The Distance Between Lost and Found by Kathryn Holmes | Book Review #19

‘Ever since the night of the incident with Luke Willis  the preacher’s son, sophomore Hallelujah Calhoun has been silent. When the rumours swirled around school, she was silent. When he 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. 

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 hears 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?’

When I discovered that The Distance Between Lost and Found was Holmes’ first book I was blown away. I haven’t read a story this important, this emotionally raw, this powerfully inspiring…I don’t think, ever.

The Distance Between Lost and Found is such an important novel. I think this book should be made readily available everywhere for both girls and boys.

This novel deals with such important themes. Hallelujah (Hallie), the main character, is dealing with a lot. Hallie is being emotionally abused by everyone she knows, and pretty much abandoned at the same time. When Hallie went on a youth trip some time before this story took place, something happened that left everyone believing the rumours spread by the Preachers son, and left Hallie silent…and not trusting anyone. That leaves Hallie leaving her guard up all the time, and frankly she’s exhausted by that.

The story really seems to kick off when Hallie meets Rachel on the new youth group retreat. Later on when the group is on a hike, the bullying gets to be too much for Hallie and she decides to leave. Well, Rachel is on the same team with that decision. But when they leave and Hallie’s ex-friend, Jonah, joins them, things soon start to turn for the worst and it leaves them stranded in the forest.

Now the story really starts. Left to their own devices, Rachel, Hallie, and Jonah figure out how to trust each other. They become best-friends without knowing it, they become partners in survival and they find out what really happened ‘that night.’

My favourite thing about why I love this book is the ending. The ending, holy shit. I love love love the ending. And I think it’s why The Distance Between Lost and Found is such an important novel.

Hallie grew so much in this book. So much. I am so happy that I had the chance to read this book.

Thanks for reading. Until next time,
Adele.