Lost Girls by Ann Kelley: Book Review & Giveaway

Lost Girls
by Ann Kelley
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; Reprint edition (July 10, 2012)
Language: English
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No parents. No rules. No way home.

Fourteen-year-old Bonnie MacDonald couldn't be more excited for a camping trip on an island off the coast of Thailand with her fellow Amelia Earhart Cadets-the daughters of the men and women stationed there during the Vietnam War. But when a strong current deposits the girls on what their boatman calls the "forbidden island," things take a turn for the worse: A powerful storm comes to destroy their campsite, the smallest of the junior cadets is found dead, and their boatman never returns. What once seemed like a vacation in paradise has become a battle against the elements.

Peppered with short, frantic entries from Bonnie's journal, Lost Girls is a page-turning, heart-pounding adventure story about a group of teen girls fighting for their lives.

At a Glance:

Lost Girls was a thrilling adventure, filled with moments of beauty and moments of horror.  Fans of Lost, Survivor, and Lord of the Flies will be captivated by Bonnie's story.

Starts with a bang:

There is no frilly start to this book.  It's ominous from the start.  The girls of the Amelia Earhart Cadets group are practically ship-wrecked on a deserted forbidden island after their ship is caught in a storm.  Although they were planning on camping for a couple of days, nothing prepared them for the horrors to come.  After one pleasant day on the island, the girls were pummeled by a ferocious storm, leaving them with few supplies, and one member of their group dead.  The girls are terrified, and quickly realize that no one knows where they are, and help will be very hard to come by.

Not for the Faint of Heart:

This book does not glance over the disasters that befall these girls during their extended stay on the Forbidden Island.  There were moments where my heart felt trampled on, and those who have a weak stomach may have had to put the book down.  Storms, infections, sharks, tigers, snakes, mosquitoes, wild boars and all manner of other nasties inhabit this island, and make for dangerous companions.

Bonnie:

Bonnie was a really interesting character.  I really liked her a lot because although she was a hero, I'd say she was a reluctant one, and definitely a flawed one.  I'm not sure how the girls would've survived without her, but that didn't mean she was always the best one of the group.  I love that her character grew, and I loved how much passion she had, whether good or bad.  When she loved, she loved fiercely, when she hated, she hated with intensity, and I can't say I blame her.  I was loving and hating right along with her.

No Romance?

Although there was mention of a crush that Bonnie had back home, there was really no romance to speak of.  This, I have to admit, usually bothers me, because I'm a romance girl.  This book, however, was so full of action and danger, that I didn't think about it once.  I think that the friendships that are made, enhanced, or even wrecked in Lost Girls, made this an emotional read, and it didn't need any romance to complete the story.

What Would I Do?

These books always make me think about what I would do if this happened to me.  I think that I really connected with this book because Bonnie seems a lot like me.  I think I would have had a lot of the same thoughts and reactions, especially when it came to the USELESS adult that accompanied them.  If I could have reached through this book, and throttled Layla Campbell, I would have done it in a heartbeat.  I may be delusional, but I think I could survive.  How about you?

Book Doppelgangers:

Lord of the Flies (though a "lighter" read, I'd say), The Hunger Games (from a survival standpoint)

Content:

• Sexual Content:  Mild
• Profanity:  Moderate
• Violence/Gore:  Heavy
• Other Notables:  The adult that chaperoned drank heavily and smoked pot, she gave some to a few of the girls.

For more details, check out Lost Girls on Parentalbookreviews.com

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