As a thank, you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced readers copy I shall give an honest review of The Lost Coast by Amy Rose Capetta. In this debut novel, the author introduces her readers to a coven of queer Witches in a small town in northern California. The setting features an atmospheric environment adding as the seventh member in a coven of six witches. Capetta’s storytelling was linear, straightforward and descriptive. These qualities were appreciated in slower paced areas of the novel and lent it a pleasure to read. The novel follows a teenage girl named Danny who unexpectedly is drawn to Tempest, California. The reason she is there is not yet known to Danny or the group of young women she befriends but is worth following. I found Danny to be a likable character and one whose experience I was invested in. Overall I found the mix of suspense and drama appropriate with the subject matter and was reminded of 90’s television shows or movies with contemporary witches. An area that made this story stand out was its use of LGBTQ terms and openness of its characters. The use of Witches or Witchcraft in earlier novels, television shows, or movies was to portray outcasts and empower them. In this story, Capetta fuses their identities into portraying these girls as fierce women in charge of their narrative ex. sexuality, gender, etc. I appreciated this aspect of the novel and recommend it to those who are feminists at heart. Overall I would recommend this novel and give it 3.5 stars out of 5. On GoodReads, I shall give this an extra star for its atmospheric setting and overall witchy vibes.

me talking about my ideal book: so like, it’s the raven cycle, but it’s SAPPHIC, and also about community and love as a radical force
this book: exists and is published
me, not able to process how blessed my life is: holy shit

4 1/2 stars. The Lost Coast follows Danny, a girl who moves to a small California town and joins a group of witches searching for their lost member, Imogen, after her new friend Sebastian dies. Amongst the Grays, as they call themselves, there are four remaining:
→June, Filipina lesbian with chronic pain and knife magic. I loved this character and wanted more from her.
→Leila, ace-spec and non-binary and coded as aro though the word is not used, which is weird). Her friendship with June was so excellent and I wanted 100% more. Tree magic.
→Hawthorn, black and bisexual and raised by a chaotic mother named Ora. At once quiet and a force.
→Rush, queer and fat, ex-girlfriend to Imogen. Has sound-taste synesthesia and uses music to make magic. My favorite character.

This is a book that depends, primarily, on a feeling of wrongness, a feeling of some imperceptible something having broken in the world. Amy Rose Capetta’s writing is absolutely magical as usual, immediately getting the audience immersed in the atmospheric world of the novel.

I was joking about the raven cycle but sapphic thing, but let’s be real — that is kind of what is so great about this. The Lost Coast is interesting in that it uses a similar aesthetic and mood to that series, but at once feels totally distinct. The Pacific coast vibe is very different from nowhere, Virginia, for one; in what is probably a coincidence, several character elements feel almost like a direct response to that series in a way I really liked. Yet most importantly are the themes.

I think as queer people — and also as marginalized people in general — we are often very alone. Being queer is an experience, in a lot of ways, of being the outsider; you grow up seeing everyone around you be one way and feel, fundamentally, like an outsider. This is something I’ve written about recently but it’s something this book explicitly tackles.

It’s about community as something radical, about love between people – and specifically between queer people, specifically women and nonbinary queer people – as something that can save and heal. In this book, magic functions best in a group built on mutual trust; the love between the five (six) witches is what saves and heals.

I think the only reason this is a 4½ and not a five is because I honestly… wanted more? I think this book would have worked really nicely as a series — there are actually seven separate characters to explore here, and we only got four arcs. That’s an absolutely fine number for a single book; it’s just that I closed the book wanting to get that much deeper both into the existing characters and into new characters. Petition for a sequel that deals with June and Lelia’s friendship and also the ending dynamic.

Unfortunately this one wasn't for me. The story didn't grab me and I ended up giving up after a few chapters. I found my mind wondering and confused. I had high hopes for this one based on the synopsis, but unfortunately it didn't deliver for me.

I was intrigued by the premise of THE LOST COAST by Amy Rose Capetta and was happy to read it. Sadly, after about 20% in, the story started to fall flat for me. I'm unable to provide a full review since I did not finish.

This was such a lovely, lyrical and emotional read. Unfortunately I had to stop reading it about halfway through, as I had a digital advanced copy and the formatting was slightly off - it was so frustrating! I have ordered that hardcover however and am very excited to dive in properly once it arrives. I loved Capetta's novel Echo After Echo, and what I read of The Lost Coast gave me a similar feeling, except instead of joining a spooky theatre company and taking part in a cursed play, I now want to run away to the redwood forests!
I will be sure to write a full-length review once I finish, but for now I see so much promise in this story and I doubt I'll be disappointed.

This was an interesting read! I enjoyed the witchy vibes and how queer this was and how the overall setting in the woods. I found the story a little hard to follow because of how whimsical it was and the mystery element, but it was a really fast paced read that I couldn't put down! I would recommend this if you're looking for spooky vibes and for books similar to Summer of Salt by Katrina Leno!

I found this book to be an enchanting tale of finding yourself by finding your people. It was written with beautiful words and a stunningly truth at the heart of it.
What I loved best about this book was its words. I truly felt that the author has a gift. The setting and emotions really came alive. There are few books that could convey a sense of wonder the way this book did. I found myself wholly enamored by the descriptions everywhere. It did an amazing job of illustrating the story and decorating the plot. There are many lovely quotes to be found in this book.
Of course, the LGBT representation was also fantastic. It was probably my main motivator to read this book in addition to the fact that I share a name with the character of this book. I found that quite amusing as well. I found the book to feel really warm and behave really smart. If that makes any sense. It just felt like the book made smart choices.
However, the one downside to this book was that I couldn't lose myself in it like I wanted. I wanted the book to capture my attention. I wanted to be more invested in everything than I actually was. I never felt like I knew exactly what was happening with the plot and I just felt really lost (no pun intended). The best way I could describe it that this book didn't have a spark that I was looking for. Someone or something I could put my heart into. I was really hoping for more than what I got with this book. It's still written beautifully and worth a read, but isn't all I hoped it to be.

Loved this book! I thought the characters were fascinating and the plot kept me guessing throughout. I especially loved the point the girls made about being so open in their physical affection for each other being for the girls who weren’t able to do so in the past.

I was sold at the concept of queer witches! But there were so many other things I loved about this book. The writing was beautiful, the characters were amazing and I loved the whimsy of the concept and the story. The atmosphere is incredible and so vivid.

I think there is an audience for this title, I am not it.

I really love the cover.

However, the story lacks rhyme or reason. I just needed a more concrete, tangible plot and characters.

This book was everything I wanted! I so enjoyed reading it. I requested this very shortly after reading Once & Future because I loved the Capetta/McCarthy storytelling duo. I surmised I must love them individually, as well. Well, I wasn’t wrong!! This story was dark and compelling, while simultaneously exploring various themes of sexuality, family relationships, friendship, and finding your space in the world. I appreciated the representation of various sexualities and the focus on female friendships rather than romance. We may need people in our lives to help us through the hard times, but it doesn't always need to be a romantic tie.

The storyline really drew me in and then the execution felt perfect to me. It kept me guessing and I never felt as if I knew what was coming next! I found no fault in The Lost Coast and will likely be reading it again in the very near future. I loved Amy Rose Capetta’s lyrical writing style as it made the whole thing flow and sound so beautiful. She really added weight to the scenes. The spookiness of the forest was my favourite and the kind of shiftiness of various situations throughout. I would highly recommend this to anyone who loves a good mystery or highly descriptive stories.

A fascinating, weird story of love and witches. Most notable about this book is its diverse cast of young queer characters, whose identities are all communicated clearly and wonderfully nuanced in ways that only an #ownvoices author could portray.

* I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.*
The blurb for this book sounded so good. I read Once and Future earlier this year and adored it so I was looking for books by the authors.
This book felt more like magical realism and not paranormal. The non linear writing did not work fit me at all. The characters had no personality and everyone of them were Regis toons of the others.
Unfortunately, this book was not for me. I finished it about 20 minutes ago and the biggest impression it left was the trees.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this E-arc in exchange for my honest opinion.


I loved this book! It has witches and mystery and friendship and I also enjoyed the LGBTQ relationships. The cover is gorgeous!

As soon as Danny moves to California, she feels deeply drawn to the redwood forests. And it's more than a love for the beautiful trees; it's something magical and undeniable. And then she finds the Grays, a queer group of witches who find and practice their powers in the woods. Danny isn't sure of her power, but she knows she's one of them. And maybe she can help them find a member of the group who's gone missing in the woods.

There's obviously a lot to love here. When I saw "queer witches in the redwoods," I was 100% in. And unfortunately, it didn't quite live up to what I wanted it to be. I love the sense of community in the Grays and how they embrace the things about themselves that others consider to be weird or unsavory. But the plot and central mystery didn't really engage me, and the time jumps and narrative structure kept pulling me out of the story. That being said, I'm so glad that the characters of this book exist on the page, and I know there are young people who will be so happy to see themselves in the Grays.

The Lost Coast offers readers something unique in the realm of magical realism and young adult fantasy by combining it with the contemporary genre. Following a group of girls who call themselves The Grays who cast a spell to bring someone of power to their home in order to find their missing friend Imogen. This spell attracts Danny, a lost girl who has spent her life searching for something that will allow her to stay put, a home, a connection to something deep within her. Danny had a troubled past and together, with her mom, they move to Tempest, California.

There is a strong message here about finding a home, about finding a connection that most humans strive to obtain. Through Danny, Capetta captures this need with refined precision. It is naked; it is raw; it is emotional in its impact on the reader because it is entirely relatable, making it easy to connect to Danny and her narrative. Moreover, the context and connection to the queer community make this even more powerful.

This also ties into the much-needed representation of the LGBT community. Each girl represents a different spectrum of this, and their diverse backgrounds give depth and humanity to how they identify and their internal struggles. Moreover, these characters do not shy away from who they are. These girls are frank; they are honest about who they are and shy away from the socially acceptable conventions in order to seek out their happiness. That is power. Labels have power; names have power, there is power all around these girls, and the way they channel it pulls the reader to them like a moth to a flame.

The story, overall, follows a steady pace. It goes back and forth between the past and the present, following different characters to build a historical narrative for the novel that allows the mystery to flow. It gives the reader a piece by piece breakdown of Imogen and her connection to the characters around her in order to build the intrigue to her disappearance. There is a segment late in the novel that is not overall clear regarding Imogen and her vanishing act, and this jumps at the reader without precision. It ruins the overall smooth fluidity of the novel, even if it later regains the momentum.

There were several things I really liked about this book. I loved the diversity of the characters and the setting.
However, I had a hard time getting invested in the characters and the story. I feel like less changes in the point of view would have allowed me to connect better with what was happening.

I really wanted to love this, I gave it a fair try, but couldn't. The premise was very interesting, it intrigued me and I was thrilled to read about these queer witches so I started right away.
The book itself is weirdly structured and very confusing to read. It jumps back and forth in time and from one perspective to another without fully showing you anything.
As for the characters, they were, in my opinion, extremely superficial. I was hoping to dive into the story to find a good representation of LGBTQIA characters, but this topic was touched on in a very superficial way, it felt almost as if it were banalizing it, and so I was really disappointed.
Maybe I had too high expectations, but they were certainly not met.

I wanted to love this book. I did. The premise sounded amazing. And part of the book was amazing. It just took too long to get there.

I thought The Lost Coast was very... wordy? Like just so many words that it was hard to follow. It took me a while to really get into it.

The last 40% was great. I couldn’t put it down. But getting through the first 60% was hard for me. And I so wish it wouldn’t have been.

Now. What I loved most was the LGBTQIA+ rep. There were so many different sexualities represented. Also so many nationalities and body types! I think everyone can find a little of themselves in The Greys.

Whimsical and lyrical book with a strong sense of self. The protagonist was so wonderful (playing with the "predatory" tropes often associated with sapphic who kiss a lot of girls) and i loved her so much just as the other characters, in their strange and wonderful quest. If you loved The Raven Boys, but want it sapphic and ownvoices, this is the book for you!