Well, I’ll be the first to admit that I did not expect to be writing another book review so quickly. Especially because I chose to go back to Jaime Jo Wright. As some of you may remember, I wanted to take a break from her books because I just was not enjoying them as much as the first one I read. But, I decided to dive back in with The Lost Boys of Barlowe Theater. And I have to say, I was not disappointed.
Summary of The Lost Boys
Because the title is so long, I’m going to shorten it to The Lost Boys as I talk about it. In this book we follow two women, again from different times. Greta, who lives in 1915, is struggling to take care of her 4 younger brothers. When her rich friends take her to a play and she witnesses a woman throw her baby off the balcony, she is horrified. Even more so when she finds out that no baby was found. In an attempt to clear her name, her brother, Leo, breaks into the theater with two of his friends and they disappear. Now Greta and her two friends try to solve the mystery of the lost boys, the missing baby and Greta tries to keep her family together.
Kit
Our second main character, who lives in the present, is Kit. She and her friend, Madison, are on a ghost walk with a TV show called Psychic and the Skeptic. While on this walk Madison vanishes and no one can explain it. Kit teams up with the show’s skeptic, Evan, to unravel the mystery of Barlowe Theater, and find her best friend. To top it all off, someone is after Kit, endangering her life. In order to find Madison, Kit and Evan dig into the mystery of the lost boys, hoping it will lead to her whereabouts and find out who took her.
What I Liked
The Lost Boys gave a bit more of a haunted vibe to it, in both time periods. And honestly, I like that a lot better than the other books. The Curse of Misty Wayfair was similar and I loved that book as well. I think the mystery of trying to solve the “ghost” aspect of things is a lot more enjoyable than some of the other reads from Jaime. There were also a lot more lovable characters in this one. I grew attached to a lot of the characters and I was rooting for them to solve their mysteries and find their loved ones. Some of the twists were a bit predictable, but others left my jaw on the floor. Exactly what I want in a mystery.
What I Disliked
Surprisingly, it was not the small bits of romance that were in the book. No one was more surprised than I was when I found myself getting giddy with one of the relationships. But, if I had to say a negative, it was probably how the story was broken up. There were times when I found the story focused too much on one character and less on the other. But, then in the end it did even out. However, it did feel a bit whiplash-like as you jumped from past to present, sometimes in the same chapter. I think that would be my biggest critique. If I had any other negative, it would be that I was more invested in one story than the other. But, that is just a personal preference there.
Rating for The Lost Boys
I gave The Lost Boys of Barlowe Theater a 4 star rating. It was a more enjoyable read from Jaime Jo Wright. And I was surprised at how quickly I read through it. Not a 5 star because I could easily put the book down. Maybe not as easily after the second half of the book. It was a good and refreshing read from Jaime Jo Wright. And exactly what I needed for a quick read.
Will I Finish Another Quickly?
Honestly, I won’t be too surprised if I have another review on Monday. Why? I’ll be reading another Jaime Jo Wright book before diving back into the Red Rising Saga. Also, my friends and I are planning a day at the beach and all three of us are looking forward to laying in the sun and reading. Of course we will get in the water as well as I believe it’s supposed to be hot on the weekend. I might even bring two books, in case I get through Jaime’s book too quickly. There’s no fear of flying through the next Red Rising book. She is another thick book. But, anything can happen if I keep reading.
