Sarah Beth Durst is an amazing story teller, and I loved reading this book!! The characters were probably my favorite part, but the plot was equally as amazing. The only thing I hate about this book is having to wait for the next one!

While I lived both of Sarah Durst’s other novels, this one wasn’t for me. The beginning was far too slow moving and it was a little too weird for me… I couldn’t figure out what was going on or what the point was. The characters were okay but they weren’t anything special and that made them really hard to connect with or care for where they end up.

I’m remaining a fan of her writing but this one just missed the mark a bit.

Sarah Beth Durst can do no wrong. I'm her target market, that's for sure. We will certainly be ordering in The Lost. I wasn't sure what to expect at first, but I fell in love with Lost. The characters were all so unique and quirky. Very imaginative and felt fresh. 11/10, will recommend.

The Lost
Wow! This novel was unlike any I’ve read before, so creative, imaginative, and thought provoking. This story was a fever dream in the best way!

While I do love The Spellshop and The Enchanted Greenhouse and Sarah Beth Durst, this one didn't hit for me. I felt the main character took slightly too long to figure out what the whole point of Lost was, and then her character growth was so slow that it almost felt nonexistent.

I'm glad she was able to get out and be with her mother on her deathbed, however, her drive to get back to Lost afterward led to a sentence that was handled as a throwaway statement that I was not a fan of. Something like "so did I actually make it physically here, or did I die in the desert?" 'Does it matter?' "Not really." And then they moved on. It was too blasé for me, personally.

The story takes place in such a great world. It is about heartache, heartbreak, grief and loss but also about love, life, family and connection. I enjoyed every moment within this book. Beautifully written and the concept is far too unique to not give credit. What a great read. Shared on goodreads and instagram.

I actually ended up opting to dnf this one. I adore other works from the author but not so much this one. I had a hard time getting through the beginning and rather than read a book I am not into and potentially ruin the good feelings I have associated with books I've read from her it was best to move on. I love her whimsical books which this one is not and so I was starting to feel sad. I'm sure it's great but I would rather continue to associate Durst as the author that makes me feel like I am reading a disney movie.

This book had me intrigued the whole way through. We follow Lauren, a responsible 27 year old working in the corporate world, deciding to make an impulsive decision for once in her life. This is how she ends up in the town of Lost. This book kept me on the edge of my seat and I just had to know how it was going to end.

Thriller/suspense/romance lovers definitely have to check this one out!

This book was interesting but a little too sad for my personal tastes. I think many will enjoy it very much!

As soon as this ARC became available, I knew I had to apply—I’m a huge SBD fan! I expecting her style to shine through no matter what this book was about so I went into it blind. Now, this isn’t a cozy fantasy at all. There are dark themes and triggering content, though it does have an air of whimsy and an emotional magical system that made it compelling.

The plot had its predictable moments, and some characters felt a bit one-dimensional, but I appreciated the emotional investment and grumpy romance. Overall, it’s a solid standalone with potential for more, and I’d recommend it to fans of emotional, magical stories.

A big thanks to NetGalley and author Sarah Beth Durst for the ARC!

I really enjoyed the concept for this. It sounded unique and interesting when I read the summary and it delivered! I thought Lauren was a great FMC. She was funny and strong. At some parts she came off cowardly but with everything going on it was completely understandable. It made her feel more relatable.

There was a lot of grief and loss in this. It really tugs at the heartstrings. I teared up quite a few times towards the end. I haven’t read the original. I’m curious what the original ending was. I wasn’t sure where this was going but I like where it ended up.

Overall I enjoyed this. It dragged a bit for me in the middle but made up for it later. All of the characters were well written and felt real in some way. The plot was unique and the town was quirky. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

The fact that I was crying for the last 20% of this says a lot about whether I enjoyed it or not. The plot was crazy interesting and unique, the characters were wonderful and compelling and the imagery of Lost was so vivid.

The way that Lauren struggles to come to terms with her mother being ill/dying is so relatable. I lost my mother in my early 20's, and I just really relate to losing a parent and the difficulty of dealing with it and coming to terms with it. The impulse to want to run away from that kind of trauma is so strong, and it was interesting reading a character that actually did try to run from it.

Claire is probably my favorite written child character now. She was funny, she was strong, she was so grown up for her age because of the circumstances. I loved her introduction being so startling and then the shift into what she became to Lauren. Peter was insanely interesting too and intensely sad. I was crying for him and everything that he probably lost/gave up.

This book was huge into grief and loss, whatever form that takes for people individually. It was so interesting and tugs on your heartstrings in a lot of ways. I absolutely ran and preordered a copy of this to have for my shelf and to reread forever. Loved it.

I loved this novel and want to thank the publishers for the advanced copy! I think every woman (or person) could benefit from reading this. We all get lost in some way in life over time and I appreciated the journey the fmc took to getting back to herself. Give me slow burn. Give me fantasy. Sprinkle excitement. It’s too good! You won’t regret this read!

Sarah Beth Durst is a master at crafting warm, enchanting fantasy worlds that feel like home. Durst blends magic and melancholy in The Lost—a story both eerie and unforgettable.

I always enjoy reading books from Sarah Beth Durst and thought the Lost was everything that I was wanting and enjoyed in this type of book. The characters had that feel that I was looking for and loved all the fantasy elements in this with the characters. I enjoyed this full concept and enjoyed the overall feel of this, it had that element that I wanted from Sarah Beth Durst and am excited for more.