Not every teenager knows what they want to spend the rest of their life doing, but Kira Bennett is different and determined. After being rescued as a child from a feral existence by her adoptive mother, she is dead set on following in Cady’s footsteps by becoming one of the best search and rescue trainers and teammates ever. Alongside her adoptive brother Jude and their spirited neighbor Free, as well as the dogs they’ve been raising for this purpose, she’s well on her way to achieving her goal. Sure she still has a problem with human interaction, but that’s something she’s continuing to grapple with and learn.

And then Cady’s estranged father shows up asking for help. Bales Bennett is an ex-military man who first started Cady on her career path, but the two stopped talking long ago after a bitter argument before Jude was born. When Barnes explains that he needs her help to find a missing child, Cady simply can’t refuse. She packs up her kids and their dogs, and they take the five-hour drive to Cady’s hometown of Hunter’s Point, on the edge of the Sierra Glades National Park. Nine year-old Bella Anthony has gone missing from her family’s campsite, and the Bennetts (plus the intrepid Free) are on the case:

QUOTE
We got to work. Within ninety seconds, a plastic bag was being passed around so the dogs could get the girl’s scent. I assumed it contained clothing, until it came to me.

<i>Not clothing--a blanket</i>, I realized, my stomach inexplicably heavy. <i>A baby blanket</i>.

The fabric might have been lavender once, but it was faded nearly to white now. It was threadbare and tattered, and the moment I saw it, I wondered if the little girl slept with it at night. When she was lonely, when she was scared, did she hold on to it? Did she press her face into it?

Did it help?

<i>I will find you</i>. The promise unfurled inside of me, unexpected and with the strength of a creature with a life and will of its own. <i>I will bring you home</i>.
END QUOTE

Despite Kira’s emotional investment, she knows that recovering Bella will be a hard task given that the park covers over 750,000 acres of wilderness. Not helping matters is Gabriel Cortez, the surly and secretive teenage boy Bales is fostering, whose assistance seems to run hot and cold. Add to this the unsettling presence of Mac Wade, a gentle giant with a complicated history with Cady, and the overtly hostile behavior of the town sheriff, for whom Bella’s disappearance is only the latest in what’s starting to look like a deliberate pattern, and Kira is soon struggling not to revert to the instinct-driven, violent creature she used to be.

Her dogs help a lot, but Kira’s real anchors are Jude and Free. It’s so refreshing to see such a tightly knit group of unconventional teenagers who aren’t riven by pettiness and romance. Jennifer Lynn Barnes writes about young people with a naturalness that makes for compelling and often humorous reading, such as here, after the girls have gotten Gabriel to loosen up a little:

QUOTE
A loud and unmistakable sound--followed by an equally unmistakable smell--permeated the air.

“You’ll have to excuse Duchess,” Free said primly. “Cocky teenage boys make her ladyship gassy.”

“Her ladyship?” Gabriel asked, arching an eyebrow.

“Duchess,” I explained, nodding to the dog. “Also known as her ladyship.”

“I hesitate to point this out,” Gabriel said, “but the proper address for a duchess is <i>Her Grace</i>.”

Free and I stared at him.

“What?” Gabriel muttered. “A former juvenile delinquent can’t enjoy the occasional historical romance novel?”
END QUOTE

And while The Lovely And The Lost is an excellent young adult novel that grapples with questions of humanity and identity, it’s also a densely layered mystery about missing persons on the very edge of the wilderness that will have you guessing as you compulsively turn page after page. I was really impressed with the way Ms Barnes wove all the different plot strands together to create a highly readable and oddly relatable thriller with a truly unique heroine.

I included this book in a May YA roundup on my blog and will submit the link and details directly to the publisher in the next stage of this process.

I was completely engrossed in this book from beginning to end. I loved every single one of the characters. (OMG, Jude, I loved him so much - we all need a Jude in our lives!) I loved how all of these characters interacted with each other and I was totally invested in their relationships and history. The search and rescue aspect was very interesting to me and I loved that these teenagers had been training for it all of their lives. I could feel their connections to their dogs, and to each other, and I teared up in several places from that (unusual for me). I found the heroine, Kira, so very intriguing with her mysterious past and the painstaking work she had to do to get from how she was when Cady found her to where she is in the present. (Deliberately vague to avoid spoilers). The suspense of the missing girl and Cady's past had me flipping page after page, anxious to get the answers. When the answers came they weren't mind-blowing, but they were completely satisfying, especially that surprise bit at the end between Bales and Kira. This book tells a complete story but does set up possibilities for future stories, which I am clamoring for wholeheartedly. I very much want more about these characters so I really, really hope the author has plans to gift us more adventures.
4.5 Stars
I read an uncorrected proof of this book that I received from NetGalley

Kira had been found surviving wild in the woods when she was a young girl and was saved by her foster family and their dogs that they train for search and rescue. When they are called to help look for a missing girl, they find more mysteries including one involving the town's founding families. I liked the dynamics of Kira's family, the dog interactions, and each of the teen's personalities, especially Free. And as much as I love Ms Barnes's other books, the mystery and drama in this one fell flat for me. I can see another plot working with those great characters if there was a second installment, so I'm hoping that there are plans for it.

If you're reading this book, chances are you're a dog lover. The array of search and rescue pooches in this story (two, in particular) and their special role in the narrative makes this book very special, indeed. It certainly made for a memorable read for me.

That's not to say this book offers nothing to a person who DOESN'T love dogs. Dogs are central to the plot, but the story is certainly not entirely driven by dog adventures. This is definitely Kira's story and her past trauma as an abandoned child, her difficulty connecting with people, and her personal mission to find a missing girl (and, to a certain extent discover WHY the girl went missing) is what propels the story forward. To that end, this story featured some solid writing. I found the mystery to be well-paced, with some decent red herrings sprinkled in to keep you guessing.

I've read some reviews that took issue with some of the supporting characters in this book, namely Jude, Kira's brother. Personally I found Jude delightful and laughed out loud at his scenes a number of times. I thought the author did a nice job of letting Jude's character break some of the tension in a few scenes. He's never clownish (in my opinion), simply a nice counterpart to the heaviness of the narrative.

For me personally, the weakness of this book is perhaps its final third where I felt like the story started to get bogged down in backstory and emotions. We lose the forward momentum of looking for the missing girl in favor of watching Kira process her interpersonal baggage. On some level that felt like an appropriate choice (we need to see some growth in these characters before the book ends), but it also felt like a choice that had a negative affect on pacing.

Thanks to the author and NetGalley for granting me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

*Thank you so much Disney Book Group for providing me with an eARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Kira Bennett was found alone in the wild at a young age. Kira was found by her now adopted mother, Cady Bennett. Kira is still haunted by memories of her life in the wild, and by the looks that others often give her because of how she was found. The mystery of Kira’s previous life before becoming a Bennett gives her confusion on how the young feral girl came to be alone in the wild. Memories begin to resurface as now as a teenager Kira works with her adopted family to find a missing girl trapped in the wild.

I really appreciate how fleshed out all these characters are. Each character brought something to the table for their little family. I love how close of a friendship Kira has with her adopted brother, Jude, and their friend Free. Free has also been adopted in to the Bennett family in a way. I love how supportive all these characters are as they do their best to love and understand each other. The exploration of animals being family is also included which made my heart full of joy to see. Kira’s bond with her dog was so mesmerizing and well done. Kira's representation of PTSD was a well-developed inclusion. These characters are truly a jem to read about. Jude was definitely my favorite character with all of his love, support, and comic relief.

I enjoyed the plot with the missing girl but I did find it a bit lacking at times. Overall, this plot was fairly well done and the characters were very well fleshed out. I did find the ending to be a bit underwhelming but I do see its purpose. I would recommend giving this a try if you want to read more of an emotional familial supportive read with a bit of mystery.

Though Kira has grown from a feral child to a semi-domesticated young woman, human interactions remain fraught for her. Luckily, her pack is always on her side: adoptive mom Cady, chipper brother Jude, rebellious neighbor Free, and their search and rescue dogs. When Cady's estranged father asks for help finding a missing nine-year-old, Bella, the whole gang comes along. Even when the case starts to reawaken Kira's darkest memories, she cannot stop investigating. And there is plenty to investigate: Bella isn't the only missing person, and Cady is keeping secrets. Lots of drama and trauma, but really it's all about the excellent dogs.

The Lovely and the Lost in Three Words: Captivating. Dogs. Mysterious.

I don't believe I have quite read a YA book like this one before. Since I don't want to give too much away, and because I want you to actually read this review, I am writing my review in short bullet points.

Reasons why you should read The Lovely and the Lost:
It's a unique story
There are search and rescue dogs
The excellent writing makes for a seamless reading experience
Features a solid mystery
The main character is extremely compelling
Family secrets are abound
It's a real page-turner
Did I mention the dogs?!

The Bottom Line: If you don't want to buy a copy, although you should, then at least request a copy at your library!

First of all, I am a dog lover, so the chances of me not liking this book were slim to none. This is a story of a search-and-rescue team/family that focuses on a teen girl who was rescued herself as a child by the mother of the family. There was a mystery to the story since they were trying to find a missing girl, but you also get glimpses of what it was like for the main character while she was lost as a child. She also learns more about herself throughout the process. The relationships among the characters were very interesting and I found the whole story to be entertaining. I enjoy the writing style of Jennifer Lynn Barnes usually anyway, but the dogs made it better. :) I will be purchasing and recommending this in my high school library.

I blew through this book, which I requested from NetGalley on a whim. It follows a girl named Kira who trains search and rescue dogs with her adoptive family. Kira herself has a mysterious past that slowly comes further to light as the story progresses. While there were a couple of moments that seemed a little overdramatic and pulled me out of the story, I found this to be wildly compelling otherwise. The characters were all distinct in their own ways and I loved seeing their relationships play out on the page. The plot kept me interested, and I didn’t predict the twist at the end. Overall a really good read, and I’ll definitely be checking out more of Jennifer Lynn Barnes’ work.

The Lovely and the Lost was absolutely captivating. I found myself completely immersing myself in the book. It definitely helps that I am a huge dog lover. The information that the author inserted about the search and rescue dogs was really neat. It made me want to look a little deeper into it! Especially since I have a friend who heads the local search and rescue team in my local county.

In regards to the main character, Kira, she was very intriguing with a wild backstory. I do wish that the author would have touched a little more on that. Throughout the entire book I had dozens of questions and only a few were answered. Hopefully those questions will be answered in the next book? The supporting characters were very unique and stood apart from one another. Each one added a good element to the book.

As for the story, there were a lot of plot twists and turns. Each one easily kept the reader engaged. I definitely found myself saying "what?!" quite a few times.

As a young child, Kira Bennett managed to survive the forest all on her own until Cady Bennett and her search-and-rescue dogs found her. Years later, Kira still prefers the company of the dogs over people, the one exception being her adopted family of Cady and her son, Jude. Kira's training as a search-and-rescue team will be tested when a young girl goes missing in the Sierra Glades National Park. The national park is wild and full of secrets, and is proving to bring out the suppressed memories Kira has of her past. The missing girl, the forest, and Kira's past will all come colliding together in this fast-paced thriller. This quick read will keep readers on their toes guessing what will come next!

The story follows the Bennett family Cadence (Cady), one of the best search and rescue dog trainers in the country, her son Jude, her adopted daughter Kira, who she found in the woods 11 years ago, and Phoebe (Free) Morrow who has inserted herself into the family dynamics and refuses to be left behind when the family is asked by Cady's father Bales, to help search for a missing girl who disappeared in Sierra Glades National Park. With its lush mountain setting, pulse-pounding intrigue, cast of unique characters -including a troop of rescue dogs-this book makes a great pitch for television and film.

Blending the high stakes action of a police procedural with the majestic thrills of a heart-pounding survival story, The Lovely and the Lost explores what it means to be lost and the power of family to bring us home. Barnes has thought out every intricate detail of these characters' backstories, from Kira's time as a feral little girl in the woods who is still trying to fit the pieces as to what really happened to her, to the geneses of Free's independent attitude to Cady's contentious relationship with her father, to the mystery surrounding the town bad boy, Gabriel.

Readers will love discovering how this cobbled together group of misfits became a loving family unit. The story is filled with adorable dogs with their own unique personalities and their own roles in the action of the story, adding another intriguing layer to the narrative and making this a perfect read for dog-lovers everywhere. If you are a fan of search and rescue stories with dogs, you will enjoy this book.

For the record, I didn't hate this story even though my rating isn't 4 stars or higher. In fact, I love stories about Search and Rescue and the way the dogs are trained to search out anyone from missing and lost people, to cadavers. I loved Kira's relationship with both Saskia and Silver. My issue was the use of Foster Mother over and over and over and over again even though Kira has been with Cady for 11 years. Was there no attempt made by the Cady to adopt Kira, or was this a mistake by the author? Also, the ending leaves a huge question about what happened to Kira when she was abandoned. I'd like that cleared up but it's unlikely to happen.

JLB never ever disappoints, but The Lovely and the Lost exceeded my expectations in ALL the ways! Your guys, this book is the perfect blend of mystery, suspense, family, and intrigue - I couldn’t put it down from the time I started it. AND I didn’t see hardly any of it coming - I am really really hoping that she announces a sequel to come because I still have so many questions and would love to spend more time with these characters.

I loved this story! I really enjoy when an author can keep me both entertained & guessing all the way to the end of the book.

Note: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review in any way. All opinions shared are my own.

Jennifer Lynn Barnes is one of my go-to authors. I’ve read most of the books she’s published, and if I haven’t read it, I want to read it. She is one of my favorite YA mystery authors, and she did not disappoint with The Lovely and the Lost. It was full of fun characters, dogs with personalities, and secrets – lots of family secrets.

Similar to a police procedural, there is a case that all the characters are working towards, which is to find a missing girl. However, the story truly focuses on the characters of the story and the various family secrets. There’s the mystery of Kira’s back story, the girl found after days lost in a woods and adopted by Cady. There’s the mystery of Jude’s father. There’s the mystery of Cady’s estranged father. Lastly, there’s also the mystery of Gabriel, the boy living with Cady’s estranged father. There’s truly a lot going on plot-wise in The Lovely and the Lost.

Since the plot focused so much on family secrets, I really enjoyed the strong cast of characters. Kira may be the main character of the story, but I thought that all of the characters were well developed. I was invested in each of their stories. I also really loved that Barnes gave all of the rescue dogs their own personalities. They definitely stole the show during some scenes.

Because there’s a lot going on plot-wise, I did find the story a tad confusing in the beginning. It took a while before things were revealed, and I was able to piece some of the backstories together regarding the characters. Even Kira was a complete mystery. I wanted to know what happened to her in those woods as a child. Why was she there in the first place? Once I got into the story, however, it was quite the page-turner.

The story also ended on a bit of a cliffhanger. I feel like there should be a sequel, but also, there’s no sign of a sequel on Goodreads. So I’m a bit on edge about that. There are questions I still need to be answered!

Overall, I really enjoyed The Lovely and the Lost by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. I’m *crossing my fingers* that there will be a sequel announced soon. If you’re a fan of Barnes or if you enjoy mysteries with a lot of family secrets, I highly recommend checking out The Lovely and the Lost. If you’ve read The Lovely and the Lost or if you’re planning on reading it, let me know in the comments! I’d love to hear your thoughts.

The Lovely and the Lost by Jennifer Lynn Barnes is the second book I’ve read by her and I have to say, I enjoyed the story and based on both books I will definitely be checking out more!

I wasn’t really sure where this story was going to go based on the summary, but I don’t mind a darker storyline in the books I read and Kira’s story isn’t all rainbows, that’s for sure. There is no question in my mind that Kira is a survivor and I’m convinced that Cady Bennett came into her life at exactly the right time. Kira’s memories go back to a point where she was living alone and wild in the woods and she has no idea how long she had been trying to survive that way. When Cady and one of her rescue dogs find her, she immediately becomes a part of her family. Although that is great, it is clear that Kira still struggles being “normal”, but she has Cady, her adopted brother Jude, and their neighbor Free to help and support her.

I have to say, while I enjoyed the characters in this book, my absolute favorite person was Jude. He brings the right level of optimism and levity to this story to balance out the pieces that could really make this a tough read. He loves his family and is extremely loyal and I love that about him. There are several things in his story that could have made him an angry teenager, but I appreciate that he is the type of character to challenge everyone around him to see things in a more positive way.

Cady was an interesting character for me. She has some secrets and by agreeing to her father’s request and going home, she is opening some old wounds. Not only that, her decision has created some challenges because of the secrets she has kept and Kira’s history. I loved her relationship with Kira. She wasn’t forcing her to be someone she wasn’t and while she was protective (as any parent would be), she gave Kira the space needed to come back to the human world on her terms.

So, to get to the story, when Cady’s estranged father tracks her down and asks her to help locate a missing girl, she agrees and brings Jude, Kira, and Free with her to the Sierra Glades National Park. As I mentioned, this has brought back some tough memories for Kira and she becomes obsessed with finding the missing girl. What they don’t know is that this search will put them all in danger and those secrets I mentioned will force everyone to face some things that they probably would have rather left uncovered.

I can’t say much about the story for fear of giving something away, but I will say that I loved how Barnes developed the relationships amongst the characters, including the search and rescue dogs. They were integral to the story and the secondary characters were just as well done and are the catalyst to several things that happen in the book.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. This story kept me turning the pages because I had to find out what was going to happen next with everyone and while I wanted a bit more at the end, I thought this was well done and only solidified the fact that I need to read more books by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. If you are looking for a story with a bit of a mystery and some interesting characters, check this one out!

Thanks to Netgalley and Disney Publishing for the advance Kindle copy of this 5.7.19 release. All opinions are my own.
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 for the newest from@one of my favorite YA authors. When Kira was found in the woods by her now-foster mother Cady, she had been surviving on her own for weeks. Years later she still has trust issues and is quick to go feral, but has fallen into Cady’s clan and learned how to train and conduct searches in the wilderness with dogs. When they are called to Cady’s hometown by her estranged father to help search for a missing child, Kira has intense flashbacks from her time in the wilderness. The trail uncovers lifetimes of hidden secrets, and a motive that I didn’t see coming. Recommended for grades 8+.

Thank you to NetGalley, Freeform and Jennifer Lynn Barnes for an ARC ebook copy to review. As always, an honest review from me.

My rating is 3.5 stars, but since there aren't half stars I always round up.

Like:
- The unique story that centers around a teenager and her dog who helps to track down missing people … and the girl was found in the woods as a young child, living there for awhile
- The bond between Kira and Saskia - very well written
- Kira feeling like she never really fits into any world - I think many people can relate to this

Love:
- Her ranking system of her feelings of overwhelm (1 to 10) is really great. I could see it helping a lot of people in real life when they’re feeling overwhelmed and struggling to identify or express what they’re feeling

Dislike:
- In the middle of the boo, it gets a little boring

Wish that:
- The book went further into her childhood living in the wild and less about just the present day search and rescue
- Got more perspective from the adults around her with regards to her coping with day to day life
- We could see more about how Kira experiences life

Overall, a unique story that’s enjoyable to read, but I wish there was a little more to it.

I’ve enjoyed all of the books from Jennifer that I’ve read and was fairly excited to get to this one.

I liked Kira well enough. The dogs were legit the best part and they might have been tied with Jude. I feel like we didn’t really get to know anyone in this group of characters and I think it was an effective way to show how Kira still struggled.

Plot wise...I don’t know. The story started out so strong and then at about the halfway part, I found myself getting bored. Everything started to feel drawn out and repetitive. There were several threads of plot and maybe all of them weren’t needed.

Overall, I loved the idea of it and the family dynamic kept me reading, but story lacked tension that I was expecting.

**Huge thanks to Freeform for providing the arc free of charge**