Review: The Distance Between Lost and Found by Kathryn Holmes

The Distance Between Lost and Found by Kathryn Holmes
320 Pages
Release Date: February 17th, 2015
Publisher: HarperTeen
Genre: Contemporary
My Rating: 4.7 STARS

Goodreads Summary:

Ever since the night of the incident with Luke Willis, the preacher’s son, sophomore Hallelujah Calhoun has been silent. When the rumors swirled around school, she was silent. When her parents grounded her, she was silent. When her friends abandoned her … silent.

Now, six months later, on a youth group retreat in the Smoky Mountains, Hallie still can’t find a voice to answer the taunting. Shame and embarrassment haunt her, while Luke keeps coming up with new ways to humiliate her. Not even meeting Rachel, an outgoing newcomer who isn’t aware of her past, can pull Hallie out of her shell. Being on the defensive for so long has left her raw, and she doesn’t know who to trust.

On a group hike, the incessant bullying pushes Hallie to her limit. When Hallie, Rachel, and Hallie’s former friend Jonah get separated from the rest of the group, the situation quickly turns dire. Stranded in the wilderness, the three have no choice but to band together.

With past betrayals and harrowing obstacles in their way, Hallie fears they’ll never reach safety. Could speaking up about the night that changed everything close the distance between being lost and found? Or has she traveled too far to come back? 

The Distance Between Lost and Found is a really sweet book. If you want a nice quick read to curl up with on the couch and just spend the afternoon with this is the book for you. It starts out a little slow but ultimately is pretty fast paced. This is a story about a girl who after being ignored, silent, and not listened too finally telling her story, finally speaking out. Its really cute and sweet while at the same time being a little terrifying in the fact that they are lost in the wilderness and altogether a great story.

       

So, when I first started this book I thought Hallie didn't talk...ever. I was wrong, she just doesn't talk about what happened to her, she still speaks but she's like this shell of a person almost. It was really great to see how she came out of that and started to be herself. After meeting Rachel, a new person who hasn't heard all the crazy rumors about her, I think she starts to realize that it's ok for her to speak up and she really steps it up once they get lost. I can't really say much about that (although I really really want to) because its kinda spoilery. Same with Rachel, just know that she isn't exactly as she first appears, all three of them who get lost in the woods have secrets that come out when they are faced with terrifying situations.

 

Now, Jonah. I could go on and on and ON about Jonah. All the good, amazing wonderful qualities he has and how hot and bad ass he is but I would feel bad, because honestly, as for all of them, I realized what he was like and who he was as the story went on. It was very gradual and it kinda felt like you were becoming friends with them as they were with each other and I don't want to deprive you of that O'loyal reader.

This is honestly just such a sweet and amazing book, you should all read it. Now there is some religious stuff in there, so if you're against that or something be warned and don't read it (or ignore it and read the book anyways because it's worth it and honestly isn't THAT huge to the story). Seriously though, this story seems like one of those crazy survival stories you hear about on the news and it's really cool to watch these broken people go though the trials they do and somehow despite it all come out for the better (maybe ;) who knows? I'm not giving spoilers). So yeah....you should read The Distance Between Lost and Found because its nice and sweet and adorable and I'm sure you'll enjoy it.