Ratings4
Average rating4.8
“Perfect to be read late into the night.”—Stefan Bachmann, internationally bestselling author of The Peculiar “A spooky sisterhood mystery that is sure to be a hit with readers.”—School Library Journal (starred review) “Grab a flashlight and stay up late with this one.”—Kirkus Reviews Once there were two sisters who did everything together. But only one of them disappeared. New York Times–bestselling author Jacqueline West’s Long Lost is an atmospheric, eerie mystery brimming with suspense. Fans of Katherine Arden’s Small Spaces and Victoria Schwab’s City of Ghosts series will lose themselves in this mesmerizing and century-spanning tale. Eleven-year-old Fiona has just read a book that doesn’t exist. When Fiona’s family moves to a new town to be closer to her older sister’s figure skating club—and far from Fiona’s close-knit group of friends—nobody seems to notice Fiona’s unhappiness. Alone and out of place, Fiona ventures to the town’s library, a rambling mansion donated by a long-dead heiress. And there she finds a gripping mystery novel about a small town, family secrets, and a tragic disappearance. Soon Fiona begins to notice strange similarities that blur the lines between the novel and her new town. With a little help from a few odd Lost Lake locals, Fiona uncovers the book’s strange history. Lost Lake is a town of restless spirits, and Fiona will learn that both help and danger come from unexpected places—maybe even from the sister she thinks doesn’t care about her anymore. New York Times–bestselling and acclaimed author Jacqueline West weaves a heart-pounding, intense, and imaginative mystery that builds anticipation on every page, while centering on the strong and often tumultuous bond between sisters. Laced with suspense, Long Lost will fascinate readers of Trenton Lee Stewart’s The Secret Keepers and fans of ghost stories.
Reviews with the most likes.
This book, without a shred of doubt, ranks in my top 5 of books so far this year. It's creepy, perfect for a variety of ages, and beyond that it explores the meaning of stories and how they shape the very world we live in. West, you truly wrote a gem - though the MC is 11 (and I'm in my 20s), I connected and related to her just as much as I assume any teen reader would. There's chills, emotional bits, amazing characters, and more. An absolute gem to read!
I remember reading one part where a boy mentioned, “You must know my family, they have been here since the town's founding”, and then another part where he is giving Fiona directions, like “so you turn onto Swan Road...you know where that is, right?” as if she's supposed to have every road memorized. And then I thought, This reminds me so much of where I live, the town of Red Wing. And then, I remembered, Jacqueline West lives here–she must have based the book's setting on it!
And that was so cool. Seeing an author take some of my least-favorite aspects of my hometown and use it to enhance the atmosphere of a fictional town.
The rest of the book was good. I was expecting Fiona and Arden to end up in the same roles as Hazel and Pearl, and one of them would end up doing something horrible to the other, but instead we got a happy sugar-coated ending. I'm not complaining, but the other route would have been more interesting.