When a bullied 16-year-old girl goes missing, no one seems too concerned.  Except her classmate, Matthew Crimstein, whose grandmother is a criminal attorney with her own t.v. show.  When Hester Crimstein learns about Naomi Pine's disappearance from Matthew, she enlists the help of Wilde, a man who was once a feral child found in the woods by hikers.  Now Wilde lives off the grid, interacting with others only rarely.  His almost preternatural instincts, however, make him an excellent private investigator.  He takes the case mostly as a favor to Matthew, who is his godson.  

Wilde's snooping around leads him to Naomi's bully, which in turn leads him to the dark secrets of several wealthy, influential men.  If they get what they want, will it lead to Naomi's rescue?  Or is it too late for the missing teenager?  It's up to Wilde to solve the puzzling mystery.

I find stories about feral children fascinating, so when I read the plot summary of The Boy From the Woods by Harlan Coben, that aspect of the novel drew me right in.  Unfortunately, what proves to be the most interesting part of the story is only a teensy-tiny bit of the tale, which I found disappointing.  as Wilde's past is infinitely more intriguing than his present.  While he's a sympathetic character, he's not entirely likable.  Likable characters are, in fact, in very short supply in this novel.  The only one I would care to read more about is Rola.  Plot-wise, The Boy From the Woods is all kinds of melodramatic and far-fetched.  The story was gripping enough to propel me to finish the book, but it was nowhere near as suspenseful and thrilling as I thought it would be.  Thanks to loosey-goosey crafting, an implausible plot, characters I didn't care about, and lackluster prose, I didn't exactly love this book.  I'll be generous and say it was just an average read for me, nothing more.  I've heard lots of good things about Coben, but if this book is typical of his work, I won't be reading more by him.

(Readalikes:  Um, nothing is coming to mind.  You?)

To the FTC, with love:  Another library fine find

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Kira Bennett knows what it means to be a kid lost and alone in the wilderness.  The memories of her earliest years as a feral child doing whatever it takes to survive still haunt her, even though she was rescued at five years old and adopted into a loving family.  Now 17, Kira finds purpose in helping her adoptive mother train Search and Rescue dogs, so no one—especially a child—has to live the way she once did.

When Bales Bennett, Kira's estranged birth father, comes to her adoptive family asking for help locating a child who's gone missing from a campsite, Kira wants in.  Along with her adoptive mother, foster brother, and two of their friends (including the hot, but possibly dangerous Gabriel Cortez), the group of handlers head to Sierra Glades National Park with one goal: find 9-year-old Bella Anthony.  As the search grows increasingly dangerous, Kira is pummelled with crushing memories of her own past, especially as secrets about her birth parents and her new family start coming to light.  Can Kira clear her head enough to find little Bella?  What truths will she learn about herself along the way?

Books about search and rescue operations in remote wilderness settings always intrigue me, so naturally, I was drawn to The Lovely and the Lost, a YA novel by Jennifer Lynn Barnes.  It's peopled with characters who are likable, but not original or really memorable.  The teens don't speak like real kids, nor are they really treated as such since they have little adult supervision throughout the novel and are basically left to do whatever they please.  This, as well as the fact that the teens are even involved in a search and rescue operation of this kind, makes the plot seem far-fetched.  The purpose behind Bella's disappearance also seems illogical.  The story is fast-paced, though, as well as compelling, even if it doesn't always make sense.  I appreciate that The Lovely and the Lost is a clean YA novel with no annoying insta-love, but for me, there are some big holes in its construction.  Add to that a weird, unsatisfying ending and, meh, this read just didn't do it for me.  It was propelling enough that I finished the book, but I certainly didn't love it.  Bummer.

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of Magic Hour by Kristin Hannah and Leave No Trace by Mindy Mejia)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for violence, scenes of peril, and disturbing subject matter

To the FTC, with love:  I bought a copy of The Lovely and the Lost at Barnes & Noble with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger.  Ha ha.

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Tiny River Valley, Washington, is nestled between the ocean and Olympic National Forest, the last hamlet of civilization before the deep, impenetrable woods take over.  When a young, feral girl walks out of the trees, Police Chief Ellie Barton is immediately drawn to the obviously traumatized child.  Although she's desperate to find the girl's identity, she soon realizes she's out of her league.  More like a wild animal than a human, the child seems unreachable.  Ferreting out her secrets will require more patience and skill than Ellie possesses.  It's time to call in a professional; her younger sister just happens to be one.

After a terrible tragedy very publicly calls into question Julia Cates' abilities as a psychiatrist, leaving her career in ruins, the 35-year-old is not quite sure how to recover.  When she receives a frantic call from her sister begging her to come back to River Valley, Julia jumps at the opportunity.  Just like Ellie, she becomes entranced with the enigmatic girl she dubs Alice.  As Julia slowly earns Alice's trust, the child's horrifying story starts to trickle out.  While Julia desires only to protect her young client, she's consumed by difficult questions.  What really happened to Alice?  How can Julia help her heal from the terror she's experienced in her short life?  And, most disturbing of all, should she be returned to her family?  Childless Julia can't bear the thought of letting Alice go.  What will happen to both of them when push comes to shove?

The topic of feral children fascinates me, so I couldn't resist picking up Magic Hour by Kristin Hannah.  The premise is intriguing, the characters are engaging, the plot is surprising, and Hannah's prose is always on par.  While there are a few story elements that struck me as far-fetched, overall I really enjoyed Magic Hour.  It's engrossing and moving, which makes it a story that has stayed in my mind even though I read it back in August.  I've been a big Kristin Hannah fan since reading and loving The Nightingale and The Great Alone and I definitely intend to keep exploring her backlist, especially if it yields more gems like this one. 

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of Leave No Trace by Mindy Mejia and If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for language (a few F-bombs, plus milder expletives), violence, mild sexual content, and disturbing subject matter

To the FTC, with love:  I bought a copy of Magic Hour with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger.  Ha ha.