The Lovely and the Lost
Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Kira Bennett’s earliest memories are of living alone and wild in the woods. She has no idea how long she was on her own or what she had to do to survive, but she remembers the moment that Cady Bennett and one of her search-and-rescue dogs found her perfectly. Adopted into the Bennett family, Kira still struggles with human interaction years later, but she excels at the family business: search-and-rescue. Along with Cady’s son, Jude, and their neighbor, Free, Kira works alongside Cady to train the world’s most elite search-and-rescue dogs. Someday, all three teenagers hope to put their skills to use, finding the lost and bringing them home. But when Cady’s estranged father, the enigmatic Bales Bennett, tracks his daughter down and asks for her help in locating a missing child—one of several visitors who has disappeared in the Sierra Glades National Park in the past twelve months—the teens find themselves on the frontlines sooner than they could have ever expected. As the search through 750,000 acres of unbridled wilderness intensifies, Kira becomes obsessed with finding the missing child. She knows all too well what it’s like to be lost in the wilderness, fighting for survival, alone. But this case isn’t simple. There is more afoot than a single, missing girl, and Kira’s memories threaten to overwhelm her at every turn. As the danger mounts and long-held family secrets come to light, Kira is forced to question everything she thought she knew about her adopted family, her true nature, and her past.
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EVERYTHING THIS WOMAN WRITES IS PURE GENIUS *U*
This book has it all: an original concept, kick ass MC, loving families and sibling moments, amazing friends, good mystery, brilliant plot twists and of course, a LOT of dogs who are adorable but also smart and do their jobs wonderfully.
The whole plot revolves around the disappearance of a little girl and the band of teens with their search and rescue dogs, who are joining the search. Of course, they are only there as additional help to the more experienced adults who run the whole thing. J.L.Barnes just knows how to create the perfect atmosphere. I felt like I was there with them, in the woods, looking for that little girl. Time is passing but there are no clues as to where she went. It's a huge territory to cover and so little time before the storm comes and destroys all evidence.
I think the mystery was done wonderfully. There are lots of random clues and hints and twists along the way, and you're never really quite sure who's to blame for the whole thing. And the final reveal was just brilliant - I would never have predicted it. The story ended on a whole different note than I expected and I think that just made the book more different and better.
The characters themselves were amazing. I just love our main trio: Kira - the wild and dangerous girl found in the woods who knows these animals better than anyone, Free - the strong and resourceful girl who knows how to get what she wants and of course, Jude - my precious baby, the optimistic boy who can light even the darkest situations :D And lets not forget about their dogs - because let's face it, they are the real MVPs of the story. They found all the clues and ultimately "solved the case." What I'm trying to say is that the book is full of dog moments and they are EVERYTHING.
The whole story was just so. good. The way Barnes portrayed their family was so heartwarming and real. I just love it when there are good sibling moments in a story and this one had a lot. Also, there is no romance which is a huge plus for me. Beside the main mystery, there are also side stories about certain characters that are also interesting and kept me guessing. All in all, I'm in love with the story and can't wait to see what the author writes next *u*
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