lilyn_g's review
4.0
I feel a bit odd whenever it’s time to review one of this author’s books. She is undeniably talented, so it’s nothing bad. Her books are always easy reads that gently lull you into her world. I know going in that I’m going to like the characters, that they’re going to feel believable, and that nothing too bad is going to happen in it. They’re peaceful reads that you could easily hand to a middle-grader without worrying at all about appropriateness.
In short, they’re the direct opposite of 95% of what I read, so when review time comes I feel a bit at a loss for words!
Lost on the Water feels a bit like a Lifetime movie. A teen finds herself in a bit over her head when she’s mistaken for a boy and decides to roll with it because she wants to experience the awesomeness of a camp out ritual for boys only. After all, she needs something to entertain her while she’s stuck in the middle of Tennessee with nothing to do for two weeks. Of course, things don’t go right on any level for a while and she learns a bit about herself in the process.
This is a well-paced novel with a main character who feels like ‘that one girl you knew’ when you were that age. Or maybe you were that girl. She doesn’t fit in quite right, she’s sometimes stupidly stubborn, and she doesn’t exactly make good choices. But she’s a good kid. The supporting cast is a decent one as well.
The dialogue feels spot on, even if the kids themselves feel weirdly wholesome at times. I grew up in a small town, and even though I like the characters, this was not my recollection of how small town teens behaved! (I would have loved it if they did, though.)
The ghost story that the book surrounds is a sad one, but I liked the way everything worked out. I also liked the drama that wasn’t about the ghost story as well. I could feel the worry during those particular scenes, and could imagine it a little too well.
Overall, Lost on the Water is a good, quiet read. Sort of like a mug of cocoa on a cold, dreary day when you can’t help but enjoy it – even if you don’t particularly like cocoa most of the time!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author for review consideration.
In short, they’re the direct opposite of 95% of what I read, so when review time comes I feel a bit at a loss for words!
Lost on the Water feels a bit like a Lifetime movie. A teen finds herself in a bit over her head when she’s mistaken for a boy and decides to roll with it because she wants to experience the awesomeness of a camp out ritual for boys only. After all, she needs something to entertain her while she’s stuck in the middle of Tennessee with nothing to do for two weeks. Of course, things don’t go right on any level for a while and she learns a bit about herself in the process.
This is a well-paced novel with a main character who feels like ‘that one girl you knew’ when you were that age. Or maybe you were that girl. She doesn’t fit in quite right, she’s sometimes stupidly stubborn, and she doesn’t exactly make good choices. But she’s a good kid. The supporting cast is a decent one as well.
The dialogue feels spot on, even if the kids themselves feel weirdly wholesome at times. I grew up in a small town, and even though I like the characters, this was not my recollection of how small town teens behaved! (I would have loved it if they did, though.)
The ghost story that the book surrounds is a sad one, but I liked the way everything worked out. I also liked the drama that wasn’t about the ghost story as well. I could feel the worry during those particular scenes, and could imagine it a little too well.
Overall, Lost on the Water is a good, quiet read. Sort of like a mug of cocoa on a cold, dreary day when you can’t help but enjoy it – even if you don’t particularly like cocoa most of the time!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author for review consideration.
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