I don't know if my hopes were just too high for this book, or if I was being too picky, or what. I went into this book convinced I would love it at least as much as I enjoyed The Brilliant Death, but I ended up staring at my ceiling, waiting for the audiobook to end so I could start something else. I started the book excited, but I ended underwhelmed and more than a little bored.

As usual, Capetta is a master at crafting characters that grab my attention and don't let go. I wanted to know more about the Grays and who they were, as well as how Danny was connected to them. I love the idea of witches, especially in a "contemporary" setting, but one or two of the witches themselves could have used some developing. It was hard to keep them apart, and it was even harder because Capetta purposefully crafted them to be so similar. I had to keep reminding myself that one character was like this, while the other was like this, and not that, etc, and it got tiresome after a while. It was both genius and infuriating. The characters that were defined well (Danny, Rush, Imogen) were all amazing characters, but it felt like the other Grays were just ... filler.

Unfortunately, besides the characters, I wasn't that invested in the story. I wasn't that interested in Imogen herself because every aspect of the story was about how amazing she was, so her disappearing wasn't that ... interesting to me. I wasn't invested in the mystery, so the big reveal was just another fact that I took in while staring at my ceiling. And even though I really enjoyed the characters, the romance itself felt weird and off. That might just be me, as I'm not the biggest romance fan, so take that part with a grain of salt.

Final Rating: 3
Overall?
I'm really conflicted on this one. I really love Amy Rose Capetta, but this one just fell a little flat. I liked the characters, but some of them were hard to keep track of while others were interesting but boring. While the ending was unexpected and intense, I was just bored with it. 

Would I Recommend?
I would definitely recommend this one for people who enjoy urban fantasy! I'm much more of a high fantasy reader, and I feel like I just wasn't used to the genre change. I also really enjoyed the diversity of the characters and how queer the story was, so that was also a plus!

I was fully entranced by this book and it's fierce love for queer girls who are searching for things they can only hope, between wishful breaths, to find. The writing is so whimsical and stunningly ethereal. It really sweeps you up into the aesthetic of Tempest where the trees are magical things that drink fog and where girls can be lost -- or found -- in. It's a book with one foot in reality, one in magic, but it's whole soul is for witches, queerness, and for those who have hollow hearts that need to be filled with friends and belonging.

The plot basically follows Danny as she leaves behind a trail of mishaps at her old hometown and moves to Tempest with her mum for a "fresh start". Danny's on strict instructions to behave. No wandering, no being thoughtless, no scaring her mother to death. But it's in Danny's bones to find trouble -- and it feels like this move maybe wasn't just random happenstance. When she meets The Greys, a group of four teen witches who are looking for their missing friend, Danny realises she's here for a purpose. Imogen is gone. Not in body, but in soul, and there's no way her four best friends (and her lover, Rush) will let her vanish from their lives and live as an emptied husk. But they needed someone with powers of finding: and that's Danny's untapped power, being a dowser.

The friendship group was interesting and their dynamics complex. I did struggle to keep up with the characters because they all had the same voices and kind of the same personalities. I wish there'd been less of them so they could've been stronger? It's a love letter to intersectional rep (there's black, queer, bi, nonbinary, Philippine, fat, and ace). And I feel like Danny might've been undiagnosed adhd but the book doesn't say explicitly. I wasn't altogether happy with Danny/Rush basically cheating on Imogen and the ending resolution left me confused.

In all honesty, the ending was the letdown for me. With a character dying (who seemed very young and absolutely capable of being saved and redeemed...but they chose not to?) who didn't deserve it and the book just leaving off like it had forgotten its last chapter. Open endings I love. Endings where I have no idea how the plot got resolved....not so much.

Overall it's magical book, sad and hopeful at once, and there's dark magic, ghosts, redwood trees and murder.

I really enjoyed the atmosphere of this book as I felt like I was on the journey with each of the characters. During the course of this novel we meet several characters who have special abilities. I loved watching each of them grow as people but also as a group of friends. This book is great for people trying out fantasy because it is very easy to follow and it’s not overpowering! This book definitely made it into the top books of the year!

When I first heard about this book I was really excited and thought the premise sounded interesting. I don't think we were given a lot of witch books in the last years and am glad they might be coming back a bit. Unfortunately for me this one did not meet my expectations. This book felt a lot like magical realism to me which is a genre that I struggle with at times. The writing was very flowery and took me out of the story. I didn't really get what was happenting and just couldn't follow the story. I wasn't able to get pass the 20% mark even though I really wanted to love this one.

My favourite thing about The Lost Coast was the incredible diversity.
Also, I was intrigued by the premise and couldn’t wait to jump into the story.

The world building and lyrical writing allowed me to become so immersed and entrenched in the story that it was hard for me to stop reading. The author knew just how to craft a sentence so that you’re fully surrounded by the atmosphere.

One thing I found difficult was keeping up with the many different POV’s, especially in the beginning, made worse by the fact the sections weren’t very long. Because of this I often had to go back and reread chapters to remember what was going on.

My favourite character was Danny. I felt as if I went on this journey with her throughout the book, watching her change and finding her place in the world.

Overall, I loved the writing and world building. I would have preferred longer chapters or less jumping around. I believe lots of people will love this book - it was just a bit too confusing for me.

It was just wierd and boring for me? i don't know what i expected, but it wasn't this... and i found it really hard to try to care about any of the characters. I sadly ended up skimming most of the book in hope that it would pick up it did not.

Right, so I really wasn’t sure how this book would handle itself when I first read the blurb. It was clearly going for something BIG and very diverse with mystery and magic on top of that.

And in a way, it managed it. In a way… eeeeeh.

So, first things first.

The writing really is beautiful. I don’t know this author but the moment I read the first chapter I knew I was in for brilliant word-craft. The writing is rich and enchanting and just, for the most part, lovely.

Capetta really captured the magic and sensual nature of the forests and that was just a pleasure to read.



(Though, here’s a random thought that I’ve had since right from the beginning of the book, and I can talk about it because it doesn’t spoil anything. Can you climb redwood trees at dawn in a party dress? Like, they’re huge. And there aren’t any branches at the bottom… how does this work? Just something that jarred me when I read it. Anyway!)



It’s also diverse. The author wanted to make it diverse and it is DIVERSE. There is so much diversity in there and I love that. All the characters are very clearly shaped to fit into a particular bracket of diversity.

Which kind of leads me to my problem with all the diversity. Being in that, it felt as if the characters were a little… lacking. When I say this, I mean it felt like being diverse was all that REALLY mattered and, as a result, some characterisation and growth and arcs were lost along the way to making them as diverse as possible.

Diversity is the IT Thing in YA atm, which is brilliant, but it doesn’t excuse flat or only partially-rounded characters. I get it, this is clearly the big passion for Capetta. Of course, why wouldn’t it be? It’s a subject incredibly close to her heart and she’s writing with first-hand knowledge.

And getting that diversity in there is great, but it’s the same problem I have with any other book. If the characters aren’t there, I’m not invested.

Like I said, this book was going for something BIG, and it had the makings of an amazing group with vibrant characters, unique personalities and iconic individuals. I really expected this book to be The Book of The Year for diversity and it just lost out at the character personality stage.

The plot was fine. Honestly, witches, in general, aren’t something that appeals to me in books – I was really reading this book for the diversity. The ending was where things really picked up but to get to the end it was just… fine.

Cover: Oh my goodness though, is that not such a stunning cover? How can you NOT give it a second look? SO pretty!


Overall: Meh, it was fine. I expected more and felt it drowned a little in its own diversity. I think a lot of people are going to ADORE this book, and I think it’s a really good book for those who want to see their own dash of diversity as a MC rather than crammed in the corner as an extra. But it didn’t work for me.

The Lost Coast by Amy Rose Capetta
5⭐️

Thank you to netgalley and Candlewick press for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
LGBTQ+ and witches? What could be better 😍 I loved this book so much! The world building and the relationship between characters were written so well. We meet Danny, she doesn’t know who she fully is but she’s looking to find that out. When she and her mother move to California from Michigan she just might find out who she’s suppose to become. The grays, a group of friends looking for one of their own that went missing needs Danny’s help to bring her back home to them. Dannys not sure if she’ll be able to help them but she’s willing to try.

I was so looking forward to “ The Lost Coast” by Amy Rose Capetta. Here’s the blurb:

"The spellbinding tale of six queer witches forging their own paths, shrouded in the mist, magic, and secrets of the ancient California redwoods.
Danny didn't know what she was looking for when she and her mother spread out a map of the United States and Danny put her finger down on Tempest, California. What she finds are the Grays: a group of friends who throw around terms like queer and witch like they're ordinary and everyday, though they feel like an earthquake to Danny. But Danny didn't just find the Grays. They cast a spell that calls her halfway across the country, because she has something they need: she can bring back Imogen, the most powerful of the Grays, missing since the summer night she wandered into the woods alone. But before Danny can find Imogen, she finds a dead boy with a redwood branch through his heart. Something is very wrong amid the trees and fog of the Lost Coast, and whatever it is, it can kill. Lush, eerie, and imaginative, Amy Rose Capetta's tale overflows with the perils and power of discovery — and what it means to find your home, yourself, and your way forward."

There were some things I liked about this book. I loved the diversity. There was lgbtq rep as well as various ethnicities. Let’s also not forget the gorgeous cover! I think that was one of the things that pulled me into it as well. The story was definitely one of friendship and accepting one another. I enjoyed the setting of the book as well.
I do feel as though the pace of this story was very slow. I love a good book that builds like a slow burn but this one was just too slow especially when there was not a ton that actually happened. The characters themselves, though diverse which is always a plus, were a little too underdeveloped. I didn’t feel as though I knew them when everything was all said and done. Overall, it was definitely an ok read that I am sure will be very enjoyable to many.

* I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

I love this cover.
I love the representation.
I am intrigued by the premise.

The format did not work for me.
I was as lost as Imogen most of the time.
I cannot even begin to tell you how many times I had to start a chapter over because my mind was wandering and I had no idea what was going on.

There were so many perspective jumps and time jumps. I normally do not mind that at all but this just was all over the place.

The writing is pretty but is it possible to be too pretty?

In my opinion, the substance of the plot got buried under all the whimsy. I am sure there will be many readers who will absolutely adore this story. I just unfortunately was not one of them.

If it weren't for the great rep and lush atmosphere, I most likely would have given this two stars. It hurts my heart to write this as I have been greatly anticipating this release. Alas, there is a reader for every book and I am just not the reader for this one.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Candlewick Press, for providing me with a copy of this to read and review. I always appreciate the opportunity to provide my opinion on new releases.

Rating: 2.5/5 stars

“Spellbooks tell you how people have done magic in the past” June explains. “they’re pre-made. Magic is like love. You see how other people do it, you have the stories and instructions they leave behind, but then you have to out how you do it.”

Imagine equal portions The Raven Boys and Spellbook of the Lost and Found and sprinkle in a little dash of The Craft and a hint of The Devouring Gray. The result should be something resembling The Lost Coast.
Between Californian red woods, magical realism and a witchy friend group, I had high hopes for this novel and was over the moon to receive an advanced copy from the publisher. Whilst it lived up to my expectations in some regards, I was quite disappointed in others, leaving me with mixed feelings in the end.

To start off with the good: The Lost Coast largely delivers what it says on the tin. It’s a story of a close-knit, diverse group of queer witches that find friendship and acceptance among each other. If you want to get your diversity kick on; this is the place for you, as diversity seems to have been the first thing on the author’s mind when writing this. Both racial-, sexual- and bodily minorities are represented and you can tell the authors passion for the subject from her perspective as a queer woman herself.
I also loved the setting: the foggy and majestic Californian red woods were a perfect choice to serve as the background of a witchy story. Amy Rose Capetta does a beautiful job of bringing the ancient trees, the vibrant foliage and the earthy forest air to life with her writing style that strikes the right balance between lush and readable. I had never read anything by the author, but I’d definitely count the writing style among the pleasant surprises this book offered.
My only problem with the writing was that the author sometimes “overtells” things, especially when it comes to points she’s clearly passionate about. Her point will be crystal clear to the reader by the scenes she has just shown us, but she at times can’t resist to tell us the exact same thing literally as well. I’m not sure if it’s a lack of faith in the reader, or in her own ability to bring something across, but it’s unnecessary in my opinion.
I felt this especially when the author talked about the characters sexuality, and the acceptance of diversity. That repetition, combined with the clear (and admirable) passion of the author, does come at the risk of almost lecturing the reader on the topic of diversity. Although I don’t think it crossed that line, it was close at times.

That also brings me to my next disappointment: the characters themselves. Because the author had such a large focus on their diversity, I feel like some of the development of the rest of their character arcs got lost along the way. It’s something I notice more and more in the last year or two since the surge in popularity of LGBTQ+ books, especially in YA. I have a post on my website all about this coming up, so I won’t go into detail on it here. The short summary is: I’m all for diversity, but even more for equality. A sexuality is not a substitute for a developed personality, and an underdeveloped gay character is still an underdeveloped character, no matter the best intentions by the author.
The framework for a great cast of characters was there: I’d just like to see a little more depth and development in them.
Finally, I don’t feel the plot was as exciting or unexpected as I was hoping for, mostly due to some pacing issues. I’d have liked the beginning to be a little slower, to ease us into the different POV’s, whereas the middle part could have used a little more action.

In the end, I think this is a book that will find a large and loving audience out there, even though it wasn’t a favorite for me. If you like books that focus on LGBTQ+ friendships, or any of the books I mentioned at the top of my review, ánd you enjoy those alternative witchy vibes: this one might be for you!

I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, it works pretty hard at being character driven. MOst of the plot centers around revealing elements of different character's backgrounds. Unfortunately that can mean that the narrative feels a bit disjointed.

The idea of a book following 6 witches had me hooked and I will admit that the setting was enough to creep me out with how atmospheric it was, but it was just a little too weird for me to be able to fully enjoy. It was an extremely quick read once I was fully immersed in it, but it took me almost a week to get 15% of the way through and then the remaining 85% I devoured within 24 hours. If you’re into odd magic and magical realism, this might be right up your alley.

I received an arc of this title for an honest review. After seeing the cover and reading what this book was about, I was so excited to get my own copy. Unfortunately, it just wasn't for me. I understand where the author was going, but the execution just wasn't there.

3.5 stars. thank you to the author, to the publisher, and to netgally for a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

i really wanted to love this one, but somehow it didn't click. that's tragic, because as a lesbian born and raised amongst the foggy redwoods, it SHOULD have felt made for me. unfortunately, i had difficulty connecting with the writing. it was very poetic, almost dreamlike, and at times that was gorgeous - at other time, it felt overwhelming and like purple prose, effectively taking me out of the story. there were many disjointed POV shifts, and some chapters felt more like poetry than story. without getting too much into spoiler territory, one of the final twists fell flat for me, perhaps because the villain felt more like a victim is nearly every way.

that being said, i loved the diversity (of gender, sexuality, race, ability, body size etc - it's wonderful), and the love story between, frankly, all the Grays. similarly, the relationship between danny and her mother is heartbreaking and realistic. those are the places this novel shines: the relationship between its leads, the represenation of a life that so often isn't shown in media. i truly hope this story finds some young lesbian or bisexual woman or nonbinary person who needs it. unfortunately, that person just wasn't me.

5☆
ARC received from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All of my opinions are my own, and are in no way affected by the exchange.

I LOVED this. This was EVERYTHING I have ever wanted and needed in my heart. It was queer as hell and feminist as fuck. There was so much diversity and so much female love and support in this. This was perfection and one of my favorite books I have ever read in my life. My heart feels like it was broken and remade.

This writing was so atmospheric and descriptive. It really felt like I could feel the salt water on the air and could see the trees around me. This book made me feel powerful and intense and whole in a way that I dont know if I have ever felt before.

This book was a real struggle. I tried reading the ARC copy I received, but besides the formatting being all wonky, I just couldn't get into the story. So out of desperation, wanting to finish the story so I could review it properly, I bought the audiobook from Audible.

What gave this book a 3-star rating was the representation, diversity and the performance of the audiobook. There were different ethnicities, and LGBTQIA+ represented in this book, as well as the cast of characters/protagonists being women. That part was awesome.

I could not connect with the story or the characters. There were too many jumps back and forth in time. It made it hard for me to keep track of who was who, what they all meant to one another, and what was actually going on.

The main group of girls were witches, and one of their coven had gone missing. A transplant from Michigan to their tiny town in California is the one element missing from their coven which will help them find their missing friend. They help Danny find her power, treat her like an outsider and then get upset when she asks questions that hit too close to home. They don't truly let her in, even though they expect her to help them find the missing Imogen. Throughout it all, Danny starts to fall for Rush, who is Imogen's girlfriend. And we learn that Imogen is not the friend they all thought she was. She kept secrets and practiced magic without them, which is also the reason she went missing.

Perhaps I just wasn't in the mood for it; perhaps it was just the story, but I just didn't like this book.

2.75 Stars

This book was . . . weird.

A+++ for diversity, queerness, and all things body positivity.

However, the writing style just did not mesh with me. I COMPLETELY get why people are loving this book but the time frame jumped around so much and it was just like a blur to me. The first half of the book was the worst but I did really start to enjoy it in the last half.

I didn't feel like this was as dark or mysterious as it was sold to me originally. I mean, yeah, some bad shit happened but it happened off page so it didn't hit you the way things do when it's on the page.

The characters were ok. I feel like most of them weren't really developed enough for me to have a full idea of who they are or why. I didn't dislike any of them, but I didn't love them either.

Overall I felt this was just an OK book for me. Again, I can see why some people like it but for a lot of it (especially in the first half) I just felt lost.

I received an eARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

This was a beautifully written book. I will stand by this, no matter what. You might not want to read about witches wandering in the woods or about characters with varying sexualities expressing their love so openly, but you cannot tell me that Amy Rose Capetta doesn't craft beautiful sentences. Well, technically you can, but I will think you are weird.

This story was a very atmospheric mystery that kept my interest at every turn. I've heard that there have been some comparisons between this book and the Raven Cycle, so let me tell you right away: the Raven Cycle doesn't hold a candle to the Loast Coast.

You are allowed to object, but first you have to read it.

The Lost Coast is such a gorgeous book that explores loneliness and finding your people. It's a universal story that any teen (any human, really) can relate to and I look forward to getting this book into the hands of my writing students, especially those who identify as LGBTQIAP+. No doubt they will connect with The Lost Coast and feel like it was written just for them. .