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Lost Girls
In this psychological thriller from USA Today bestselling author Merrie Destefano, a teenage girl struggling with amnesia tries to discover what happened when she went missing. Every step closer to the truth puts 17-year-old Rachel Evans in greater danger.
Rachel went to bed curled up in her grammy’s quilt, worrying about her Geometry test and next week’s ballet lesson…and woke up in a ditch, bloodied, bruised, and missing a year of her life.
She doesn’t recognize the person she’s She’s popular. She wears nothing but black.
And she can fight.
She’s not the only girl to go missing in the last year, but she is the only one to come back. She desperately wants to unravel what happened to her, to try and recover the rest of the Lost Girls.
But the more she discovers, the more her memories return. And the thrill of what she remembers―of what she can’t resist―might still get her killed.
Rachel went to bed curled up in her grammy’s quilt, worrying about her Geometry test and next week’s ballet lesson…and woke up in a ditch, bloodied, bruised, and missing a year of her life.
She doesn’t recognize the person she’s She’s popular. She wears nothing but black.
And she can fight.
She’s not the only girl to go missing in the last year, but she is the only one to come back. She desperately wants to unravel what happened to her, to try and recover the rest of the Lost Girls.
But the more she discovers, the more her memories return. And the thrill of what she remembers―of what she can’t resist―might still get her killed.
310 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 3, 2017
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2252 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 171 reviews
March 29, 2021
So, I have to describe this book with a spoiler . . . which will hopefully intrigue you!
Lost Girls is meets Mean Girls. Definitely a unique take on teen drama that I was not expecting.
Maybe a little cheesy and coincidental at times, but it was still a pretty entertaining book. I would not describe myself as the normal target audience for this book, but fans of things like The Hunger Games, Riverdale, etc. and stories where teenagers get thrown into adult situations and/or end up trying to act like adults will enjoy this.
Also, I was reminded of the movie and I enjoyed the mystery and the journey to find out what was going on. It was satisfying to get everything sorted out at the end of this one - not something that I can easily say about every mystery I have read.
Thank you to Roxanne for having a contest on her book blog to win a signed copy. I am not sure I would have ever run across this book if she hadn't!
Lost Girls is meets Mean Girls. Definitely a unique take on teen drama that I was not expecting.
Maybe a little cheesy and coincidental at times, but it was still a pretty entertaining book. I would not describe myself as the normal target audience for this book, but fans of things like The Hunger Games, Riverdale, etc. and stories where teenagers get thrown into adult situations and/or end up trying to act like adults will enjoy this.
Also, I was reminded of the movie and I enjoyed the mystery and the journey to find out what was going on. It was satisfying to get everything sorted out at the end of this one - not something that I can easily say about every mystery I have read.
Thank you to Roxanne for having a contest on her book blog to win a signed copy. I am not sure I would have ever run across this book if she hadn't!
March 27, 2017
DNF @ 40%
Have you ever been super excited for a book and then you start reading it and you're like what?
That's this book and me. I had staked this book out a couple of months ago and loved the mysterious blurb. One chapter in, and I hated it.
This book is a bunch of telling. This happened and this and this and this. As our main character basically has amnesia everyone is telling her events of her life and it's quite frustrating. I don't mind an amnesia story when it's done well. Lost Girls is not done well.
My eyes kept skipping paragraphs and cringing at the dialogue because it was all so pointless. Almost every interaction had me rolling my eyes and I just couldn't handle that.
Ultimately, this story tries to do too much and be too kickass that it comes off childishly stupid. It's so dumb. Honestly. I'm also not sure a quiet 5'7 almost anorexic (that's the description, "am I anorexic?") girl could really beat up her 6ft something brother.
Guess I'll need to find my next mystery book somewhere else.
Have you ever been super excited for a book and then you start reading it and you're like what?
That's this book and me. I had staked this book out a couple of months ago and loved the mysterious blurb. One chapter in, and I hated it.
This book is a bunch of telling. This happened and this and this and this. As our main character basically has amnesia everyone is telling her events of her life and it's quite frustrating. I don't mind an amnesia story when it's done well. Lost Girls is not done well.
My eyes kept skipping paragraphs and cringing at the dialogue because it was all so pointless. Almost every interaction had me rolling my eyes and I just couldn't handle that.
Ultimately, this story tries to do too much and be too kickass that it comes off childishly stupid. It's so dumb. Honestly. I'm also not sure a quiet 5'7 almost anorexic (that's the description, "am I anorexic?") girl could really beat up her 6ft something brother.
Guess I'll need to find my next mystery book somewhere else.
February 6, 2017
3.5 stars
I went into this sort of blind and was instantly sucked in.
I really liked Rachel. She's been involved in a horrible trauma and doesn't have her memories, but she stays strong and fights. She establishes a routine and I loved that she didn't shrink away from what was happening. Of course Dylan is swoony and I love how he is protective without being stifling. Rachel's family is supportive, especially her father.
It took a while to finally get the story behind what was happening. And the reveal is where I started to slowly lose interest. For me, it was no longer a high stakes mystery.
The ending was hopeful and adorable and really worked for the story. Overall, it was a quick read that I couldn't put down. I'll definitely be looking into future works by the author.
**Huge thanks to Entangled Teen for sending me an early copy**
I went into this sort of blind and was instantly sucked in.
I really liked Rachel. She's been involved in a horrible trauma and doesn't have her memories, but she stays strong and fights. She establishes a routine and I loved that she didn't shrink away from what was happening. Of course Dylan is swoony and I love how he is protective without being stifling. Rachel's family is supportive, especially her father.
It took a while to finally get the story behind what was happening. And the reveal is where I started to slowly lose interest. For me, it was no longer a high stakes mystery.
The ending was hopeful and adorable and really worked for the story. Overall, it was a quick read that I couldn't put down. I'll definitely be looking into future works by the author.
**Huge thanks to Entangled Teen for sending me an early copy**
June 28, 2017
I feel indifferent about this book, its not bad but its not good either. Its just ok. Its very predictable I guessed what happened to Rachel in the first chapter and about 20 chapters (short chapters) later I found out I was right.
Possible Spoiler ahead:
I wouldn't recommend it to anybody. I would just say to watch Fight Club and Hostel because that's the premise of it.
Popsugar Reading Challenge: Read a Book Published in 2017
Possible Spoiler ahead:
I wouldn't recommend it to anybody. I would just say to watch Fight Club and Hostel because that's the premise of it.
Popsugar Reading Challenge: Read a Book Published in 2017
February 10, 2017
Arc Provided by Entangled Teen
Release Date: January, 3rd
An ambitious concept... but I've read dystopias that are way more believable -_-
I requested this at a time in which I was so fed up with what I was reading, that I decided to take a risk on a new author, and on an ambitious concept for a story. Basically I wanted a strong female character leading the story... and in a way I got it.
Thing is, and I've said this over and over, I may be reading a fantasy book, but I want it to have strong foundations. This one?
Sandy foundations -_-
We have to believe that a once quiet girl, decides to go all Chuck Norris, just because she once was physically attacked by a bunch of girls in a bathroom.
Okay, sure, nothing wrong with that, but I wanted to see it. I wanted to see that transformation.
Also, I'm betting it takes way more than a year to become the killing machine that Rachel becomes.
The rest of the story is Rachel basically acting too stupid to live... but since she's this special snowflake who can get great grades at school without doing things like actually studying, or sleeping, she manages to have this adventurous life. Also the drugs she takes are "wolferine" type of amazing, so who cares?
She's more amazing than FBI agents and her own father, an ex-marine...
In the meanwhile there's this new adult romance who is supposed to be angsty and deep as all first romances are meant to be.
Note to self: stick with boring. At least it's more credible.
January 23, 2016
Once I started Lost Girls, I read two-thirds of it in a single sitting. (And I read the remainder in another single sitting.) I just couldn't turn away from the characters, the gorgeous writing, and dark, insidious mystery at the heart of the novel.
If you like the ballet, especially Swan Lake, then you'll love this retelling, which has been pitched as Black Swan meets Fight Club. Can't wait for everyone else to have a chance to read this incredible book!
If you like the ballet, especially Swan Lake, then you'll love this retelling, which has been pitched as Black Swan meets Fight Club. Can't wait for everyone else to have a chance to read this incredible book!
September 19, 2017
It’s an interesting combination of a mystery-thriller and “Fight Club,” with human-trafficking elements. The mystery-thriller and human trafficking elements work really well, and keep things interesting. The "Fight Club" parts tended to get a bit cartoonish. But overall a fun read. 3.5 stars.
October 30, 2018
This book was awesome!
It was exciting, didn't reveal too much too soon and the MC was the right amount of spunky and naive.
It was exciting, didn't reveal too much too soon and the MC was the right amount of spunky and naive.
December 30, 2016
Lost Girls by Merrie Destefano was a great read and one I had a very hard time putting down.
The premise of this book sucked me in and I was intrigued from the very first page. I loved how the author got stuck right into the story straight away and it captured and held my attention the entire time.
Rachel wakes up in a ditch, bloodied, bruised and worse for wear with no recollection of how she got there and memory issues which seem to have erased a year of her life, even though she was "only"missing for the previous two weeks. The story unfolds one layer at a time until Rachel starts to piece together all the hidden aspects of her life and her kidnapping.
I loved the setting for this book and I don't think I'm spoiling anything by mentioning the underground fighting club because the book is being pitched as Black Swan meets Fight Club which is a very accurate comparison. I love YA that is a little darker, a little grittier, and this one ticked those boxes. Fair warning - don't read this if you don't like reading about the seedier side of growing up as a teen as there are drink, drugs, violence, and underage sex all either graphically depicted or subtly implied/mentioned. I have no issue with those things because it realistically describes part of modern teen culture. I know not every teenager engages in such activities but some do and it bugs me no end when reviewers criticize authors for accurately portraying such situations. This shit is real. Deal with it.
Rachel was a very well developed character - not always likeable, it has to be said, but she was very credible. I felt for her as she grappled to solve the puzzle pieces and it was difficult to know who to trust.
I adored Dylan and I know he was a bad boy in a lot of ways but he loved her so good and it was hard to fault him for his mistakes, especially when he seemed genuinely regretful.
The tension was cranked to the max in the last few chapters and it was edge-of-the seat reading.
The writing was excellent if a little overly descriptive at times for my taste, but there's no denying this author's talent.
There are two reasons this is a four-star rather than five-star read. 1) The romance was very thin on the ground and I wanted MORE Dylan, but that's more of a personal choice so most readers probably won't be put out by that. 2) The decision Rachel made at the end was so stupid I was actually hollering at my Kindle in utter frustration. She knew it was a bad idea, her instincts were screaming at her to avoid the place, and she'd had enough recollections at that stage to understand she might not come out of it alive, yet she still went into it completely ill-prepared. That irritated the heck out of me. It made no sense and it wasn't realistic, and I just couldn't suspend my disbelief.
I loved the note the author included at the back of the book and it really added authenticity to the story. Fair play for sharing that with your readers.
All in all though, this was a well-written, highly-addictive read that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to readers who enjoy intriguing mysteries set within an edgy world and a little bit of romance to spice things up.
This review will appear on my blog in due course: http://myyanabookobsession.com
Thanks to Entangled Teen for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
The premise of this book sucked me in and I was intrigued from the very first page. I loved how the author got stuck right into the story straight away and it captured and held my attention the entire time.
Rachel wakes up in a ditch, bloodied, bruised and worse for wear with no recollection of how she got there and memory issues which seem to have erased a year of her life, even though she was "only"missing for the previous two weeks. The story unfolds one layer at a time until Rachel starts to piece together all the hidden aspects of her life and her kidnapping.
I loved the setting for this book and I don't think I'm spoiling anything by mentioning the underground fighting club because the book is being pitched as Black Swan meets Fight Club which is a very accurate comparison. I love YA that is a little darker, a little grittier, and this one ticked those boxes. Fair warning - don't read this if you don't like reading about the seedier side of growing up as a teen as there are drink, drugs, violence, and underage sex all either graphically depicted or subtly implied/mentioned. I have no issue with those things because it realistically describes part of modern teen culture. I know not every teenager engages in such activities but some do and it bugs me no end when reviewers criticize authors for accurately portraying such situations. This shit is real. Deal with it.
Rachel was a very well developed character - not always likeable, it has to be said, but she was very credible. I felt for her as she grappled to solve the puzzle pieces and it was difficult to know who to trust.
I adored Dylan and I know he was a bad boy in a lot of ways but he loved her so good and it was hard to fault him for his mistakes, especially when he seemed genuinely regretful.
The tension was cranked to the max in the last few chapters and it was edge-of-the seat reading.
The writing was excellent if a little overly descriptive at times for my taste, but there's no denying this author's talent.
There are two reasons this is a four-star rather than five-star read. 1) The romance was very thin on the ground and I wanted MORE Dylan, but that's more of a personal choice so most readers probably won't be put out by that. 2) The decision Rachel made at the end was so stupid I was actually hollering at my Kindle in utter frustration. She knew it was a bad idea, her instincts were screaming at her to avoid the place, and she'd had enough recollections at that stage to understand she might not come out of it alive, yet she still went into it completely ill-prepared. That irritated the heck out of me. It made no sense and it wasn't realistic, and I just couldn't suspend my disbelief.
I loved the note the author included at the back of the book and it really added authenticity to the story. Fair play for sharing that with your readers.
All in all though, this was a well-written, highly-addictive read that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to readers who enjoy intriguing mysteries set within an edgy world and a little bit of romance to spice things up.
This review will appear on my blog in due course: http://myyanabookobsession.com
Thanks to Entangled Teen for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
November 30, 2016
* I received a copy from the publicist via NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion.
First, I want to say that I have yet to read a book from Entangled Publishing that has disappointed me. I have loved every book they sent me so far, and Lost Girl is my absolute favorite. I was hooked from start to finish, and even after the book concluded, I was still ready for more. The synopsis for this book could not be more accurate. Lost Girls is in every way Black Swan meets Fight Club. And, it's amazing!
The book opens with Rachel having lost one year of her memories, which was pretty interesting, because for a while, I wasn't sure if it was because of something paranormal or because of her near death experience. I liked Rachel a lot as a narrator, and I rooted for her the entire time.
I love that this is a YA novel that reads like an adult thriller. Until Rachel would mention school, I often forgot that she's in high school because of her maturity and the issues she struggled with. I guess to some extent drugs and partying wouldn't be appropriate for some YA readers, but I also think that's a very realistic high school experience that comes across as very real. Personally, I think that makes sense in YA books, but I know some people would disagree.
Over time, Rachel eventually remembers why she's dating one of the hottest guys in school and why she's friends with the popular girls. she wasn't friends with the year before. I thought her friends would be the mean girls of her school in the beginning and was pleasantly surprised when I saw their relationship develop into real friendships.
I liked the relationship between Rachel and her boyfriend, Dylan. He's not what he seems on the outside. Rachel knows him as the sweet guy who writes poetry and just so happens to be one of the cutest guys in school. But that's not the person the rest of the school knows. The end of the book was really cute. Dylan... What a cutie pie. I wish someone would do that for me because that was so adorable.
I don't want to mention too much about the fight club aspect of this book because I think it's better to find out on your own. I'm glad I didn't read any reviews before I read this book, and I honestly think it's best to go into this story with an open mind and without any previous knowledge of the plot.
If you're looking for a book that will get you out of a reading slump and has so much intensity that you will read through the night, then you need to read Lost Girls. I like that the book had a little bit of teen drama, fight club, mystery, and even a solid friendship and family dynamic. I really liked the writing, and I plan to read more books by Merrie Destefano. The author is also really sweet, which makes it even better when you love a book and can connect with the author on social media.
Would I recommend this book? Absolutely! I recommend it to anyone who likes YA contemporaries, mysteries, thrillers, and really anyone who has a pulse and would like to read something worth their time.
First, I want to say that I have yet to read a book from Entangled Publishing that has disappointed me. I have loved every book they sent me so far, and Lost Girl is my absolute favorite. I was hooked from start to finish, and even after the book concluded, I was still ready for more. The synopsis for this book could not be more accurate. Lost Girls is in every way Black Swan meets Fight Club. And, it's amazing!
The book opens with Rachel having lost one year of her memories, which was pretty interesting, because for a while, I wasn't sure if it was because of something paranormal or because of her near death experience. I liked Rachel a lot as a narrator, and I rooted for her the entire time.
I love that this is a YA novel that reads like an adult thriller. Until Rachel would mention school, I often forgot that she's in high school because of her maturity and the issues she struggled with. I guess to some extent drugs and partying wouldn't be appropriate for some YA readers, but I also think that's a very realistic high school experience that comes across as very real. Personally, I think that makes sense in YA books, but I know some people would disagree.
Over time, Rachel eventually remembers why she's dating one of the hottest guys in school and why she's friends with the popular girls. she wasn't friends with the year before. I thought her friends would be the mean girls of her school in the beginning and was pleasantly surprised when I saw their relationship develop into real friendships.
I liked the relationship between Rachel and her boyfriend, Dylan. He's not what he seems on the outside. Rachel knows him as the sweet guy who writes poetry and just so happens to be one of the cutest guys in school. But that's not the person the rest of the school knows. The end of the book was really cute. Dylan... What a cutie pie. I wish someone would do that for me because that was so adorable.
I don't want to mention too much about the fight club aspect of this book because I think it's better to find out on your own. I'm glad I didn't read any reviews before I read this book, and I honestly think it's best to go into this story with an open mind and without any previous knowledge of the plot.
If you're looking for a book that will get you out of a reading slump and has so much intensity that you will read through the night, then you need to read Lost Girls. I like that the book had a little bit of teen drama, fight club, mystery, and even a solid friendship and family dynamic. I really liked the writing, and I plan to read more books by Merrie Destefano. The author is also really sweet, which makes it even better when you love a book and can connect with the author on social media.
Would I recommend this book? Absolutely! I recommend it to anyone who likes YA contemporaries, mysteries, thrillers, and really anyone who has a pulse and would like to read something worth their time.
December 27, 2016
*Source* NetGalley/Publisher
*Genre* Young Adult, Contemporary
*Rating* 4
*My Thoughts*
Merrie Destefano's Lost Girls is a story that will grab your attention from the very first page, and won't let go until the last page of the story. It is a story that is being compared to Black Swan meets Fight Club. Appropriately so I might add. It is a story that is one of the more twisted, and interesting books to be released for 2017. The author slowly peeks away the layers on story narrator Rachel Evans. After waking up in a ditch half buried with leaves, Rachel with the help of motorists, finds a way to contact her family.
“When everything you’ve forgotten is what you need to survive.”
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews 12/27/2016*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
*Genre* Young Adult, Contemporary
*Rating* 4
*My Thoughts*
Merrie Destefano's Lost Girls is a story that will grab your attention from the very first page, and won't let go until the last page of the story. It is a story that is being compared to Black Swan meets Fight Club. Appropriately so I might add. It is a story that is one of the more twisted, and interesting books to be released for 2017. The author slowly peeks away the layers on story narrator Rachel Evans. After waking up in a ditch half buried with leaves, Rachel with the help of motorists, finds a way to contact her family.
“When everything you’ve forgotten is what you need to survive.”
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews 12/27/2016*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
November 9, 2016
Note: I received an ARC of this book through Netgalley in return for an honest review. This in no way influences my opinion.
This has got to be the best YA Contemporary Thriller that I have read so far this year. It is a unique book that tackles subjects that I have never seen in a book. It is also a retelling of Black Swan, but done in its own way and I LOVED it!
This book starts off with our MC crawling out of a ditch, with no memory of the last year or so. As the book continues, she begins to see her dark side (enter the Black Swan) and she learns things about herself that both excite her and scare her! I loved watching our MC and the things that she learns throughout the book. She comes a long way personality wise.
What I loved most about this book is the fact that it tackled the subject of underground fight clubs and human trafficking in this sense. It is something that I have never seen in a book before, which makes this book extremely unique in my eyes. I loved the way the issue was shown and dealt with throughout the book and I also love the fact that it was calling to our character. It showed the other side of underground fight clubs like these because it showed the characters mixed feelings toward it. Rachel loved the adrenaline that it gave her, but she also knew that it was wrong and against the law. There were many mixed feelings and I was interested to see how the MC was going to deal with these.
I loved Rachel as a character. It was great to watch her memories slowly coming back. We could easily see as readers her personality changes from when she was found throughout the book as the book went on. I love watching her dark side coming out like the Black Swan and watching her try to fight it and the eventual ending that we got from it. I was not expecting the book to go in the direction that it did!
An issue I did have with this book is that I felt like her memories could have trickled through maybe a little bit earlier. The mystery from the past year was definitely there from Rachel's muscle memory and her ability to fight etc. But I wanted a little more. I felt like the memories of the last year dragged on a little too much and could have definitely been introduced a little bit earlier and may a bit more frequently throughout.
I LOVED the ending! The final scenes were the perfect ending for the book and I am so glad that her dad came through. I loved Rachel's mixed reactions from her memories finally coming through and the betrayal she felt from her so called friends. I'm glad that she ultimately made the right decision, but I also loved watching her think it through.
I really enjoyed this book and it is definitely unique! I will definitely be checking out more from this author! I gave this book 4/5 stars.
This has got to be the best YA Contemporary Thriller that I have read so far this year. It is a unique book that tackles subjects that I have never seen in a book. It is also a retelling of Black Swan, but done in its own way and I LOVED it!
This book starts off with our MC crawling out of a ditch, with no memory of the last year or so. As the book continues, she begins to see her dark side (enter the Black Swan) and she learns things about herself that both excite her and scare her! I loved watching our MC and the things that she learns throughout the book. She comes a long way personality wise.
What I loved most about this book is the fact that it tackled the subject of underground fight clubs and human trafficking in this sense. It is something that I have never seen in a book before, which makes this book extremely unique in my eyes. I loved the way the issue was shown and dealt with throughout the book and I also love the fact that it was calling to our character. It showed the other side of underground fight clubs like these because it showed the characters mixed feelings toward it. Rachel loved the adrenaline that it gave her, but she also knew that it was wrong and against the law. There were many mixed feelings and I was interested to see how the MC was going to deal with these.
I loved Rachel as a character. It was great to watch her memories slowly coming back. We could easily see as readers her personality changes from when she was found throughout the book as the book went on. I love watching her dark side coming out like the Black Swan and watching her try to fight it and the eventual ending that we got from it. I was not expecting the book to go in the direction that it did!
An issue I did have with this book is that I felt like her memories could have trickled through maybe a little bit earlier. The mystery from the past year was definitely there from Rachel's muscle memory and her ability to fight etc. But I wanted a little more. I felt like the memories of the last year dragged on a little too much and could have definitely been introduced a little bit earlier and may a bit more frequently throughout.
I LOVED the ending! The final scenes were the perfect ending for the book and I am so glad that her dad came through. I loved Rachel's mixed reactions from her memories finally coming through and the betrayal she felt from her so called friends. I'm glad that she ultimately made the right decision, but I also loved watching her think it through.
I really enjoyed this book and it is definitely unique! I will definitely be checking out more from this author! I gave this book 4/5 stars.
January 2, 2018
Well that started off interesting and then went into super weird land. Nope, I did not like it. I almost gave it 1 star, but the beginning was good.
January 1, 2017
Yesterday, Rachel went to sleep listening to Taylor Swift, curled up in her grammy’s quilt, worrying about geometry. Today, she woke up in a ditch, bloodied, bruised, and missing a year of her life.
She doesn’t recognize the person she’s become: she’s popular. She wears nothing but black.
Black to cover the blood.
And she can fight.
Tell no one.
She’s not the only girl to go missing within the last year…but she’s the only girl to come back. She desperately wants to unravel what happened to her, to try and recover the rest of the Lost Girls.
But the more she discovers, the more her memories return. And as much as her new life scares her, it calls to her. Seductively. The good girl gone bad, sex, drugs, and raves, and something darker…something she still craves—the rush of the fight, the thrill of the win—something she can’t resist, that might still get her killed…
The only rule is: There are no rules.
Rating: 5/5 Penguins
Quick Reasons: life ruiner alert!; this book swept me up in a tidal wave of emotion, and refused to let go; awesome use of unreliable narrator; the mystery and intrigue was so beautifully-written and complex; this is a race head-first toward an explosive ending, and I adored every second of it; I need more of Merrie Destefano's writing in my life
Huge thanks to Merrie Destefano, Entangled: Teen, Netgalley, and the crew at Chapter by Chapter for granting me free access to a digital ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review! This in no way altered my read of or opinions on this book.
"I was scared and mad and all I wanted was for her to tell me something--anything--about who I am and why I am the way I am."
"I think we all want that."
"Maybe. But we don't all flatten a girl in the street like she's a bug."
After TWO MONTHS of no 5 Penguin reads...I'm closing out 2016 with a very high note. It's New Years Eve for another hour, penguins (or at least, it is for another hour where I'm living now), and I've just closed the page on this read...and let me tell you, it was QUITE the whirlwind journey. I started this read this afternoon, thinking I'd get partway through it as this review goes live next week on my blog...and found myself instead finishing it off in one sitting. And OH, my heartstrings. This book? This book is life-ruiner material, and it RUINED me.
So let's talk nitty gritty, yes? I promise, I'm going to do my VERY VERY best to stray away from the icky spoilers territory...hopefully I can manage to convey how much I enjoyed this book, and the reasons why, without dropping some huge spoiler bomb or other. Hopefully. So...characters first, yes? Rachel is possibly one of the BEST, most effectively-written characters suffering from memory loss I've encountered in books in recent years. While I know this is a bit of a cliche trope...Merrie Destefano handles it so beautifully and makes it SO realistic, you'll find yourself racing toward the answers instead of feeling bogged down by what little you actually know.
I did what I vowed I'd never do. But isn't that what always happens when things get tough? We run in the wrong direction, arms flailing, calling for someone, anyone, to help. We climb up muddy inclines and wave our arms as we walk across lanes of traffic, willing cars to stop, demanding strangers to rescue us.
We walk away from danger toward any bright light that flickers.
The focus on relationships throughout is also astounding and deliciously done. There's a thin line between trust and paranoia that gets played on throughout this read, especially in Rachel's case. She is, for all intents and purposes, the perfect unreliable narrator--and that makes it so easy for readers to both be enthralled by her, while also side-eyeing her. I give HUGE kudos to Merrie Destefano for managing this so beautifully; humans are complex and confusing creatures even on our best days, so adding in memory loss and internal conflicts only heightened such vast emotions.
I was blown away by the complexity of this read, penguins. Rachel--and her relationships with those around her--goes through so many shifts and changes, so many trials and tribulations, you'll find yourself biting your nails, sitting on the edge of your seat, needing the answers as much as being scared of them. And the ending! The ending was just... I have to admit, I didn't see where the plot was going until we were already on the downhill track and racing fast to the crashing point. This book surprised me--immensely. That's not such an easy thing to do, in my world.
It was a knockout. The girl who had never been defeated, not once, was flat on her back on the mat, staring up at the ceiling, at the black skies and the bolts of pink lightning, she was listening to the earth-quaking boom of thunder that temporarily turned the entire world blue. She was crying, glad she was alone, a lake of tears forming around her, a lake that would soon be deep enough to drown in.
I am just... Speechless, might be the closest way to explain how this book left me after the close. Merrie Destefano explored some heavy-handed, important subjects (which I won't get into, because SPOOOOOILERS, people) and wrote a complex, beautifully engaging whirlwind of emotions and life-ruination. I definitely recommend this to lovers of contemporary novels with huge bite, strong-willed characters who know how to keep fighting, and life-ruining reads that will leave them thinking, "woah." THIS is one book you don't want to miss out on in 2017; pick it up, and let the fight for survival begin!
February 9, 2017
"Lost Girls" is a captivating YA mystery/thriller that begins with Rachel waking up in a ditch after falling asleep in her bed at home. She soon learns that she is missing a year of her memories but has been missing herself for 2 weeks, thought to be the victim of a serial kidnapper. She finds triggers for some of the memories she has been missing as she returns to her new life, where she appears to be a completely different person- using drugs, lying to her parents, a whole new set of friends, wearing black, etc. We slowly get to the answers of what happened during the last year and why she disappeared as she pieces it all together.
It's a haunting story, and I absolutely could not predict where it would go. I did not guess anything like it was, so I will not give details so as not to spoil. There are several twists and turns along the way as Rachel regains her memories and connects the people who are now in her life and why. Most of it ends up making sense by the end, and it all comes together beautifully with great closure. No open endings here, and I really appreciated that as this book put me through an emotional wringer- it's dark and haunting and scary at times, so I needed the ending as it is written. This is an artfully crafted book.
Rachel is easy to understand and follow. Although it can be frustrating to the reader to not have the answers, we really get into Rachel's mindset and understand how she also feels- needing to know but afraid of what she will learn. Dylan, her long-term crush and boyfriend, is an intriguing character- a poet and fighter, and I really liked their relationship. It gives Rachel strength in a different way than her relationships with her family members, which are also really well written and lovely. Her father is a silently supportive man who will look out for Rachel no matter what, and she knows this. Her brother Kyle also cares for her in a loving sibling way, and he was a fun character whose scenes I really enjoyed. Her mother appears less but also provides her with support.
Rachel's former BFF Molly is a huge contrast to her new friends, and this was an interesting dynamic to reconcile between Rachel's past and present. It was interesting to see it all come together. I am not sure I would have made the "Fight Club" or "Black Swan" comparisons (though I do understand why they were made), but it made me think of the recent books "Dead Girls Society" and "Unnatural Deeds" largely because of tone and mystery, which I felt were the bigger elements of the book. Overall, this was a really fantastic, albeit dark, read, and I was absolutely captivated solving the mystery of her past and disappearance alongside Rachel.
Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher through netgalley. All opinions are entirely my own.
It's a haunting story, and I absolutely could not predict where it would go. I did not guess anything like it was, so I will not give details so as not to spoil. There are several twists and turns along the way as Rachel regains her memories and connects the people who are now in her life and why. Most of it ends up making sense by the end, and it all comes together beautifully with great closure. No open endings here, and I really appreciated that as this book put me through an emotional wringer- it's dark and haunting and scary at times, so I needed the ending as it is written. This is an artfully crafted book.
Rachel is easy to understand and follow. Although it can be frustrating to the reader to not have the answers, we really get into Rachel's mindset and understand how she also feels- needing to know but afraid of what she will learn. Dylan, her long-term crush and boyfriend, is an intriguing character- a poet and fighter, and I really liked their relationship. It gives Rachel strength in a different way than her relationships with her family members, which are also really well written and lovely. Her father is a silently supportive man who will look out for Rachel no matter what, and she knows this. Her brother Kyle also cares for her in a loving sibling way, and he was a fun character whose scenes I really enjoyed. Her mother appears less but also provides her with support.
Rachel's former BFF Molly is a huge contrast to her new friends, and this was an interesting dynamic to reconcile between Rachel's past and present. It was interesting to see it all come together. I am not sure I would have made the "Fight Club" or "Black Swan" comparisons (though I do understand why they were made), but it made me think of the recent books "Dead Girls Society" and "Unnatural Deeds" largely because of tone and mystery, which I felt were the bigger elements of the book. Overall, this was a really fantastic, albeit dark, read, and I was absolutely captivated solving the mystery of her past and disappearance alongside Rachel.
Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher through netgalley. All opinions are entirely my own.
February 10, 2022
This was fun to read. It's a YA, female Fight club but with enough differences that made this book unique. I enjoyed all the twists and turns and could not wait to find out how the story would end.
*Gifted a digital copy by Entangled Teen*
*Gifted a digital copy by Entangled Teen*
January 3, 2017
My first book of the year is done!!
While I did have some problems with it, I'd definitely reccomend that you pick it up when it comes out in stores tomorrow! My review will be up soon!
3.5/5 stars
While I did have some problems with it, I'd definitely reccomend that you pick it up when it comes out in stores tomorrow! My review will be up soon!
3.5/5 stars
September 27, 2016
This book you guys. This. Book. I cannot WAIT for 2017. Even better the 2nd time through!!!
December 8, 2016
5 EPIC STARS TO LOST GIRLS!!!! the synopsis truly captures what this book is about at it's foundation...Its totally Black Swan meets Fight Club in the BEST way possible! I'm going to need more from this author. Full gush review to come on my blog (Link is in the bio)...
UPDATE: FULL REVIEW
https://lairofbooksblog.wordpress.com...
*I’d like to thank Entangled Teen for approving me to receive an eGalley of Lost Girls by Merrie Destefano via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
PLOT
The 1st sentence in the synopsis for this book immediately had me clicking Request This Book over at Netgalley because my mind sees Black Swan & Fight Club as the ultimate mashup & i’m all for it.. I can happily confirm that the description doesn’t lie & if you’re looking for your next adrenaline infused read then Lost Girls is the book for you! The book opens up with Rachel in a ditch in the middle of no where with no recollection of how she got there. Rachel makes her way on to an open road and is able to flag down some help & call her parents. It turns out that she’s been missing for the past 2 weeks however, her last clear memory is being in her room studying for a class she took 1 year go. See, Rachel has lost all recollection of the past year and can’t provide any insight as to what led to her disappearance. Once she is back home and begins to settle in, she sees that her room looks completely different than it did 1 year ago. Everything went from light colors to black. Digging around in her closet she finds a box with articles of clothing and items that indicate she was quite possibly living a double life–one that isn’t so much Girl Next Door but more Good Girl Gone Bad. In school she realizes she is now popular, a part of the cool kids, and dating the hottest guy in the school. Yet last she can recall, her best friends name is Molly & they enjoy dressing up in Lord Of The Rings Cosplay. Everything had changed in Rachel’s life and she was intent on getting answers. She went along with her new friends and quickly realized they knew more than they were letting on. She finds it easy to establish herself as the leader of their crew of friends, something that she is almost positive would NOT have been the norm 1 year ago. Rachel is the Alpha whether she has her memories or not, she also has a new found love for danger & fighting but no clue as to how long those feelings have lived with her. Rachel returns to ballet practice to try & bring some normalcy back into her life, not realizing that this too is a clue to her missing year of memory. Little by Little she begins to piece together the mystery of her disappearance & her personality change, in doing so she finds that she was involved in a very dangerous lifestyle…
CHARACTERS
Rachel is our protagonist and she is not your typical run of the mill YA protog in the sense that I wasn’t able to fit her into any of the YA roles. She is not a hero, anti-hero, or what some would call a “good character”. Rachel is flawed in a lot of ways & this made her all the more relatable. I understood that she had made a ton of mistakes and that she has this calling towards fighting. She struggles reconciling the person she was a year ago with the person she changed into. Was it really a gradual change? or was it something embedded in her personality all along? is this just her nature? I loved this character so much because she understood that there is no good or bad but there’s plenty of gray. Seeing how she handled her returning memories was also interesting and played into her need for control. She internalizes a ton and that brings me to another character I loved who plays a major role in building her trust, her dad. Rachel’s dad was formerly a Navy Seal and is the more quiet and observant type of parent, her mom is a nurse who handles crisis in the hospital well but not so well when it comes to her kids (I can totally relate lol). It was her dad who kept a close eye on her even when she wasn’t aware he was doing so. One of my favorite scenes in this book is between Rachel & her Dad…a few tears were shed *no shame*
There’s also the crew of Girls & Guys that run with Rachel (don’t want to giveaway too much) that each add personality to the group. Loved the loyalty they all had for each eachother & how protective Rachel was over each of her girls. We get to learn a bit of back story on each of the girls who ALL can fight & crossing paths with Rachel may have just saved their lives. There is a love interest in the story & he also is a part of the underworld Rachel thrives off of, a fighter and a poet. No instalove here though since when we meet him, they would have been dating for more than the past year. Rachel’s reconnection with him feels fated & I enjoyed learning how exactly they fell down the rabbit hole they are in when the story begins. I also can’t go without mentioning Molly who was/is Rachel’s nerdy best-friend. I absolutely ADORED Molly and seeing how fiercely loyal she is to Rachel even when she didn’t exactly deserve it. Molly is that one friend you have that you know is ride or die HAHA!
WRITING
The world Merrie Destefano has created in Lost Girls is so DARK & ADRENALINE FUELED…I couldn’t put this book down. I’m talking full on phone slapping me in the face awake at 2am because I thought I could break night just to find out what was going on. There are both female and male groups that fight in this underworld for the most part they are all high school students. This isn’t some luxury club in good neighborhood either, she took us into the worse of the worse. The part of town you don’t want your car to break down in & she accurately describes what it would look like & the characters that you would come across. Of course, you can’t realistacally fashion an underworld with illegal fighting without the appearance of drugs. There are different types of drugs with names like Pink Lightning or Blue Thunder that the fighters are given so as to get them addicted. The writing (specifically fighting scenes) is descriptive enough to make you imagine how much pain was being inflicted. The plot & pacing were on point and maintained my attention to the very end. I look forward to reading more from this author and hope we do get another book soon *crosses fingers*
UPDATE: FULL REVIEW
https://lairofbooksblog.wordpress.com...
*I’d like to thank Entangled Teen for approving me to receive an eGalley of Lost Girls by Merrie Destefano via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
PLOT
The 1st sentence in the synopsis for this book immediately had me clicking Request This Book over at Netgalley because my mind sees Black Swan & Fight Club as the ultimate mashup & i’m all for it.. I can happily confirm that the description doesn’t lie & if you’re looking for your next adrenaline infused read then Lost Girls is the book for you! The book opens up with Rachel in a ditch in the middle of no where with no recollection of how she got there. Rachel makes her way on to an open road and is able to flag down some help & call her parents. It turns out that she’s been missing for the past 2 weeks however, her last clear memory is being in her room studying for a class she took 1 year go. See, Rachel has lost all recollection of the past year and can’t provide any insight as to what led to her disappearance. Once she is back home and begins to settle in, she sees that her room looks completely different than it did 1 year ago. Everything went from light colors to black. Digging around in her closet she finds a box with articles of clothing and items that indicate she was quite possibly living a double life–one that isn’t so much Girl Next Door but more Good Girl Gone Bad. In school she realizes she is now popular, a part of the cool kids, and dating the hottest guy in the school. Yet last she can recall, her best friends name is Molly & they enjoy dressing up in Lord Of The Rings Cosplay. Everything had changed in Rachel’s life and she was intent on getting answers. She went along with her new friends and quickly realized they knew more than they were letting on. She finds it easy to establish herself as the leader of their crew of friends, something that she is almost positive would NOT have been the norm 1 year ago. Rachel is the Alpha whether she has her memories or not, she also has a new found love for danger & fighting but no clue as to how long those feelings have lived with her. Rachel returns to ballet practice to try & bring some normalcy back into her life, not realizing that this too is a clue to her missing year of memory. Little by Little she begins to piece together the mystery of her disappearance & her personality change, in doing so she finds that she was involved in a very dangerous lifestyle…
CHARACTERS
Rachel is our protagonist and she is not your typical run of the mill YA protog in the sense that I wasn’t able to fit her into any of the YA roles. She is not a hero, anti-hero, or what some would call a “good character”. Rachel is flawed in a lot of ways & this made her all the more relatable. I understood that she had made a ton of mistakes and that she has this calling towards fighting. She struggles reconciling the person she was a year ago with the person she changed into. Was it really a gradual change? or was it something embedded in her personality all along? is this just her nature? I loved this character so much because she understood that there is no good or bad but there’s plenty of gray. Seeing how she handled her returning memories was also interesting and played into her need for control. She internalizes a ton and that brings me to another character I loved who plays a major role in building her trust, her dad. Rachel’s dad was formerly a Navy Seal and is the more quiet and observant type of parent, her mom is a nurse who handles crisis in the hospital well but not so well when it comes to her kids (I can totally relate lol). It was her dad who kept a close eye on her even when she wasn’t aware he was doing so. One of my favorite scenes in this book is between Rachel & her Dad…a few tears were shed *no shame*
There’s also the crew of Girls & Guys that run with Rachel (don’t want to giveaway too much) that each add personality to the group. Loved the loyalty they all had for each eachother & how protective Rachel was over each of her girls. We get to learn a bit of back story on each of the girls who ALL can fight & crossing paths with Rachel may have just saved their lives. There is a love interest in the story & he also is a part of the underworld Rachel thrives off of, a fighter and a poet. No instalove here though since when we meet him, they would have been dating for more than the past year. Rachel’s reconnection with him feels fated & I enjoyed learning how exactly they fell down the rabbit hole they are in when the story begins. I also can’t go without mentioning Molly who was/is Rachel’s nerdy best-friend. I absolutely ADORED Molly and seeing how fiercely loyal she is to Rachel even when she didn’t exactly deserve it. Molly is that one friend you have that you know is ride or die HAHA!
WRITING
The world Merrie Destefano has created in Lost Girls is so DARK & ADRENALINE FUELED…I couldn’t put this book down. I’m talking full on phone slapping me in the face awake at 2am because I thought I could break night just to find out what was going on. There are both female and male groups that fight in this underworld for the most part they are all high school students. This isn’t some luxury club in good neighborhood either, she took us into the worse of the worse. The part of town you don’t want your car to break down in & she accurately describes what it would look like & the characters that you would come across. Of course, you can’t realistacally fashion an underworld with illegal fighting without the appearance of drugs. There are different types of drugs with names like Pink Lightning or Blue Thunder that the fighters are given so as to get them addicted. The writing (specifically fighting scenes) is descriptive enough to make you imagine how much pain was being inflicted. The plot & pacing were on point and maintained my attention to the very end. I look forward to reading more from this author and hope we do get another book soon *crosses fingers*
December 21, 2016
Rachel goes missing for two weeks, shows up battered in a ditch, and has lost an entire year of her memory. She has no idea what has happened over the last year but she soon realizes that she's not the same girl she was a year ago. Instead of light colors, dancing ballet, and listening to Taylor Swift, Rachel now wears all black, takes drugs, and is into some sketchy stuff. A local FBI agent is convinced that Rachel's experience wasn't a solitary thing but in fact the workings of a kidnapper how has snatched other girls. Some of which have come up dead. However, without her memory Rachel is unable to not only help find the other lost girls, she's also vulnerable to her attacker finding her and finishing the job.
I'm not usually one for thrillers or mysteries but this story sounded really interesting. I mean, I couldn't imagine waking up in a ditch, broken, bruised, and completely confused how you got there when you had just curled up in your bed to go to sleep. Then, to find out that not only do you not have your memory of being kidnapped but you also don't remember an entire year of your life?! It blew my mind. Also, not only does she not remember the past year but all of a sudden she's strong, has fast reflexes, is a wicked good fighter that can knock a grown man on his back, and has track marks on the inside of her arm. Oh yeah, and the sweet little ballet dancer is also the Queen Bee of her mini group of girls who are all afraid of her and yet respect her. There was just so much going on in the book that I couldn't stop reading. I read it within a day.
I don't want to go into too much detail and give anything away because it all sort of comes in waves as she remembers bits and pieces of the last year of her life. Then there's her friends, who she doesn't remember, who also sloly introduce her to her old life over time. So, you get pieces as to who Rachel was before everything happened as well as clues leading up to how she was kidnapped. The whole thing had me on the edge of my seat.
Lost Girls was a doozy, that's for sure. Between the fight scenes, the confusion of who Rachel really is, the underlying danger of what/who's still out there possibly waiting for the perfect moment to snatch Rachel back, I could not put this book down. I had to know what happened next. I had to know if Rachel liked the person she'd become, if she'd continue down the path she was previously on or if she would revert back to the sweet innocent girl she was. This was a very entertaining read and I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a gritty, suspenseful, YA that will have you wondering how everything will go down right up until the last page.
I'm not usually one for thrillers or mysteries but this story sounded really interesting. I mean, I couldn't imagine waking up in a ditch, broken, bruised, and completely confused how you got there when you had just curled up in your bed to go to sleep. Then, to find out that not only do you not have your memory of being kidnapped but you also don't remember an entire year of your life?! It blew my mind. Also, not only does she not remember the past year but all of a sudden she's strong, has fast reflexes, is a wicked good fighter that can knock a grown man on his back, and has track marks on the inside of her arm. Oh yeah, and the sweet little ballet dancer is also the Queen Bee of her mini group of girls who are all afraid of her and yet respect her. There was just so much going on in the book that I couldn't stop reading. I read it within a day.
I don't want to go into too much detail and give anything away because it all sort of comes in waves as she remembers bits and pieces of the last year of her life. Then there's her friends, who she doesn't remember, who also sloly introduce her to her old life over time. So, you get pieces as to who Rachel was before everything happened as well as clues leading up to how she was kidnapped. The whole thing had me on the edge of my seat.
Lost Girls was a doozy, that's for sure. Between the fight scenes, the confusion of who Rachel really is, the underlying danger of what/who's still out there possibly waiting for the perfect moment to snatch Rachel back, I could not put this book down. I had to know what happened next. I had to know if Rachel liked the person she'd become, if she'd continue down the path she was previously on or if she would revert back to the sweet innocent girl she was. This was a very entertaining read and I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a gritty, suspenseful, YA that will have you wondering how everything will go down right up until the last page.
February 6, 2017
For all my reviews, visit Clues and Reviews
https://cluesandreviews.wordpress.com/
When Rachel fell asleep she was nervously preparing for her geometry final; when she wakes up she is in a ditch, bloody and bruised. A year of her life is missing. As she begins to piece things together, she doesn’t recognize herself (her appearance and her actions). She isn’t the only girl who has gone missing that year, but she has been the only one to return and she is desperate to find out the answers. What is happening to the lost girls?
Lost Girls by Merrie Destefano is a suspenseful, young adult read that reminded me of Fight Club. Random? I know. I tend to read some pretty heavy stuff; that being said, I am not usually one for Young Adult titles. The synopsis of this book hooked me right away. Found bloody in a ditch, missing a full year of her life. Sounds right up my alley! I wasn’t even aware that this one was a YA title (or really what this book would be about) until after I had requested it on Netgalley. All this being said: this novel changed my opinion about YA books. There was nothing adolescent or trivial about Lost Girls. It is an intelligent, suspenseful read that I ended up loving; from the character development to the plot, this one had me on the edge of my seat, desperate to find out the truth!
From the first page, Destefano hooked me with her narrative and I found myself completely captivated by this story. From Rachel’s initial encounters once she has been found, to her desperation to fit back into her old life and her revelations about her place in her new one, Destefano weaves an intricate path that forces the reader to follow along willingly.
This book was completely not what I was expecting, but I actually loved this aspect. As the narrative changed paths, and it became clear where it was going, I found myself more entranced. I won’t say much more. After all, you aren’t supposed to talk about it.
My only complaint was that I found this novel ended too quickly; it seemed a little rushed. Resolutions were made but I felt like it was too neat and tidy for such a story. I needed the ending to be a little more developed.
Overall, I ended up being completely entranced by this one and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a YA title with some twists. Fight Club meets Black Swan, this one will appeal to the masses. It goes on sale January 3, 2017.
Thank you to Netgalley, Merrie Destefano and Entangled Teen for providing me with a digital copy of this book; it was my pleasure to provide an honest review.
https://cluesandreviews.wordpress.com/
When Rachel fell asleep she was nervously preparing for her geometry final; when she wakes up she is in a ditch, bloody and bruised. A year of her life is missing. As she begins to piece things together, she doesn’t recognize herself (her appearance and her actions). She isn’t the only girl who has gone missing that year, but she has been the only one to return and she is desperate to find out the answers. What is happening to the lost girls?
Lost Girls by Merrie Destefano is a suspenseful, young adult read that reminded me of Fight Club. Random? I know. I tend to read some pretty heavy stuff; that being said, I am not usually one for Young Adult titles. The synopsis of this book hooked me right away. Found bloody in a ditch, missing a full year of her life. Sounds right up my alley! I wasn’t even aware that this one was a YA title (or really what this book would be about) until after I had requested it on Netgalley. All this being said: this novel changed my opinion about YA books. There was nothing adolescent or trivial about Lost Girls. It is an intelligent, suspenseful read that I ended up loving; from the character development to the plot, this one had me on the edge of my seat, desperate to find out the truth!
From the first page, Destefano hooked me with her narrative and I found myself completely captivated by this story. From Rachel’s initial encounters once she has been found, to her desperation to fit back into her old life and her revelations about her place in her new one, Destefano weaves an intricate path that forces the reader to follow along willingly.
This book was completely not what I was expecting, but I actually loved this aspect. As the narrative changed paths, and it became clear where it was going, I found myself more entranced. I won’t say much more. After all, you aren’t supposed to talk about it.
My only complaint was that I found this novel ended too quickly; it seemed a little rushed. Resolutions were made but I felt like it was too neat and tidy for such a story. I needed the ending to be a little more developed.
Overall, I ended up being completely entranced by this one and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a YA title with some twists. Fight Club meets Black Swan, this one will appeal to the masses. It goes on sale January 3, 2017.
Thank you to Netgalley, Merrie Destefano and Entangled Teen for providing me with a digital copy of this book; it was my pleasure to provide an honest review.
November 20, 2016
Rachel went missing for two weeks and when she comes back, she can't remember a single thing from the previous year. A year that turns out to have contained some big and crucial changes for Rachel. She sets out on a journey to recover her memories. She discovers she was not the only girl to go missing, but so far, she's the only girl to come back. The more she discovers, the more her memories return and she is desperate to find out what happened to her and the other Lost Girls.
This book has a really, really strong start. I was immediately hooked on this story and finished the book as fast as I could. A lot happens to Rachel, and a lot of it isn't normal. I was surprised at her reactions to the situations she found herself in. They were so spot on! She doesn't just accept anything right away en questions pretty much everything.
At first I had my doubts about the whole good girl gone bad thing: from a sophomore girly girl, with dark brown shoulder length hair to a goth, platinum blond pixie junior who also lost weight and sports some track marks on her arm. Luckily this transformation didn't just happen and there is an explanation for it that I found acceptable, so yay!
The story has several twists and turns as we follow Rachel on her journey to recover her memories. Most of it makes sense in the end and everything comes together as it should. No open ending. The only thing that slightly bugged we was that I was following Rachel, but I could figure a lot of it out before Rachel actually did. So I wasn't as surprised by most of the twists and turns as I would've liked. But that really didn't matter to me in the end.
The mystery of what happened to Rachel is a big part of the story, but this is also a story about family, friendship and love; about different kind of struggles we can have in life and realizing that there is always someone out there who cares and who can help you and realizing that you are never alone. Some issues the characters in this book struggle with are: abuse, bullying, addiction and poverty. I think this added a lot to the story and this is exactly what makes this book great.
I loved this book, because it is different from a lot of the YA I've read lately. I loved the main character (which doesn't happen all that often). The story was dark, mysterious en captivating. Recommended for sure!
I received this book for free from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book has a really, really strong start. I was immediately hooked on this story and finished the book as fast as I could. A lot happens to Rachel, and a lot of it isn't normal. I was surprised at her reactions to the situations she found herself in. They were so spot on! She doesn't just accept anything right away en questions pretty much everything.
At first I had my doubts about the whole good girl gone bad thing: from a sophomore girly girl, with dark brown shoulder length hair to a goth, platinum blond pixie junior who also lost weight and sports some track marks on her arm. Luckily this transformation didn't just happen and there is an explanation for it that I found acceptable, so yay!
The story has several twists and turns as we follow Rachel on her journey to recover her memories. Most of it makes sense in the end and everything comes together as it should. No open ending. The only thing that slightly bugged we was that I was following Rachel, but I could figure a lot of it out before Rachel actually did. So I wasn't as surprised by most of the twists and turns as I would've liked. But that really didn't matter to me in the end.
The mystery of what happened to Rachel is a big part of the story, but this is also a story about family, friendship and love; about different kind of struggles we can have in life and realizing that there is always someone out there who cares and who can help you and realizing that you are never alone. Some issues the characters in this book struggle with are: abuse, bullying, addiction and poverty. I think this added a lot to the story and this is exactly what makes this book great.
I loved this book, because it is different from a lot of the YA I've read lately. I loved the main character (which doesn't happen all that often). The story was dark, mysterious en captivating. Recommended for sure!
I received this book for free from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 13, 2016
Had my heart racing the whole time! This one is definitely worth your read!
The problem is, everyone, from my parents to my teachers to the police, says that stuff didn’t happen yesterday. It happened last year.
Rachel just woke up and found herself in an unfamiliar life. Sure, she still has the same family, she's still in the same body...But she's changed. Her best friend is no longer her best friend and a whole year is missing from her life. She is dating a new boy, Dylan, who cares for her deeply. Their relationship was my favorite part of the book.
Maybe good things are like bad things. They all come to an end sometime.
This book is gritty. It's dark. It's intense. I'd be surprised if you could pick it up and put it down without finishing at least half of it in one sitting. It's THAT addictive.
I appreciate Merrie's ability to draw you in and make you feel what the characters are feeling. The build over the course of the book is constantly engaging. More mysteries are uncovered throughout the story yet everything is tied up at the end.
The problem is, everyone, from my parents to my teachers to the police, says that stuff didn’t happen yesterday. It happened last year.
Rachel just woke up and found herself in an unfamiliar life. Sure, she still has the same family, she's still in the same body...But she's changed. Her best friend is no longer her best friend and a whole year is missing from her life. She is dating a new boy, Dylan, who cares for her deeply. Their relationship was my favorite part of the book.
Maybe good things are like bad things. They all come to an end sometime.
This book is gritty. It's dark. It's intense. I'd be surprised if you could pick it up and put it down without finishing at least half of it in one sitting. It's THAT addictive.
I appreciate Merrie's ability to draw you in and make you feel what the characters are feeling. The build over the course of the book is constantly engaging. More mysteries are uncovered throughout the story yet everything is tied up at the end.
November 16, 2016
The book deals with a girl who has suffered some sort of kidnapping? abuse? drugs forced on her? and has lost a year of her life in form of amnesia. She begins to remember things as time goes by, and she feels she needs to remember what happened because it can help other girls like her who were supposedly abducted. It is an amazing read not knowing and going on in the same way that she does, discovering bit by bit the little things that makes a whole.
The main plot of the book is about lost girls and boys: those who don't find acceptance, those who get raped or abused, those who need to fight back, and a long etcetera; but it sure does it in a very unconvencional way. In this point it is very imaginative, but for me it somehow took away some of the feelings I had had for the book as it brought it to the world of surreal in the middle of sth that felt so real for me...
The main plot of the book is about lost girls and boys: those who don't find acceptance, those who get raped or abused, those who need to fight back, and a long etcetera; but it sure does it in a very unconvencional way. In this point it is very imaginative, but for me it somehow took away some of the feelings I had had for the book as it brought it to the world of surreal in the middle of sth that felt so real for me...
December 3, 2018
☆☆☆☆☆ 5 Fighting Stars ☆☆☆☆☆
Man I was not expecting this to be so good!! Thank you Merrie Destefano!!
Imaging waking up in a ditch and nothing about your life is what you remember. Good girl kicks ass and justice!!
Man I was not expecting this to be so good!! Thank you Merrie Destefano!!
Imaging waking up in a ditch and nothing about your life is what you remember. Good girl kicks ass and justice!!
March 3, 2017
First rule is do not talk about it.. I loved every minute of this book. What an interesting concept.
Read
December 3, 2016I liked quite a lot about this, but there were aspects that bothered me, too. It was one of those times when I don't know if I'm the atypical one when it comes to teenage experiences, or whether the high schools portrayed in books are genuinely unlike real ones. Maybe it's because I'm British. Or because I'm queer. I don't know. I just ... didn't recognise a lot of those experiences. Especially because they were so unbelievably gendered and hetero. I don't know how to explain it better than that. I'm tired and suck at reviewing right now -- I'll get back to you with some more coherent thoughts.
--- And now for a proper review ---
This book is described as "Fight Club meets Black Swan", and while I've only seen the latter, what I know about Fight Club would suggest that's a fairly accurate comparison. Rachel is a ballet enthusiast, though she describes herself as a 'wannabe' who has never had a lead role, suggesting she's not aiming for the life of a professional dancer. But she's been missing for two weeks, and doesn't remember the last year -- a year in which she rejected her former best friend, changed her fashion and music taste completely, and became somebody she doesn't recognise in the mirror. Someone who can fight.
As the book goes on, Rachel's memories begin to crack open as she revisits the places and people she's forgotten, eventually revealing the truth about what happened to her, although I don't remember a proper explanation for her memory loss other than some speculative remarks about trauma and PTSD. It seemed mostly like a convenient plot device to raise the tension, because if she knew everything that had happened over the past year, there would have been no mystery left. That said, although to a certain extent the story worked with this backwards telling, it might have made just as much sense being told in chronological order, without the memory loss incident -- the actual events were dramatic and tense enough.
It's hard to review this without any spoilers whatsoever, so I'll just say this much: over the past year, Rachel's got involved in a scene that's part rave, part ring fighting. And she's good at it. She's got a team, enemies, a nickname. Even blacklight tattoos, which contribute to the Black Swan comparison because they're feathers/wings. (Her ballet background is the inspiration for that; it isn't wholly random.)
There was a lot that I enjoyed about the book. It's dramatic. It's violent, which I sort of like when it's teenage girls doing the violence, especially when it's against people who have hurt them. Rachel's family are protective but supportive, unlike many YA parents who are either protective but therefore oppressive and awful, or supportive and useless. Her dad's got a military background, but is still portrayed as loving, which made a change. And she's got a good relationship with her brother, too, for the most part. Families don't get enough of a look-in in YA.
There's the beginning of a strong emphasis on friendship, but this is where I think the book might have worked better if it had been told chronologically. Rachel had her reasons when she picked the various girls on her team, and she got to know them over the course of the year she doesn't remember. (There wasn't an explanation for why she pushed away her former best friend, either, but at least she's back on the scene now.) She remembers some of that in flashbacks, but it wasn't quite as complete a picture as it would have been if we, as readers, had seen those relationships develop on the page, and witnessed them becoming the slightly messed up found family that they are now. I felt that under-utilised the potential for character development there.
One thing I really didn't like so much about the book was how gendered everything seemed. This was a feature in the high school setting, and seemed painfully heteronormative. I generally didn't connect with the high school scenes at all -- I'm too British, and my school was too uncliquey, for it to be at all relatable. All these lunchtime cliques and encounters? Not a thing at my school. Not that I'd have noticed, since I spent all my time in the library and ate at break, but whatever. Point is, I didn't click with that side of the story. And I've read so much queer fiction lately that I've sort of forgotten what it's like to read a book that doesn't have any queer characters at all, so when Rachel started swooning over a cute boy and talking about kisses stealing her heart and soul, I just felt... disconnected. That, however, I could have dealt with; I grew up doing so, after all.
But the strictly gendered divides were also a feature in other parts of the book, namely the fighting. While I can see that it would make a certain amount of sense to split wrestling up by gender as well as weight class (although to be honest, if you're already matching them by size, does it matter? I don't know much about wrestling), it just took that element a bit too far. The boys are being drugged with "blue thunder". The girls with "pink lightning". The girls' teams had names like the "Swan Girls" or "Pink Candi", while the boys were "Orcs" or "The Skulls". It was like... you know how toiletries are either pink and purple or they're black and grey because clearly men need strong manly shower gel and women need to know they'll be fruity fresh? Yeah. It just seemed kind of unnecessary and over the top.
For most people, I guess that wouldn't be a dealbreaker. I'm just weird about unnecessarily gendered stuff, especially when everything becomes super binary and hetero and there's such a clear divide between the girls and the guys. It's not how I see the world, and it jars me to be faced with it in such an unquestioning manner, where nobody transcends those boundaries even a little bit. My friendship group includes trans and non-binary people, as well as butch girls and effeminate guys, so I guess that influences how I understand things like that. Even before I had a queer perspective, my friends were always a good mix, and my school didn't feel so segregated. I don't know. It just sat wrongly for me personally.
So while there was a lot that I liked about this, it didn't entirely work for me because of those factors.
--- And now for a proper review ---
This book is described as "Fight Club meets Black Swan", and while I've only seen the latter, what I know about Fight Club would suggest that's a fairly accurate comparison. Rachel is a ballet enthusiast, though she describes herself as a 'wannabe' who has never had a lead role, suggesting she's not aiming for the life of a professional dancer. But she's been missing for two weeks, and doesn't remember the last year -- a year in which she rejected her former best friend, changed her fashion and music taste completely, and became somebody she doesn't recognise in the mirror. Someone who can fight.
As the book goes on, Rachel's memories begin to crack open as she revisits the places and people she's forgotten, eventually revealing the truth about what happened to her, although I don't remember a proper explanation for her memory loss other than some speculative remarks about trauma and PTSD. It seemed mostly like a convenient plot device to raise the tension, because if she knew everything that had happened over the past year, there would have been no mystery left. That said, although to a certain extent the story worked with this backwards telling, it might have made just as much sense being told in chronological order, without the memory loss incident -- the actual events were dramatic and tense enough.
It's hard to review this without any spoilers whatsoever, so I'll just say this much: over the past year, Rachel's got involved in a scene that's part rave, part ring fighting. And she's good at it. She's got a team, enemies, a nickname. Even blacklight tattoos, which contribute to the Black Swan comparison because they're feathers/wings. (Her ballet background is the inspiration for that; it isn't wholly random.)
There was a lot that I enjoyed about the book. It's dramatic. It's violent, which I sort of like when it's teenage girls doing the violence, especially when it's against people who have hurt them. Rachel's family are protective but supportive, unlike many YA parents who are either protective but therefore oppressive and awful, or supportive and useless. Her dad's got a military background, but is still portrayed as loving, which made a change. And she's got a good relationship with her brother, too, for the most part. Families don't get enough of a look-in in YA.
There's the beginning of a strong emphasis on friendship, but this is where I think the book might have worked better if it had been told chronologically. Rachel had her reasons when she picked the various girls on her team, and she got to know them over the course of the year she doesn't remember. (There wasn't an explanation for why she pushed away her former best friend, either, but at least she's back on the scene now.) She remembers some of that in flashbacks, but it wasn't quite as complete a picture as it would have been if we, as readers, had seen those relationships develop on the page, and witnessed them becoming the slightly messed up found family that they are now. I felt that under-utilised the potential for character development there.
One thing I really didn't like so much about the book was how gendered everything seemed. This was a feature in the high school setting, and seemed painfully heteronormative. I generally didn't connect with the high school scenes at all -- I'm too British, and my school was too uncliquey, for it to be at all relatable. All these lunchtime cliques and encounters? Not a thing at my school. Not that I'd have noticed, since I spent all my time in the library and ate at break, but whatever. Point is, I didn't click with that side of the story. And I've read so much queer fiction lately that I've sort of forgotten what it's like to read a book that doesn't have any queer characters at all, so when Rachel started swooning over a cute boy and talking about kisses stealing her heart and soul, I just felt... disconnected. That, however, I could have dealt with; I grew up doing so, after all.
But the strictly gendered divides were also a feature in other parts of the book, namely the fighting. While I can see that it would make a certain amount of sense to split wrestling up by gender as well as weight class (although to be honest, if you're already matching them by size, does it matter? I don't know much about wrestling), it just took that element a bit too far. The boys are being drugged with "blue thunder". The girls with "pink lightning". The girls' teams had names like the "Swan Girls" or "Pink Candi", while the boys were "Orcs" or "The Skulls". It was like... you know how toiletries are either pink and purple or they're black and grey because clearly men need strong manly shower gel and women need to know they'll be fruity fresh? Yeah. It just seemed kind of unnecessary and over the top.
For most people, I guess that wouldn't be a dealbreaker. I'm just weird about unnecessarily gendered stuff, especially when everything becomes super binary and hetero and there's such a clear divide between the girls and the guys. It's not how I see the world, and it jars me to be faced with it in such an unquestioning manner, where nobody transcends those boundaries even a little bit. My friendship group includes trans and non-binary people, as well as butch girls and effeminate guys, so I guess that influences how I understand things like that. Even before I had a queer perspective, my friends were always a good mix, and my school didn't feel so segregated. I don't know. It just sat wrongly for me personally.
So while there was a lot that I liked about this, it didn't entirely work for me because of those factors.
December 18, 2016
I'm here today to chat about Lost Girls by Merrie Destefano. This fast paced novel was realeased on Tuesday January 3rd and I highly suggest you run out the door right now and go buy it. There aren't many YA Mystery/Thrillers out there. I usually have to reach for the adult mystery section when I want a thrilling and scary adventure. But this novel was a delightful YA surprise that I enjoyed from beginning to end.
Synopsis
Yesterday, Rachel went to sleep listening to Taylor Swift, curled up in her grammy’s quilt, worrying about geometry. Today, she woke up in a ditch, bloodied, bruised, and missing a year of her life.
She doesn’t recognize the person she’s become: she’s popular. She wears nothing but black.
Black to cover the blood.
And she can fight.
Tell no one.
She’s not the only girl to go missing within the last year…but she’s the only girl to come back. She desperately wants to unravel what happened to her, to try and recover the rest of the Lost Girls.
But the more she discovers, the more her memories return. And as much as her new life scares her, it calls to her. Seductively. The good girl gone bad, sex, drugs, and raves, and something darker…something she still craves—the rush of the fight, the thrill of the win—something she can’t resist, that might still get her killed…
The only rule is: There are no rules.
Thoughts
This compelling mystery had be at the main character missing a year of her life. It's an over used cliche plot for thrillers in general. But done right, I always enjoy it. I like seeing what lengths the character will go in order to recover said memories, and the mayhem that happens along the way. Lost Girls had the right amount of petrifying fear with the right amount of excitement occurring per chapter. Like I was actually scared towards the end and my anxiety turned up. I never actually wanted to stop reading. And in fact read the last 75% of the book in one sitting. I didn't think this story would be different of trick me but it was cool seeing the kidnapper's identity slowly being unfolded as memories were slowly recovered and light was shone in the darkness. Rather than trying to figure out which side character was responsible, as per usual. Something else you should know about this book is it pay's ode to Swan Lake. I really enjoyed the main character and her swan song transformation. It didn't rely on being a retelling so there was no need to follow Swan Lake to the letter. But in a gentle way it paid appreciation to the ballet. Lost Girls by Merrie Destefano is in a bookstore near you. I hope you'll consider supporting this author and her good read.
Overall
I rated this novel 4.5/5 stars. I recommend it for all lovers of YA Mystery/ Thrillers and anyone who enjoys a little thrill in the life on occasion.
I hope you guys have a wonderful day. Talk to me in the comments. TTFN.
Synopsis
Yesterday, Rachel went to sleep listening to Taylor Swift, curled up in her grammy’s quilt, worrying about geometry. Today, she woke up in a ditch, bloodied, bruised, and missing a year of her life.
She doesn’t recognize the person she’s become: she’s popular. She wears nothing but black.
Black to cover the blood.
And she can fight.
Tell no one.
She’s not the only girl to go missing within the last year…but she’s the only girl to come back. She desperately wants to unravel what happened to her, to try and recover the rest of the Lost Girls.
But the more she discovers, the more her memories return. And as much as her new life scares her, it calls to her. Seductively. The good girl gone bad, sex, drugs, and raves, and something darker…something she still craves—the rush of the fight, the thrill of the win—something she can’t resist, that might still get her killed…
The only rule is: There are no rules.
Thoughts
This compelling mystery had be at the main character missing a year of her life. It's an over used cliche plot for thrillers in general. But done right, I always enjoy it. I like seeing what lengths the character will go in order to recover said memories, and the mayhem that happens along the way. Lost Girls had the right amount of petrifying fear with the right amount of excitement occurring per chapter. Like I was actually scared towards the end and my anxiety turned up. I never actually wanted to stop reading. And in fact read the last 75% of the book in one sitting. I didn't think this story would be different of trick me but it was cool seeing the kidnapper's identity slowly being unfolded as memories were slowly recovered and light was shone in the darkness. Rather than trying to figure out which side character was responsible, as per usual. Something else you should know about this book is it pay's ode to Swan Lake. I really enjoyed the main character and her swan song transformation. It didn't rely on being a retelling so there was no need to follow Swan Lake to the letter. But in a gentle way it paid appreciation to the ballet. Lost Girls by Merrie Destefano is in a bookstore near you. I hope you'll consider supporting this author and her good read.
Overall
I rated this novel 4.5/5 stars. I recommend it for all lovers of YA Mystery/ Thrillers and anyone who enjoys a little thrill in the life on occasion.
I hope you guys have a wonderful day. Talk to me in the comments. TTFN.
January 3, 2017
I don't often read young adult novels, but every once in awhile I read one that convinces me to read more. This is one of them. Dark, fanciful, and engaging. I had such a hard time putting it down. It's a great story about friendship... and fighting. How far down you can fall when you make a few bad decisions. What kind of consequences they can have. And fighting for what's right, instead of just for fun or as an outlet for anger and rage.
Our story begins with Rachel running into the road, begging for help. She's been missing for two weeks, but her last memories were a year ago. She doesn't even recognize herself. Dying her hair, chopping it off when she was trying to grow it long? And what is up with the all black wardrobe? She quickly finds that her life has actually improved in some ways during the year she doesn't remember... she's doing better in school, slaying at ballet lessons and winning major parts, and has the attention of a cute classmate she used to crush on. That all sounds good, but not everything is so positive. She has different friends, having abandoned her old best friend she used to do everything with. She seems to have picked up some martial arts training. She feels angry and aggressive at small transgressions. And it seems she started to maybe even dabble in drugs. Could this really be her?
I don't want to give many details that weren't in the description. It's best to just dive right in. You'll probably end up blowing right through the whole book, as I did! Very easy to read and addictive.
I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley and Entangled Publishing, LLC. Thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.
Our story begins with Rachel running into the road, begging for help. She's been missing for two weeks, but her last memories were a year ago. She doesn't even recognize herself. Dying her hair, chopping it off when she was trying to grow it long? And what is up with the all black wardrobe? She quickly finds that her life has actually improved in some ways during the year she doesn't remember... she's doing better in school, slaying at ballet lessons and winning major parts, and has the attention of a cute classmate she used to crush on. That all sounds good, but not everything is so positive. She has different friends, having abandoned her old best friend she used to do everything with. She seems to have picked up some martial arts training. She feels angry and aggressive at small transgressions. And it seems she started to maybe even dabble in drugs. Could this really be her?
I don't want to give many details that weren't in the description. It's best to just dive right in. You'll probably end up blowing right through the whole book, as I did! Very easy to read and addictive.
I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley and Entangled Publishing, LLC. Thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.
January 3, 2017
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for allowing me to get my hands on this amazing book.
Rachel goes to bed a normal teenager girl, listening to Taylor Swift and praying that she won't fail geometry. Awaking in a ditch and finding out she's been missing for two weeks is disturbing enough on its own merit. The thing that makes your fingers grip the pages tighter is the fact that though Rachel has only been missing for two weeks, she has lost a year of her life, no memory of the person she has apparently turned into. Destefano sucks you immediately into the character's mindset; her panic and despair, and then her growing resolution to find answers. Rachel is a strong character, but not so strong that she stops feeling vulnerable or human. The narration is so raw that it made me teary eyed with compassion on several occasions.
This book has been compared to Fight Club, and that's not an inaccurate comparison at all. There's adrenaline in this storyline, an edgy and chaotic mystery and the reader finds themselves as seduced by it as Rachel is. There's something for everyone here; romance, action, mystery, but beating beneath it all like a steady heartbeat is the idea of family and friendship, and how those threads can be the constant in our lives even when our identities and sense of self is shifting.
*You can read my full review at abackwordsstory 1/3/2017*
http://abackwardsstory.blogspot.com/2...
Rachel goes to bed a normal teenager girl, listening to Taylor Swift and praying that she won't fail geometry. Awaking in a ditch and finding out she's been missing for two weeks is disturbing enough on its own merit. The thing that makes your fingers grip the pages tighter is the fact that though Rachel has only been missing for two weeks, she has lost a year of her life, no memory of the person she has apparently turned into. Destefano sucks you immediately into the character's mindset; her panic and despair, and then her growing resolution to find answers. Rachel is a strong character, but not so strong that she stops feeling vulnerable or human. The narration is so raw that it made me teary eyed with compassion on several occasions.
This book has been compared to Fight Club, and that's not an inaccurate comparison at all. There's adrenaline in this storyline, an edgy and chaotic mystery and the reader finds themselves as seduced by it as Rachel is. There's something for everyone here; romance, action, mystery, but beating beneath it all like a steady heartbeat is the idea of family and friendship, and how those threads can be the constant in our lives even when our identities and sense of self is shifting.
*You can read my full review at abackwordsstory 1/3/2017*
http://abackwardsstory.blogspot.com/2...
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