Ezekiel Blast is a 14 year old boy with an unusual gift, he senses when objects are lost and returns them to their owners or to Lost and Found. Unfortunately other people, being cynical and suspicious, prefer to believe that Ezekiel is a thief (although why he feels the need to return things is never explained) and he has become a pariah, ostracised by his school-fellows and living a sad, solitary life with his father, the only one who believes him.

Then two extraordinary things happen to Ezekiel. First, a new girl called Beth Sorenson, 13 years old but with a growth hormone deficiency and a metabolic disorder that makes her look like a proportionate dwarf, decides to make friends with Ezekiel, or at least travel in his "shunning bubble" on the way to school so she doesn't get bullied. It's the first time that Ezekiel has had a friend, although he finds her more of a nuisance at first. Secondly, Ezekiel is invited to take part in a study called 'Group of Rare and Useless Talents' which explores the boundaries of talents like Ezekiel's through scientific experiments.

Then a policeman comes to Ezekiel's home, not this time to arrest him for stealing things but instead to assist with looking for a young girl who has gone missing. Although Ezekiel refuses to help the policeman at first, explaining that he finds objects not people, because people are never really lost, as he and Beth test his talent he finds he may be able to find people after all.

The first half of this book is everything I would expect of a young teen novel. Funny, clever, full of the trials and tribulations of being a child, especially a clever child, in a world where adults rule. Obviously it's Orson Scott Card so the writing is witty and engaging right from the get-go but like his other young adult series, the incomparable Ender's Saga, there is a dark and scary undertone. When tragedy strikes (and it is shocking) Ezekiel must put his new found skills to their limit.

I loved this book although I found the adult theme shocking for a teen novel, maybe that's a sign of my age, so I would recommend parental caution if the reader is a young or sensitive reader.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Thank you to Blackstone publishing for providing me with a copy of this book to read.
I would give this book a 4.5/5 Star and deciding to round up instead of down for Goodreads because I truly enjoyed it!

Summary: This follows a teenage boy named Ezekiel Bliss (or Blast depending on who you ask ;) ) who has a micropower that allows him to find lost items and return them to their owner. The only problem is how do you explain how you found the lost item and know exactly who owned it? This led to him becoming a social pariah known for being a thief. Ezekiel convinces himself that his life of solitude is a choice until Beth shoves her way into his life. He joins a group of people that meet and discuss their respective micropowers. Ezekiel decides that he should try to use his micropower for good regardless of what it would lead people to think of him thanks to the help and encouragement from Beth who ends up needing help in return.

Opinion: I would consider this book to be on the cusp of middle grade to early YA fantasy. The concept of micro powers I found to be extremely interesting as they opened the door to a lot of potential cool powers that at the same time were not unrealistic like regular superpowers. The rules of each power were tested "scientifically" and did not go beyond the established boundaries. The world the Orson Scott Card built here is beautiful and based on a true growth in friendship and trust that did not feel rushed or forced. While I believe this book is meant as a stand alone (I could be wrong) this world opens up endless possibilities for future books based on Ezekiel (some more fantasy crime solving please!)

Overall, the friendship that was built in the book felt solid and everlasting with (thankfully) no forced romance occurring between them, even if it was hinted in the future. The story kept me intrigued on what was going to happen next and I was invested into the characters since they were so well developed that I cared about how the plot worked out for them. If there are more books I will read them happily!

Lost and Found is a most human story from an author who has taken us to many other worlds. It’s a grounded approach that, at first, surprised me with its “day be day” beginning.

What happens next in the narrative mingles reality with fantasy beautifully and it’s a clear display of Card’s gifts. This is the kind of book I would gladly share with middle grades/high school students and adults.

More from this author, please.

3.5/5 stars - “...come on, this whole thing is crazy and borderline magical and if somebody told me the story he has to tell them, I’d kick him up in the loony bin.”

This is a really great summary of Orson Scott Card’s upcoming YA novel, Lost and Found. The book is categorized as SciFi/Fantasy, but I’d call it Light SciFi with a dose of Thriller—which, honestly, is more my speed. In the novel, Ezekiel Bliss has a micropower—as opposed to a superpower—where he is able to reunite owners with their lost items. This unfortunately has caused people to distrust him in the past, labeling him as a thief because they assume that he must have stolen the items in the first place. After befriending Beth, he learns to use his micropower to do incredible things.

I enjoyed reading this. I wasn’t the biggest fan of Ender’s Game (blasphemy, I know), so I was a little nervous picking this up. But that nervousness went away quickly. I liked that even though this had a SciFi element, it was really more of a mystery/thriller. I had some inklings about the plot twists, so they weren’t fully surprising but they were still effective. And I really liked Ezekiel. Some might find him a little too snarky. I think he had just the right amount of snark. He’d basically be my favorite student, albeit secretly. My only real complaint would be that some of the plotting seems rushed. I mean, there’s a lot of stuff that happens in under 300 pages. But other than that, this is a really solid YA novel from a well-respected writer. I’m thankful to #NetGalley that I had a chance to read it in advance.

Hello, I will be adding this review to my Instagram, Goodreads, and blog on September 9th, 2019. I will add the links to the reviews when they are posted. Thank you!

Title: Lost and Found
Author: Orson Scott Card
Genre: YA Sci-fi
Rating: 3.5 stars
Publication Date: September 10th, 2019

eARC provided by publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.



Synopsis: "That's the question that has haunted fourteen-year-old Ezekiel Blast all his life. But he's not a thief, he just has a talent for finding things. Not a superpower--a micropower. Because what good is finding lost bicycles and hair scrunchies, especially when you return them to their owners and everyone thinks you must have stolen them in the first place? If only there were some way to use Ezekiel's micropower for good, to turn a curse into a blessing. His friend Beth thinks there must be, and so does a police detective investigating the disappearance of a little girl. When tragedy strikes, it's up to Ezekiel to use his talent to find what matters most." (Goodreads)



My Review:
The cover and synopsis is what pulled me in from the start as it usually goes. I had high hopes for this one and although it hit a few of them, there were parts to this story that just fell a tad short.

Ezekiel Blast is full of sarcasm. He is a real "blast" to be around (I couldn't help myself, haha). He is pretty closed off until Beth makes an appearance into his life and its never the same. I enjoyed the character development for Ezekiel. He had dealt with loss at a young age and even some criminal issues that weren't warranted but came with his ability which inevitably labeled him as a thief. He was relatable because at times he wants to give up and forget what he can do but realizes that helping others outweighs the bad that can come with it. He is realistic with his choices and that's one thing I always enjoy about characters.

Beth is a minor character but major in the plot and character development for Ezekiel. She isn't really shy but builds up walls around her because of her height, being bullied because of it, and family issues she is dealing with alone. She is very present in the beginning and because of the plot, steps into the back but is still on the mind of Ezekial. She was a decent character but at times it felt like her and Ezekial were one in the same when it came to their dialogue. It also felt this way with other characters and when everyone is saying sarcastic things it just isn't that appealing to read.

The one thing that saved this book was the plot. At times it was very obvious as to what was going to happen and very unbelievable with how quickly things were solved. Even with these issues, I was still hooked with the plot and wanted to continue reading to find out how it would all play out. The micropowers are pretty micro in this story and it is more about the characters than the powers.

Even though I had some issues with this book, it was still a pretty enjoyable read.