So, this was amazing. I really enjoyed reading about Antsy and her journey. It also talked about so many important topics like abuse without actually showing the abuse. Adults can be shitty human beings, even when they don't outwardly show it. It does not have to be obvious. I really hope Antsy appears in more of the books, as she does have potential.

I got this copy from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review

4 stars

Very deep dark and magical. I had no clue this was part of a series when I started reading it, I do not think that took away from the story though. The writing is beautiful, and the story though short was very well done. I’ll be checking out the rest of the series now though.

Absolutely amazing. Dark and quiet and magical. It is so well written and my favorite in the series.

This is my favorite entry in McGuire's Wayward Children series yet. This series, following children who stumble into portals to different worlds (like Narnia or Alice in Wonderland), has been steadily growing and expanding in magnitude throughout the years it has been published. This book, entry number eight in the series, opens the world even further, answering questions that readers have been asking since book one. In the grand scheme of the series, this is satisfying and also left me excited for more. However, the book by itself is also well worth the read. The setting for this story is high intrigue and is a complete tale in and of itself. The themes and writing are smart, and McGuire deals with heavy, emotional topics with care.

I already highly recommend this series, but this entry just solidified that. If you haven't already jumped on this series - what are you waiting for?

Lost in the Moment and Found by Seanan McGuire is a standalone story set in the world of McGuire’s bestselling series, Wayward Children. I’ve long heard about this award-winning series but confess I’ve not read it. When I saw this book come up, I decided this was the opportunity to see if I wanted to commit to reading the entire series. If this book is an example of what to expect then sign me up. The writing style was simply lovely to read full of wonder, fantasy and whimsy. It reminded me a fairy tale in that it gave me a sense of that childhood wonder of reading about elaborate fantasy and heartwarming yet tragic characters. The book was quite short (around 200 pages) and felt more like a novella than a full novel. I’d definitely recommend this one. Thank you to Seanan McGuire, Macmillian-Tor/Forge and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this e-book.

Thank you NetGalley and Tor for the ARC! This is the 8th in the Wayward Children series and is sure to please series fans (like myself). Antoinette (Antsy's) story is full of emotion and betrayal, the loss of innocence, and the pursuit of finding oneself and what makes one happy.

Thank you NetGalley & MacMillan-Tor/Forge for this ARC.

I couldn’t put this book down. It is the epitome of magic. Antsy’s story is so heartbreaking, I loved her and really enjoyed her character. For a short book this really packs a punch.

I need the whole series in psychical form. There is so much re read potential

I received an eARC from Netgalley and the publishers, Macmillan-Tor/Forge, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Review: 5 stars
Release Date: 10 January 2023
Trigger Warnings: Grooming, gaslighting by an adult, death of a parent, hints at pedophilia and sexual assault.

Please note the above trigger warnings for this book. As Seanan McGuire mentions in the opening note of the book, Antsy runs away from home before any sexual assault takes place, however, it is hinted at and may be too much for some people, especially in conjunction with the grooming and gaslighting that does occur. Please practice self-care before, during, and after reading. As a side note, thank you to the author for including this trigger warning right at the beginning of the novel.

The Wayward Children series is one of my favourite series of all time. It is such a whimsical series, while also being full of amazing representation, life lessons, and situations where the reader can see themselves reflected. Lost in the Moment and Found is no exception to this. Once again, Seanan McGuire excels at showing life through a child's eyes in a way that any adult reading this can also relate to.

I love Antsy as a main character. She is very three-dimensional, and you can feel her pain throughout her time living at home before she finds her Door (and later on when certain informatin is revealed). It is very easy to empathise with her and feel anger on her behalf toward all those who have done her wrong. Without spoiling, I do want to say that the quick physical growth she goes through was such a great metaphor for the quick mental growth that Antsy also experienced.

We get some more insight into how the Doors work which was something I never knew I wanted. I was quite content with the information provide in previous books, but this really just added to the complexity and even potential danger of the Doors. I hope we continue to explore this, and my guess is that Antsy will provide some imperative insight regarding this in future books. If you've read the book, you'll know what I mean - that ending!!

There are two more books listed on Goodreads, and I am beyond excited to read them! This series has so much potential, and after this eighth book, it shows no sign of slowing! I really hope we continue to get more in this world, both stories that the fans (including myself!) are dying for (i.e., Eleanor, Kade, Christopher) and ones that we don't even know we want or need.

A good installment, I wish we'd gotten to see more of the various worlds, so much of the book seemed to get taken up with the dusty shop. Like the rest in the series, I really just wish they were full size novels rather than novellas.

There is not a title in this series that has disappointed yet! Each one is still so uniquely different and you can definitely read them on their own without the others. It (like many of the titles) does deal with a heavy subject that our main character runs away from. The author does give a warning but also hope. The idea that lost things end up in the world is a lot of fun and as most fun things are they come with a price. Newcomers to the series and old fans alike have a lot to “find” in this novel!

I don't know, maybe the magic of this series is wearing off for me. I didn't find the story or the main character or the Doors interesting. The school didn't appear until the end, and the students we know didn't appear at all. It felt like the author was going through the motions. I was glad it was a novella and not a longer book. Honestly, three stars feels generous.

I read an advance reader copy from Netgalley.

Lost in the Moment and Found by Seanan McGuire, McGuire is up to her usual tricks with this story of giving you not quite what you think you are getting. Read at your own risk! Very Enjoyable.

Thank you SO much for the chance to read this ARC, I always love getting a sneak peek of these gorgeous novellas.

I knew this was going to be good, but it may be a new favourite in the Wayward Children series. Antsy is an incredible main character who has a beautiful and unique journey in this series, and the vibes of the shop where she ended up were immaculate.

No spoilers but the ending also warmed my cold little heart and this was truly a ray of joy in my life!

For being such a short book, it sure had a long-lasting impacting on my life. I was expecting a light installment in the series, an addition, but nothing more. Instead, this became one of my favorites in the entire series and one of my favorite books of all time. I don't cry often while I'm reading, but I cried reading this. 100 pages filled with hard-hitting emotions that went straight to my heart did this to me, I guess.

Our main character, Antsy, is a strong and feisty main character, and she is one of the smartest protagonist I've ever read. It's so easy to root for her. So easy to want her to succeed. At this point, we are all aware of the beautiful writing of the author, but it feels even more true in Lost in the Moment and Found. You feel Antsy hopes and dreams, and doubts and fears, and desperation. You feel everything in such a short amount of time. I don't know how the author does it. Her words must be made of magic. No other explanation.
I'm sad to say I relate to a lot of Antsy struggles (even if in a slight different way), and her journey felt like my journey.
This book is rich in metaphors, and I would love to write a spoilery analysis at some point. It deserves to be analyzed, loved and studied.
It's a smart book, not only because the way it deals with abuse, but also because it adds so much to the world of the Wayward Children in a way I hadn't anticipated. A few books, while still stunning, feel like fillers, but this one explains so much. If you ever felt frustrated about this aspect, this one won't disappoint you.
If you love the series, you're going to love this one.

tw: abuse, neglect, child abuse, death of a parent, sexual abuse.

thank you to tor and netgalley for providing me with an e-arc! all opinions are my own

every time I read a book in this series I think, surely it cannot blow me away THAT much anymore. but here we are again. this might be the most heartbreaking installment in the series yet, but it also feels like a monumental part - it explains a part of the lore behind the doors that I hadn’t even considered, and did so in such a beautiful way.

I loved the atmospheric setting of the shop, made even more enchanting by Seanan McGuire’s exceptional writing. I loved Antsy so much and I wanted to take her in my arms and protect her. I loved that this book truly added to the overarching story of the Wayward Children, and it feels like I find my place in this world more and more with every new book. some of the previous parts occasionally had a few things I didn’t love, but this one made me feel the same In an Absent Dream did, which is my favourite in the series.

I cannot wait to get a hardcopy of this and just do a huge marathon of all the books out so far early next year. highly recommend!

I received a digital ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I think this is easily one of my favorite books in this entire series. I think this one carries more weight because the story (based on info in the author's note) draws on the author's own experience; it also works as more of an anchor story within the Wayward Children series, since it explains how doors work in more detail than we've previously gotten. My one complaint is that in the first part of the book, when Antsy is still very young, she comes across as much older; however, that also might be a result of the narrative style of the book, or the author's own personal experience (and adult perspective) influencing how this story is told. It doesn't "hurt" the story, but it is sometimes distracting / disorienting.

This story had me in a chokehold the moment I read the dedication and my heart was immediately broken into bits -- which reminds me, there is an author's note and content warning so please be mindful before picking this one up. Due to the one-connected, one-standalone pattern, this particular instalment isn't part of the main storyline and instead focuses on Antsy, a young girl who runs away from home rather than face the horrors that await her at the hands of her stepfather, and, stepping through a door (which also happens to be a Door), finds herself in a junk shop housing lost things; of which she, herself, has become one.

Unlike most instalments, main plot or otherwise, this doesn't have a lot going on. It's a very quiet book which is incredibly fitting considering the subject matter of the beginning and also the themes for the rest of the story. And while I didn't break down and cry (though I foresee one particular scene maybe being cause for many a tear, though I'm not sure why I didn't shed any myself!), this somehow still packed a punch.

This series had been on a downward trajectory for me up until the last book and I'm delighted that I've loved one of these enough to again award a four star (only the second ever). I hope that means we only continue to go up -- though I'd be just as happy to stay steady here! -- because I do love the concept of this series, I admire the themes, and often I'll even enjoy the characters. And yet somehow they never combine into a win. But this time? They did.

As this reads as a standalone, even if you aren't invested in this series already, I would highly recommend it.

I thought I would know how this book would go (a child gets lost in a magical world and then goes on adventures before unhappily finding their way back home). However, this entry in the Wayward series looks into the mechanics of the portals to the other worlds.

Do I have to say this is a great book? It’s part of the Wayward series. Of course, it’s great. I appreciated the more in-depth look at how the Wayward universe operates.

This review is based on an advanced reader copy provided through Netgalley for an honest review.

I love the recent novellas exploring outside of the school grounds, and this installment may be the furthest. While some familiar characters may appear, it's very briefly and this may be the darkest addition to the series.

There's a very candid look at aspects of grooming, emotional, and psychological abuse so the story may not be for everyone. The character growth displayed in such a short amount of time without feeling rushed is phenomenal though, proving how incredible a writer McGuire is.

This book feels very personal to Seanan McGuire, and that's a beautiful thing. It's deep and it's very poignant. My personal quibble with it is that it doesn't feel connected to the rest of the Wayward Children series and I miss that series. So on its own, with an important message, it's a lovely book. As a part of the series as a whole, I'm not as sold.