We are lost and Found is a poignant coming of age story about growing up gay in the midst of the AIDS crisis in the early eighties.

Michael Bartholomew is a junior in high school, he has a close circle of 3 friends and he is gay. His older brother is also gay and when he graduated 4 years earlier he came out very publicly and his father kicked him out.

So not only is Michael learning to accept himself the way he is he is learning to accept that his father will not accept him and his brother the way they are. His family is broken and he desperately wishes to fix it.

Unfortunately some things can never be fixed, his family nor this new disease that is ravaging the Homosexual community.

Michael and his friends traverse the year with ups and downs like any other group of teenagers. Becky is trying to hold on to her boyfriend. James is trying to make positive impacts through the theater arts. And Michael is trying to find himself and love along the way.

During the year Madonna breaks it big and Michael finally puts himself out there in more ways than one.

In the end you can’t change others nor their opinions but you can be true to yourself and that can mean a world of difference in your life where as the other can do little but harm.

The story itself was good at it’s core. It was interesting and meaningful. The way it was written or laid out I can’t say that I am a fan of. There are few chapter breaks so the majority of the story is like a big long run on of broken conscious thoughts. Like an extreme case of ADD. It is also broken into 2 parts which I didn’t understand. Usually parts are befores and afters to some big event but there is no defining event like that.

I give We Are Lost and Found a 3 out of 5 stars and hope that this read it anyway because I really do believe the story is meaningful.

Oh how I love the 80s. I was a child in the 80s but clearly remember all the issues such as the fear of AIDs and the AIDs epidemic that was taking place during this time. How taboo it was to be a homosexual and how hard it was to come out to parents.

The book wrecked me, the coming of age wrecked me as well. Michael was a beautiful character whose fear came across the pages. You felt the same fear he felt about coming out to his parents, especially because his older brother came out first and was thrown out of the house.

James is one of his best friends and you could almost feel the little bit of resentment he had for him for being able to know and be confident in who he is. He also was tired of people using him to get close to James. Until he meets someone who likes him for him.
Such a wonderful read that stays with you for days after reading it.

This was an okay read for me, but unfortunately, I didn't love it as much as I expected to.

The lack of quotation marks was a bit hard to adjust to at first, and is not a style choice I usually like in writing but it didn't affect my reading experience once I had spent some time with it.

My biggest issue was with the (lack of) plot. Im usually fine with a more character-driven story with little plot, but this didn't have strong enough characterization for me to get invested in. I didn't find any of the characters particularly well developed, and I knew this would be a book I'd walk away from and not really remember much.

Still, I think a lot of this is just my taste in storyline and characters, so it's still a book I'd recommend to the right reader.

Thank you NetGalley for this book in exchange for an honest review.

We Are Lost and Found is a beautiful yet heartbreaking coming of age novel that takes place during the AIDs epidemic. It's a wonderful narration about a group of friends and the obstacles they overcome and learning to accept themselves for who they are. The characters really resonate with readings and the development is admirable.

“How do I live my life without becoming a statistic?”

I’ve come to realize that I enjoy reading stories with LGBTQ+ main characters. Especially if it’s during a historic time. We Are Lost and Found focuses on Michael, a teen during the early 80s dealing with the struggles of being a gay male.

This book doesn’t utilize quotations for dialogue. I’m not a big fan of this style and found it confusing and frustrating. I’m never sure why authors make that choice.

This novel didn’t really bring anything new to the table and felt like a typical YA novel. While there are some difficult topics discussed, I wouldn’t consider this to be “heavy” like other comparable titles. It seemed like what could have been some great conversations were glossed over or ignored completely. When Michael eventually comes out as gay at the end, everyone accepts him and the only “backlash” that he faces is that his parents kick him out. I find that hard to believe from story taking place in 1983.

I think there are plenty of other YA books that deal with these topics in a much better way. While I commend the author for creating a likeable and well-rounded gay character, I think more effort could have been put into the story and pacing.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I came into this book because of the title and the cover, and after that, because is an 80's story. But I never thought it would be so impactful and beautiful. Is a story about friendship, family, acceptance, and finding who you truly are. The story, the writing, and the author made you feel like you are living in that time and with that group of characters.

Some people might think is just angst, others that is too strong or depressive but is part of what felt to be a gay person in the 80s. Knowing that everyone would judge you because you like someone of your same-sex or leave you out of everything/apart because you might have ADIS or GRID as they used to call it.

I think is a powerful story that so many people should read, but with precautions, because it has content warning as recreational use of drugs and alcohol, homophobia, the use of discriminatory words (fag), verbal abuse, gambling, abandonment (parent trow son out of the house). Can't wait to see what else this author comes up with.

This book is a must read. It’s a coming of age tale set in the beginning of the AIDS crisis. It will squeeze and break your heart. It’s a really beautiful book. It got four stars instead of five because there are no quotation marks. Please for the love of god authors please stop doing that. It’s pretentious and annoying

this was heartbreaking yet beautiful. I love the main characters and the development of the story. This was a very impactful book and hit close to home.

4.5*

We Are Lost and Found is a poignant story of 3 best friends coming of age in NYC, in the early 80s, just at the start of the AIDS crisis. While WALAF deals with your typical teen woes of high school and what to do after graduation, friendships, love, and finding yourself, it also delves deeper into teen sexuality and AIDS, and what that meant for Michael and his friends during that time.

As a teen in the 80s who grew up in a small town, this book gave me a new perspective on what AIDS was like for kids in the "big" city. To be honest, AIDS was such an abstract idea for me, and I think for many of my friends, until the 90s, when Magic Johnson announced he had been diagnosed with it, and Freddy Mercury died from complications of it. I really appreciate the attention and care Ms. Dunbar put into writing this story, showing a side of that time in history that many, myself included, may not have thought about.



I'm sure there are people who won't care for this book, based purely on the way Ms. Dunbar has chosen to structure it- writing in vignettes and the lack of quotation marks, but I felt like that just added to the overall feel of the story.

To be honest, this book’s cover is what caught my eye and made me request it. And I’m so glad I did. I didn’t know just how important this book is. I almost feel wrong for not giving it a higher rating because I truly believe it’s very important but I have to consider the writing and the storyline as well as the subject matter.

Like I said, I believe this is a book everybody should read. What I liked about it the most and at the same time annoyed me the most was the way the story’s told. I love how this story gives an insight into what it was like during that time, something I feel like is not talked about enough. The entire time you could feel the fear of the characters. Even if the fear and the AIDS crisis weren’t always in the foreground of the story, it never disappeared. It was always there. In the background of Michael (the main character) and the reader’s minds. And that’s what I imagine it was like being gay in NYC in the early 80s. So in this respect, Dunbar did an outstanding job, in my opinion.

What I didn’t like so much was the lack of quotation marks. I was never sure whether I was reading the character talking out loud, the thoughts inside his head, another character talking, or something else entirely. It takes some getting used to. At first it pulled me out of the story a few times but after a while, I didn’t mind it so much. Apart from this, I enjoyed Dunbar’s writing. Everything comes full circle.

Although there is somewhat a central storyline (with Michael, Becky and James), this could have been about any gay teenager in early 80s NYC. This might sound like an issue but it really isn’t. In fact, this was perfect for this subject matter. The characters are there to help you navigate through that time, the fear, the confusion, the anger. And yes, you feel for them. However, I think the important thing to take away from this book is what happened, not the characters. I’m having a hard time putting my thoughts into words here. You don’t read this book for the characters but for the story, if that makes sense. The story isn’t because of the characters but the characters are because of the story. They help you understand what it was like back then, as far as one can try to understand.

The synopsis compares We Are Lost and Found to The Perks of Being a Wallflower and I have to say it’s a pretty good comparison. If you liked that book, definitely read this.

I would like to add that the afterwords are also worth the read!

I read practically all of this book in one sitting. I really enjoyed it. I understand how it might not be for everybody but it’s a book I’m glad I took the time to read.

No surprise here, I recommend reading this book when it comes out!

First off a trigger warning for homophobia and abuse. I gave this book 4 stars for the personal feeling that the writing gives, and the look into the AIDS crisis during the 80’s. I feel like I learned so much that was never taught to me in school and I only vaguely knew about. The point of view works well because no one really had any facts about the virus at the time because they didn’t research or educate people about it.

The coming of age aspect is great as well because he is so conflicted being in the closet with not accepting parents that already kicked his brother out. He is also struggling with first love and hearing all the rumors about AIDS and not knowing how to protect himself.

My only complaints about the book is that the characters could have been more fleshed out, for example his best friend Becky has a drug addict mom that is never really addressed. The main characters mother does nothing to address abusive behavior that is happening to her kids, and they don’t go more in depth about how she might be scared or why she acts the way she does.

I am genuinely disappointed that I didn’t like this book as I think it is an extremely important topic and I feel like very few other young adult books (or even many fiction books) have tackled this topic before. We Are Lost and Found follows Michael’s story in 1983 as a young gay man at the beginning of the AIDS epidemic. There is very little information being provided to the public on this disease and it is leading to fear among the community and prejudice against the community. Michael must deal with this fear and prejudice as he is falling in love, trying to piece his family back together, and freeing himself.

Right from the start, I struggled with two big writing choices. There were no transitions for time or even between scenes. In one page alone Michael was in five different places and there was nothing to show how he got from one place to the next. This just made the book feel all over the place and interrupted the flow of the story. The other thing that really bugged me was the dialogue was not in quotation marks. The sentences would still include the dialogue tags like he said or she said but no quotation marks. Maybe this is a really small thing but I struggled to get past it and was annoyed any time someone said something throughout the book.

Writing complaints aside, there were still some issues for me with the plot. This is one of the craziest books I’ve read as it simultaneously had so much going on in the story, yet felt like nothing happened in the plot. Every character had so much going on with their home life and their interests but that meant that none of the things could be fully fleshed out. For example, the serious relationship Michael is getting into feels rushed and, therefore, I wasn’t rooting for them. I wish the author had picked a few things are really fleshed them out as it would have made the characters more agreeable.

I did learn quite a bit from this book which I think is something it has going for it, but overall, I just really wanted more.

ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

“Our kiss was a secret we didn’t want to keep.
But we had no choice.”

Set in the 80’s, at the beginning of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, We Are Lost and Found follows Michael’s year-long journey to love, friendship and discovering, at least partially, who he is and what his place in the world is.

Michael lives his sexuality quietly, constantly lying to his homophobic father and his repressed mother in fear of getting the same treatment they reserved to his older brother Connor. He spends his days between school, trying to create music on his guitar, hanging out with his best friends Becky and James and going dancing at the Echo.

What I find most interesting about this book is the setting: the early days of the virus. I’ve watched movies and read books about it and I don’t ever want to stop seeing this part of our community’s history portrayed, as it is extremely important and affecting.

The author, Helene Dunbar, excellently depicts the fear that surges through Michael because of the new and hopeless disease that threatens his future and that of everyone like him.
Michael wants to fall in love and he wants to have sex like everyone else, but he’s scared of what he may contract if he does. He’s scared for his brother unbridled life style and his precarious living situation. He’s scared about his parents discovering about who he truly is. He’s scared for his friend James who seems less and less himself as time goes on and he’s scared for Becky’s family problems and her complicated relationship with Andy.

We Are Lost and Found is overall a welcome read: it has an easy plot line narrated in an uncharacteristic, but nevertheless intriguing writing style and charismatic and loveable characters. It is certainly recommended to everyone!

A compelling story of being gay in the 80s. Heartbreaking and real, Michael is written in such a way that you can’t help but love him and want him to come out on top.

This was so exceptionally beautiful and haunting. I read half of it in one sitting and then just made myself stop so I could absorb the emotions (plus I didn't want it to be over so fast?!) It definitely gave me Perks of Being a Wallflower vibes, but it was still unique and it's own whole self. It's so deeply about anxiety and being lost to it, but also about healing. And those are the kind of books that just make my heart swell.

It's set in the '80s when the AIDS crisis was beginning:
Technically the crisis was in full swing, but without internet access like we have today it wasn't that easy just to KNOW what was happening. You mostly had to hear it from people and read the papers etc. (And I literally just saw someone posting on twitter this newspaper article clipping from the '90s talking about eugenics for gay people being a "possible hope" so. Excuse me while I vomit. But also we know papers also oppress minorities.) Mostly, we have this story of queer teens who are scared.

that is so the crux of this story too: fear. The unknown. Wanting and straining towards something, wanting your whole life to stretch before you so you can own it -- but being afraid of a disease no one knows much about. I felt the book captured it hauntingly and really made me feel the ache on every page.

I also want to say this never felt like queer pain porn. Never. There is pain and the messiness of falling in love secretly because you're queer and your parents would throw you out if they knew, and wanting to have sex but being terrified of AIDS, and knowing people are dying. And it was all so heartfelt and respectfully done.

I also SO appreciated the afterwards from the queer activists!! I don't know much about this time period tbh, and just hearing people speak about it with 1st hand accounts was amazing and so important.

The characters:
Ok here is where I always fall in love with books!!! Characters are my #1, my heart, and constantly the book's soul. So pls meet my new loves: Michale, James and Becky (with shout outs to Connor and Gabriel too!!)

Michael: He narrates and he was just everything. I love that moment when you connect with what a character feels, with their fears and dreams, so reading Michael was so special to me. He's gay and super closeted but he doesn't want to be. His parents threw his older brother Connor out when he announced (loudly; in public) that he was gay. And ok it doesn't look like abuse? But he's literally cowed into silence, to fear, so he can stay home. He's 16. I ached for him and his voice is so raw and real.
James: he's such a theatre kid and dramatic and pretentious and dresses wildly and I LOVED HIM. He's also super gay and his anxiety over AIDS honestly has driven him into such deep fear. Like, you just want to immediately fite anyone who gives James a hard time. He and Michael are super close, maybe Michael has a little crush on him, but their dynamics are this deep entwined friendship and I really love books that say how valuable friendship is.
Becky: they out right say it, Becky is their heart. She's simultaneously sweet and no-nonsense and she massively looks out for Michael and James, as well as has her own problems and life and ambitious.

I loved them all together, how easily they fit. Like super tight friendship squads are my heart.

And also Michael's older brother Connor had one of the best arcs. And then there's Gabriel, Michael's crush he meets at a club. Idk how he managed to be so sweet in just a few sentences but there we go. (I seriously wanted to know more about him though!!)

The writing:
So it is formatted differently and I think it's good to be aware of that! It's done in vignettes, no chapters, and there are no quotation marks! At first I was: oh the no-quotation marks are gonna kill me. But then I loved it?! It just flowed so seamlessly and the style really clicked for me. I like to appreciate the different ways books tell their stories.


This is the kind of story that reads raw and bleeding with heartache and hope and I couldn't love it more.
The vivid NY setting, the styles, the music, the timelessness of kids just wanting to understand themselves and love and make their lives mean something despite anxiety -- it was beautifully captured. It made me want to CRY. Several times. Ahhh. It meant a lot to me, both personally with some of the feels and just also solidly as an incredibly good read.

This is a difficult book for me to review, while I was not over the top as I expected it did capture my attention. I always look for a great, well told Y/A coming of age book. This story had so much involved, real emotions, connections and all the spectrum of emotion. The writing was interesting constantly being in Michael's thoughts could be over the top at times.

I don’t really know how to start this review, because I feel like I just have so many things I want to say, so I’m just going to go for it and hope that it doesn’t look like a mess of words.



We Are Lost and Found follows Michael, a high school student in the early 1980’s. It’s a coming of age story, a slice of life, and a bit of historical fiction all rolled up into one. The book is told through Michael’s perspective as he navigates the year of 1983. He’s hiding the fact that he’s gay from his parents to avoid getting kicked out of the house like his older brother Connor, he’s trying to figure out how to love someone amidst the AID’s crisis that’s sweeping the nation, and he’s figuring out his music, his passion, and who he is.



There is a lot that goes on in this book, but the way that it was written makes it come across in a way that isn’t overwhelming. The book is narrated from Michael’s perspective in a series of vignettes. The whole book is very stream of consciousness, there is not a single quotation mark used to signify dialogue used throughout the entire book.

Personally, I loved this way of storytelling. It was refreshing and I felt like it worked really well with the plot and the characters. I think it gave us another way to understand Michael’s character, and I really enjoyed that.

I loved that Michael had a little community supporting him throughout the book. Michael’s gay, and though he’s not out to his parents and in his school, he does have the support of his two best friends and his brother.

Michael’s brother Connor, who was kicked out of the house after high school when his father found out that he was gay, regularly keeps in touch with Michael. From meeting up for dinner, or going to the club together, they always keep in touch even though Connor is estranged from the rest of his family. Throughout the book, they always had each other’s backs, so if you’re looking for some A+ sibling representation, this is the book for you.

Another major plotline of the book follows the AID’s crisis. Throughout the book, you really get a sense of what it was like to live during that time period, from the specific news articles to the educational pamphlets mentioned. The book was written in a way that really gives you a window into what it was like to live back then. I wasn’t alive in the ’80s, but I still feel that I got a really good grasp of what the climate of the time was like.

At the end of this book, there were two fantastic afterwords by people who experienced what is described in the book firsthand, and who were (and still are) involved in the AID’s movement.

Everything I have to say about this book is 100% positive. I had a great time reading it, I loved the characters, the plot, and how the book so masterfully transported the reader to another time period.

This book was one of the most interesting books i've read in a very long time. Not only it develops the characters not just based on their love interests, but as people in a very critical time as it was. Though the book has only one pov each character comes to life in a very special way and it's impossible not to love them.
I really liked that it also opened a conversation with my parents about the aids panic back in the 80s and i find this a very great and interesting way of talking about this important topic.
I'll be posting a review for the book in my blog when it's released.

E-arc received from Netgalley

I found myself being a bit disappointed by this book promising story about a coming of age during the rise of AIDS in 80s New York. While this book was certainly interesting, it was a /lot/. Not in an emotional way as I expected but so many sub stories were brought up in such a small amount of time, that you could only feel as though they had been rushed through and not dealt with entirely. I wish it had focused more on more on some parts of the story that felt more relevant to the main subject of the book

DNF, and I hate to say it.

I think this will be an amazing story, however the writing style and I don't mesh at all

* star raring not indicative, I just can't post without one*