The Beautiful Lost

By: Luanne Rice

Narrated by: Hallie Clarke

From New York Times best-selling author Luanne Rice, a sweeping story of a girl and boy, both troubled in different ways, who take off on a whirlwind road trip up the East Coast.

Here are three things to know about Maia:

1. Ever since her mother left, Maia's struggled with depression - which once got so bad, she had to go to an institution for a while. She doesn't want to go back.

2. Maia's sure that if she finds her mother, if the two of them can talk about whale songs and constellations, then everything will be okay again.

3. She's in love with Billy, the handsome, brooding boy who lives in the group home in town. He doesn't seem to know that Maia exists...until now.

When Maia sets off on a road trip in search of her mom, Billy unexpectedly comes along. They drive up the East Coast, stopping along the way for lobster rolls and lighthouses. Maia learns that Billy has dark secrets of his own - and wants to outrun his past, too. But what will the future hold if they reach their destination?

From internationally best-selling author Luanne Rice, this is a sweeping, stunning story about the surprising directions our hearts can take.

©2017 Luanne Rice (P)2017 Scholastic Inc.

this book was amazing!

this book is great for readers both young too old. Luanne rice has really outdone herself in this one. I have been reading Luanne Rice books forever and this is different than anything she has ever written but I have to say it's the best I have ever read. I could see this as a major motion picture. I don't usually take the time to stop and review books with words but I had to do it on this one. great job Luanne!!

beautiful lost

Loved this book. Have not found a book from Luanne Rice that I have not liked . have many paperback. love her work.

Amazing story!!!

Characters developed with such true energy, so the reader feels their emotions.....truly an amazing story told with such love and understanding!!!!

The Beautiful Lost Are Beautifully Found

This book IS... INCREDIBLE.

Deep down I have been just craving a book with a positive, but realistic view on mental health-this is IT! This book’s main characters, Maia and Billy, feature two main characters who are badly damaged from their parents’ mistakes, but who desperately want to overcome said damage. This fact intertwines their lives and takes them on an amazing adventure. I love the way this book portrays the truth that you don’t have to be 27 to know what you want out of life.

As far as technicalities go, the voice actress was masterful in showing Maia’s emotions; the writing was descriptive and really took you into the story. I really felt like I was Maia on that road trip with Billy!

I *can’t* wait to reread this book in a year when my mind won’t be as fresh with it and I can enjoy it all over again!!

Emotional journey

Great story that pulled at the heart strings and you really felt the characters’ inner struggles.

Spoilers

1.5 STARS

Maia blames her depression on her father’s remarriage to Astrid after her mother left town. Using binoculars, she secretly stalks Billy, a classmate who lives in a group home. Although Maia’s father and stepmom worry she’s suicidal again, she decides to runaway to find her mother in Canada (without knowing he mother’s address or taking any money) but first she has to say goodbye Billy (although they aren’t friends) and SURPRISE, he wants to come with her. (Insert rolling eyes emoticon)

Billy’s companionship turns out to be a good thing, because SURPRISE although he’s a foster child he has a secret stash of money and a truck they can take. The two teens only have to retrieve it from the house where his father murdered his mother. (Insert rolling eyes emoticon)

Billy’s dad is in jail, his grandparents and girlfriend abandoned him because they think the fourteen-year-old willingly helped his father escape (apparently being a perfect kid all his life means nothing and nobody considered he may have been manipulated).

Maia is selfish and self-centered, never considering the feelings of her friends and father who worry that she’s suicidal. Luanne Rice seems to use depression as a metaphoric get out of jail card free, which to me puts mental illness in a bad light.

Being abandoned by her mother had to be exceedingly traumatic and a lot of kids like Maia would conceptualize their missing parent as a tragic, perfect hero kept away by the other parent. But Maia doesn’t use common sense. Her mother says she has limited email access, doesn’t give her address and only writes snail mail yet she’s doing research for the government.

Maia’s mother is horrid, basically encouraging and praising the unstable teen for finding her. SURPRISE her mom has a new husband and baby. Oops, I didn’t know how to tell you.

I liked Billy, although he was a little too perfect. His backstory was great, but I never bought into everyone abandoning him and blaming him because his dad was a murderer.

The ending was the best part of THE BEAUTIFUL LOST, although also a little too perfect. Billy “betrays” Maia by calling her father for help. Astrid turns out not to be an evil stepmother, she actually understands and helps Billy reconcile with his grandfather and Maia asks to return to the psych hospital where she recovers, vowing never to go off her meds again.

I mean it wasn't bad

I read this for summer reading and it wasn't half bad however it got slow and I didn't really want to read more