Review: THE LOST by Sarah Beth Durst

Title: The Lost
Author: Sarah Beth Durst (@sarahbethdurst)
Published: May 2014
Series: The Lost #1
Genre: Fantasy
POV: 1st person
Pages: 352
Publisher: Harlequin MIRA
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher & later purchased
Rating: The Royal Library, Top Shelf

It was only meant to be a brief detour. But then Lauren finds herself trapped in a town called Lost on the edge of a desert, filled with things abandoned, broken and thrown away. And when she tries to escape, impassable dust storms and something unexplainable lead her back to Lost again and again. The residents she meets there tell her she's going to have to figure out just what she's missing--and what she's running from--before she can leave. So now Lauren's on a new search for a purpose and a destiny. And maybe, just maybe, she'll be found...

Against the backdrop of this desolate and mystical town, Sarah Beth Durst writes an arresting, fantastical novel of one woman's impossible journey...and her quest to find her fate.

I've always had a strange fascination with things that are lost. We all lose things – our keys, pens, wallets, socks, earrings, and so on. But where do they go? In Durst's first adult novel, she explores a city full of lost items, places, and people. Unsurprisingly, The Lost turned out to be as intriguing a story as I hoped to find. Lauren spends her day driving to get away from problems at home, only to find herself pulling into an odd town called Lost. She quickly finds that leaving will be a challenge when the Missing Man – the only person who can help her find what she's lost – takes one glance at her and leaves. 

The town of Lost is a charming, quirky, and somewhat terrifying place. It is both familiar and bizarre, and inhabited by people from all walks of life. As a narrator, Lauren is a comforting, realistic presence who turns out to have more determination and resourcefulness than one might initially expect from her. With only a light touch of romance, Durst slowly builds the base for what will likely become an interesting relationship between Lauren and Peter. Even though this is an adult novel, older young adult literature fans will also find this story appealing. Peculiar, humorous, and evocative, The Lost is a standout story of the year. 

Highlights: Characterization is wonderful, from the tough yet adorable Claire to the odd yet surprisingly well-read Peter / Finder. Instead of wallowing, Lauren utilizes her strengths, works on her weaknesses, and tries to figure out a way home. The world of the Lost is fascinating, strange, and perfectly described in order to convey it's charm, oddness, and dangers. The romance is very light, sweet, and realistic. Even better, Durst infuses plenty of emotion in with all the entertainment. As a person who knows what it's like to watch someone you love struggle medically to live, Lauren's relationship with her mother really resonated with me. The ending is very bittersweet, and I can't wait to see what happens next. 

Lowlights: I want the sequel now?

Rating: The Royal Library, Top Shelf (5 out of 5). I love this book, so it is going on the top shelves in the royal library where everyone can see it. The Lost is exciting, imaginative, and simply a spectacular story filled with outstanding characters. I'd highly recommend this book, because it is an incredible story.

Review: (DON'T YOU) FORGET ABOUT ME by Kate Karyus Quinn

Title: (Don't You) Forget About Me
Author: Kate Karyus Quinn (@KateKaryusQuinn)
Published: June 10th, 2014
Series: N/A
Genre: YA paranormal / mystery
POV: 1st person
Pages: 336
Publisher: HarperTeen
Format: e-ARC
Source: Edelweiss
Rating: The Royal Library, Bottom Shelf

Welcome to Gardnerville.

A place where no one gets sick. And no one ever dies.

Except...

There’s a price to pay for paradise. Every fourth year, the strange power that fuels the town exacts its payment by infecting teens with deadly urges. In a normal year in Gardnerville, teens might stop talking to their best friends. In a fourth year, they’d kill them.

Four years ago, Skylar’s sister, Piper, was locked away after leading sixteen of her classmates to a watery grave. Since then, Skylar has lived in a numb haze, struggling to forget her past and dull the pain of losing her sister. But the secrets and memories Piper left behind keep taunting Skylar—whispering that the only way to get her sister back is to stop Gardnerville’s murderous cycle once and for all.

Highlights: In Gardnerville, lives are long and healthy. Except, of course, for those who become caught up in the peculiarities and dangers of this unique city....Strange and mysterious, (Don't You) Forget About Me is entrancing. Life in Gardnerville is odd and magical, and I found all the oddities to be fascinating. Just like Skylar, I was thoroughly perplexed regarding exactly what was happening in her life, what her sister was up to, and what secrets this bizarre city holds. Kate Karyus Quinn did not disappoint, and although I did catch on to what was happening, the ending was still a surprise. Skylar's family was nicely written, and the secrets they each hold were fascinating. Each chapter is enticing and peculiar, making this a difficult story to set aside. I'd suggest starting this novel with as little information as possible, because it makes the story all the more intriguing. 

Lowlights: Certain mysteries were easy to solve (I read a lot of mysteries, so I tend to work these things out pretty quickly). There were some moments that were genuinely confusing, too, and I had to backtrack a few paragraphs / pages to understand what was happening.

Rating: The Royal Library, Bottom Shelf (very low 4 out of 5). (Don't You) Forget About Me is great and probably worth purchasing (especially if it's on sale). If I do purchase this story, it only earns a spot on the bottom shelves of the royal library. Despite a couple small issues, I enjoyed it enough to keep it around the palace and read it more than once. If you're in the mood for something unique, intense, and surprising, this book is for you!

Mini-Review: THE RAVEN BOYS by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: THE RAVEN BOYS
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Published: September 18th, 2012
Series: Raven Cycle #1
Genre: YA Fantasy/Paranormal
Publisher: Scholastic Press
POV: Alternating 3rd person
Pages: 408
Format: ARC PDF
Source: Netgalley / Publisher

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

THE RAVEN BOYS is utterly unlike Maggie Stiefvater's previous works, which makes this story all the more intriguing. Fortunately, though the story and the POV are both very different than usual Stiefvater works, Stiefvater's writing remains evocative. Stiefvater's writing features words strung together in lovely, vivid ways that I've come to expect and enjoy. The characters, especially the leads, shine brightly with their vivid personalities - they demand your attention, and I was more than happy to give it. Yet, as much as I adored these characters, the story didn't quite turn out to be what I expected. Though it wasn't bad, it certainly didn't give me what the summary promised it would. Regardless, THE RAVEN BOYS is electric, mesmerizing, and somewhat strange (but in a good way). 

Highlights: Certain plot twists are almost unpredictable – especially one mind-blowing moment regarding one of the supporting characters. Speaking of characters, I could praise and adore them all day. They all feel different from one another, and I can't wait to read more about them in future installments. The settings are perfectly described. 

Lowlights: Slow going, like all Stiefvater stories. I feel like not enough was answered by the end, and the story cuts off in a very confusing moment. I expected a different story from reading the summary, so I was surprised when the whole Blue + Gansey romance ended up not being important (or even really present) in this book.