Let's Get Lost (Bite)

by Sarra Manning

[Jo]

Some girls are born to be bad...Isabel is one of them. Her friends are terrified of her, her teachers can't get through to her...her family doesn't understand her. And that's just the way she likes it. See, when no one can get near you, no one will know what keeps you awake at night, what you're afraid of, what has broken your heart...But then Isabel meets the enigmatic Smith, who can see right through her act. Bit by bit he chips away at her armour, and though she fights hard to keep hold of her cool, and her secrets, Isabel's falling for him, and coming apart at the seams when she does...A poignant, sometimes dark, and utterly heart-breaking novel, told with all the author's trademark wit and sharp observation... From Amazon UK

I was originally recommended this book by Luisa Plaja when I held Sex in Teen Lit Month last year, and when I saw it at my Oxfam Bookshop a few weeks ago, I knew I had to buy it. Then I read Sophie’s review of Nobody’s Girl by Sarra Manning on So Many Books, So Little Time a few days ago, and liked the sound of that book so much, I decided to get on to reading Let’s Get Lost. I’m glad I did, it was such a great story!

I don’t really know where to start with this book, or what to think about it, even though I know I really liked it. It’s a really sad and heartbreaking story, and I read most of it yesterday while I was having a bad day and ended up putting it down, because I was just so annoyed with one of the characters. Why? Because this book isn’t a fairy tale; its part romance, part coming of age/finding yourself novel, and for a book that is part romance, it’s very realistic – the ending isn’t all rainbows and butterflies, and I just needed me a happy ending yesterday. But this is supposed to be a positive, so I’ll get on with it.

Isabel is such a great character; she’s flawed and she has issues. Because she was bullied when she was younger, to keep herself safe she has now become the bully, she’s a right nasty cow to everyone, teachers, family, students at school alike. She doesn’t like the person she pretends to be or her “friends”, but she feels she has to keep it up to keep everyone at arm’s length; letting anyone inside would be a disaster. Then enter Smith, an older guy who breaks through her bitchy exterior and actually makes her feel like she’s more than worth the ground she stands on, and being with him slowly brings the real Isabel out, little by little.

There are so many layers to this book, to Isabel, that it’s a little hard to talk about it without spoiling it. This really is a book where you have to find out what it’s about as you read it. As I said, this isn’t just a romance, there’s so much more going on, and it’s just such a really poignant book, yet with this strong sense of hope that things are going to get better. It’s just really good. In some ways, it reminded me a little of Screwed by Joanna Kenrick, there are similar themes covered, if not an identical plot and ending, and like Screwed, has made it on to my favourites list.

A really awesome story that has had such an effect on me – as I’m writing this review, I’m sitting here feeling quite sad and in need of chocolate. I’ve been hugely impressed by Sarra’s writing and I can’t wait to read more of her novels. Fortunately, I have Guitar Girl on my shelf waiting to start. I really would recommend this book to everyone. Simply fantastic!

From Once Upon a Bookcase - YA book blog