Let's Get Lost by Sara Manning

Let's get Lost by Sara Manning

ISBN: 0-525-47666-0

Pages: 308

Inside flap description:

Isabel is the girl who rules the school with an iron fist and a gang of minions who do her bidding. her friends are frightened of her, her teachers can't get through to her, and that's just the way she likes it. With her razor-sharp edges and tall walls, nothing gets to Isabel-and none, but no one is ever going to discover her dark, sad secrets. But then she meets Smith, and her life starts coming apart....

From the author of Guitar Girl and Pretty Things, a compelling drama about life when nothing makes sense, when all the expectations and pressure are too much, and you just need someone to help you get lost.

My Rating: A

My Review:

I don't know how this book ended up on my TBR pile, and I don't really know what made me pick it up Thursday night, but I'm quite glad I did.

I read some YA, but it's usually of the paranormal variety. And, while 6 years isn't that long ago, I never really identified with the high school female, even when I was in high school, let alone now that I've been out for 6 years. So, this book, it really shouldn't have grabbed me like it did.

After the first 5 chapters, there was no way I was putting it down.

There are times when you hate Isabel, she's annoying, mean, snide, rude, and malicious. But...I'm hoping the author did that on purpose. I can't say I know she did, but I'm willing to bet money on it.

Actually, during this book, there's only one character you don't hate at least some of the time, if not most. Felix, Isabel's little brother, is an amazing character, and every bit a 9 year old boy. I had a brother that was 9 once, and he was just the same.

Smith is incredibly attractive as a character, but unlike Isabel, I saw flaws that most who are older than 20 would see in 20 year old boy, which makes her liking him somehow more believable. I know that probably doesn't make sense, but as I've gotten older, flaws aren't necessarily a bad thing in a partner, you don't want someone so high up on the pedestal that you can't touch them. Smith (for me) wasn't.

The reason I think I enjoyed this book SO much is that I identified with one of the MAJOR aspects of the story. I've recently endured the loss of a loved one, and while as mentioned in the book, there's no wrong way to grieve, there are unhealthy ways, and I see myself falling into them all the time. I think if I were 16 when I lost my father, I would have reacted just the same way that she did. That makes her an extremely real character to me.

Towards the end of the book, when conflict is resolved, I felt that one of the characters flipped too quickly. The book could have had a few more chapters, in my opinion, but without them, it's still a great novel.

To all of my YA lovers out there, if you haven't picked up this book, make sure to add it to your TBR!