jenni_t_reads's review
3.0
The Lost Kids was easy and fast to read, and the story proceeded nicely: there was no boring moment in the book.
What I also liked was that the characters acted like the teenagers they were said to be. I found it sometimes a bit odd that the author says that the character is 17 years old, but then she/he acts like 30 years old. This was not the case with this book.
That being said, I felt slightly disconnected with the characters because of the age gab (I'm 35). I also prefer character driven books and I felt that the beginning of this book was a bit light, and more detailed descriptions and background stories would have helped me understand the characters better. But I instantly loved Aidan! His attitude was enjoyable :D
So, note that my "critic" is not towards the book itself but it's about my own book preferences. In comparison, I also gave 3 stars to Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor which is a really hyped book on bookstagram. Thus, I highly recommend this book to younger readers! Or if you are interested in Mad Max vibes, this book could be for you :)
Thank you so much for the author for sending me a copy of her book! <3
What I also liked was that the characters acted like the teenagers they were said to be. I found it sometimes a bit odd that the author says that the character is 17 years old, but then she/he acts like 30 years old. This was not the case with this book.
That being said, I felt slightly disconnected with the characters because of the age gab (I'm 35). I also prefer character driven books and I felt that the beginning of this book was a bit light, and more detailed descriptions and background stories would have helped me understand the characters better. But I instantly loved Aidan! His attitude was enjoyable :D
So, note that my "critic" is not towards the book itself but it's about my own book preferences. In comparison, I also gave 3 stars to Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor which is a really hyped book on bookstagram. Thus, I highly recommend this book to younger readers! Or if you are interested in Mad Max vibes, this book could be for you :)
Thank you so much for the author for sending me a copy of her book! <3
notanotherapp's review
5.0
An eclectic group of vengeful kids take on their arch nemesis in a post apocalyptic world.
They methodically plot their way to break into the enemies inner circle, while traversing the seemingly endless desert.
There is a love story, tragedy, adventure, action and a few chuckles.
This book is great and really entertaining. The pages whizz by as you enter this magical world. It's like a toasted cheese sandwich, hardly gourmet but so delicious!
They methodically plot their way to break into the enemies inner circle, while traversing the seemingly endless desert.
There is a love story, tragedy, adventure, action and a few chuckles.
This book is great and really entertaining. The pages whizz by as you enter this magical world. It's like a toasted cheese sandwich, hardly gourmet but so delicious!
teenage_reads's review
3.0
Plot:
*Trigger Warnings: Sexual assault, child molestation, rape*
Their world is divided based on who lives above and below the ground. Below the ground is where the wealthy are, where water flows freely and the cool temperatures make for mild days and peaceful nights. The above ground is in the desert where the less fortunate try to survive. From prostitution, mechanics, to a runner for Balen, people are just looking after themselves to survive. Which is why Aria only partly blames her aunt for selling her body for organ harvesting. Having an abusive relationship with her aunt, who blamed her for her mother stealing Aria's father from her, Aunty Nita took the first chance she could to sell Aria for a quick buck. Accepting her death, Aria was amazed when a gang of teenage rebels saved her from Balen and took her back to their camp. They were The Lost Kids, a gang of teenagers all hurt by Balen, whose mission was to take him down and his organ harvesting empire. Wearing leather jackets and riding motorcycles, Aria always seemed to end up on the back of the motorcycle of Rayder, the leader of the gang. With a plan to take down Balen forever, Aria and her new team have to face the fact that they have to do terrible things in order to stop Balen, which includes working for the man they hate.
Thoughts:
Mad Max mixed with child sex slaves, sums up The Lost Kids pretty well. J.L Smith takes the story from the point of view of seventeen-year-old Aria who after being recently saved by The Lost Kids, joins their team to take down Balen. Aria as the main character was good, she had good morals and a righteous reason to kill Balen and had an easy time making friends with the other youth that shared her hatred. As a new kid, she got to learn the backstory of the other kids in the gang that Smith wrote in a nonchalant way, of basically: “Oh you saw your entire family murdered and your sister raped? Cool, cool, hey pass the mustard”. This makes it hard for the readers to get an emotional and personal connection with the characters, but also shows the rough and toughness of the world, that these things happen to kids so young and they just brush it off. They brush it off so much that Smith makes it hard for you to connect to the characters, as well as see them form relationships, mostly romantic ones. Yes, we all love Rayder, once Smith described him as our white knight with a dark side, he had irresistible written all over him. But how Rayder found a romantic connection in Aria is beyond me. Aria formed her romantic link with Rayder far too early, and once he started expressing feelings back, it kind of just ended, with only two kisses shared between our teenage lovers. With fast pacing action, the plot moves quickly as Smith takes you on this desert journey off the back of motorcycles. Yet there are two storylines happening simultaneously, the organ harvesting storyline, and the sex slave/prostitution storyline. See, Smith wrote Balen not only to be the King who buys human and sells their organs, but he also keeps child sex slaves, and like sleeping with actual children. Why? For what reason though? The idea of this organ harvesting empire being taken down by a teenage biker gang in the desert is a unique and badass story all on its own. So to add in the child molestation, a lot of rape, keeping kids as sex slaves, but to make it nonchalant details, as again these kids have no feelings, just make the story busier than it has to be. Overall for a standalone novel, Smith really did fill it to the rim with a sprinkle of romance, a lot of action, and a unique storyline that makes this book stand out.
*Trigger Warnings: Sexual assault, child molestation, rape*
Their world is divided based on who lives above and below the ground. Below the ground is where the wealthy are, where water flows freely and the cool temperatures make for mild days and peaceful nights. The above ground is in the desert where the less fortunate try to survive. From prostitution, mechanics, to a runner for Balen, people are just looking after themselves to survive. Which is why Aria only partly blames her aunt for selling her body for organ harvesting. Having an abusive relationship with her aunt, who blamed her for her mother stealing Aria's father from her, Aunty Nita took the first chance she could to sell Aria for a quick buck. Accepting her death, Aria was amazed when a gang of teenage rebels saved her from Balen and took her back to their camp. They were The Lost Kids, a gang of teenagers all hurt by Balen, whose mission was to take him down and his organ harvesting empire. Wearing leather jackets and riding motorcycles, Aria always seemed to end up on the back of the motorcycle of Rayder, the leader of the gang. With a plan to take down Balen forever, Aria and her new team have to face the fact that they have to do terrible things in order to stop Balen, which includes working for the man they hate.
Thoughts:
Mad Max mixed with child sex slaves, sums up The Lost Kids pretty well. J.L Smith takes the story from the point of view of seventeen-year-old Aria who after being recently saved by The Lost Kids, joins their team to take down Balen. Aria as the main character was good, she had good morals and a righteous reason to kill Balen and had an easy time making friends with the other youth that shared her hatred. As a new kid, she got to learn the backstory of the other kids in the gang that Smith wrote in a nonchalant way, of basically: “Oh you saw your entire family murdered and your sister raped? Cool, cool, hey pass the mustard”. This makes it hard for the readers to get an emotional and personal connection with the characters, but also shows the rough and toughness of the world, that these things happen to kids so young and they just brush it off. They brush it off so much that Smith makes it hard for you to connect to the characters, as well as see them form relationships, mostly romantic ones. Yes, we all love Rayder, once Smith described him as our white knight with a dark side, he had irresistible written all over him. But how Rayder found a romantic connection in Aria is beyond me. Aria formed her romantic link with Rayder far too early, and once he started expressing feelings back, it kind of just ended, with only two kisses shared between our teenage lovers. With fast pacing action, the plot moves quickly as Smith takes you on this desert journey off the back of motorcycles. Yet there are two storylines happening simultaneously, the organ harvesting storyline, and the sex slave/prostitution storyline. See, Smith wrote Balen not only to be the King who buys human and sells their organs, but he also keeps child sex slaves, and like sleeping with actual children. Why? For what reason though? The idea of this organ harvesting empire being taken down by a teenage biker gang in the desert is a unique and badass story all on its own. So to add in the child molestation, a lot of rape, keeping kids as sex slaves, but to make it nonchalant details, as again these kids have no feelings, just make the story busier than it has to be. Overall for a standalone novel, Smith really did fill it to the rim with a sprinkle of romance, a lot of action, and a unique storyline that makes this book stand out.
mysterious_bookshack's review
4.0
I want to thank the author, J.L Smith, for sending me a e-copy of The Lost Kids in exchange for an honest review!
Rating ~ 4 / 5 stars
I had so much fun reading this post-apocalyptic novel. From bike gangs to a revenge plot, everything was so fast paced that it keep hanging on every word. At first, I was thinking that because of the fast pacing, there would be plot holes but nope! I was wrong. The writing flowed well and it so interesting to be transported to such an interesting world. The characters have their own dynamics but they worked so well together. Each character had a troubling past but I loved that they were still able to enjoy life and crack jokes despite of the pain. It was really nice to see how these kids that came from different families all treated each other as family and would do anything to protect them. It was full of action and suspense in this novel! I loved everything about it!
Rating ~ 4 / 5 stars
I had so much fun reading this post-apocalyptic novel. From bike gangs to a revenge plot, everything was so fast paced that it keep hanging on every word. At first, I was thinking that because of the fast pacing, there would be plot holes but nope! I was wrong. The writing flowed well and it so interesting to be transported to such an interesting world. The characters have their own dynamics but they worked so well together. Each character had a troubling past but I loved that they were still able to enjoy life and crack jokes despite of the pain. It was really nice to see how these kids that came from different families all treated each other as family and would do anything to protect them. It was full of action and suspense in this novel! I loved everything about it!
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