’t really explain why it didn’t really capture me?
It explains her childhood and how her life with her parents was so distressing.
It was a book that I didn’t love it but didn’t hate it either. Can’t really explain why it didn’t really capture me?
July 31, 2020
Until We Are Lost is an original and twisted novel, fast paced and enjoyable, it keeps you guessing.
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