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How I Lost You
There are a few things Grace Black knows for sure. One is that nothing will ever come between her and her best friend, Kya Kessler. They have a pact. Buds Before Studs. Sisters Before Misters. But in the summer before senior year, life throws out challenges they never expected. And suddenly the person who's always been there starts to need the favor returned. Grace and Kya are forced to question how much a best friend can forgive. And the answer is not what they expected.
309 pages, Paperback
First published April 23, 2013
52 people are currently reading
3971 people want to read
About the author
Janet Gurtler
36 books647 followersJanet Gurtler is a Rita Award Finalist for her book, I'M NOT HER. Her young adult books have also been chosen for the Junior Library Guild Selection and as Best Books for Teens from the Canadian Children’s Book Center.
Janet's latest young adult novel, THE OTHER ME will be released in 2027 from Great Plains Press.
THE OTHER ME is a parallel life romance about the importance of choices. It's a thought provoking story for people who have sometimes wondered...what if.
Janet lives in Alberta, Canada, with her best friend, Betty White, a beautiful golden retriever who takes her for daily walks.
Janet's latest young adult novel, THE OTHER ME will be released in 2027 from Great Plains Press.
THE OTHER ME is a parallel life romance about the importance of choices. It's a thought provoking story for people who have sometimes wondered...what if.
Janet lives in Alberta, Canada, with her best friend, Betty White, a beautiful golden retriever who takes her for daily walks.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 144 reviews
June 1, 2016
I totally know what happens at the end of this one too. :)
February 4, 2017
Quick review for a quick read. In all honesty, I get the value of Janet Gurtler's "How I Lost You" and I'm not going to say that it isn't a notable book, because I don't doubt some will like it for not only the way the narrative flows but also the ultimate takeaway points and experiences it expounds upon. However, it's a narrative I honestly wouldn't read again and I had a hard time connecting to the story for reasons I'm going to discuss shortly.
"How I Lost You" is a narrative that shows the progressive falling out of two friends: Grace and Kya. Grace is the perspective we follow throughout the novel and the novel starts off showing their relationship very well. The two seem inseparable with playing in paintball matches, asserting their girl power and the strength of their friendship (Buds Before Studs - BBS). But as the narrative moves onward, you quickly realize that this friendship is not as strong in its foundation as you would think. Kya is a very flawed young woman who has suffered greatly in her past. Grace feels a protective responsibility towards Kya and when Kya goes from one problematic relationship to the next and ends up in a number of drunken stupors, Grace is there to help Kya through the guilt and regret she feels in the aftermath. But Grace also notices that Kya seems to be distancing herself from their mutual friend James and she's not sure why.
Things change when Grace begins a relationship with Levi. It's beginning a relationship with him that Grace realizes she's doesn't really focus as much on herself as she does her relationship with Kya. And it's in starting to take a more careful eye to the way that Kya changes that Grace realizes that her friend isn't someone she knows as well as she thinks she does and despite her attempts to hold on, they're pulling apart.
I think a few of my biggest problems with this narrative were that I didn't feel as invested in the characters as much as I was hoping for. I know they're teenagers, aspiring to go to college, but there's a mismatch with the maturity and their respective voices that makes it hard for me to align with the narrative despite how serious and mature the subject matters are presented here. The dialogue at times felt too forced and judgmentally handed down to orient to the change in the relationship between Grace and Kya.
And as goodness awful as Kya was to Grace in many points in this narrative (I ended up hating her for the things she did by the end of the story, and I didn't blame Grace for eventually making the choice to walk away), I honestly felt like Grace's reactions, instead of just focusing on the things that Kya did that were horrible, were counterintiutive by low-key sexually shaming Kya and handing down some sexual innuendo/humor that made me uncomfortable as I was reading this. I felt like the execution of these issues could've been so much better for depth and sensitivity of portrayal than what it came across. After a time, it felt like the drama between the characters came across in a way that, while I believe it could certainly happen in real life, it didn't connect with me. I think another reason why it didn't work with me is because despite the fact that this narrative sports a girl-girl positive relationship - it really isn't at all, because the girls can be horrible in thoughts and actions to each other, sometimes in seemingly unforgivable ways. I raged when Kya basically dismissed a sexual assault attempt on Grace and told her that she wished Grace had a similar experience to understand the pain that she was going through. That was inexcusable and I had a hard time believing that Grace wouldn't have had a stronger reaction to that.
To give another narrative that I think handled the character emotions and respective issues similar to the flaws that Kya has in this narrative, but in a more mature sense: Amber Smith's "The Way I Used to Be." Granted it tells the story of a very flawed young woman who goes through a similar experience to Kya in this tale, and shows her progressive falling in and out of relationships with a more visceral and serious feel than I was able to get out of this narrative.
Overall, I did at least appreciate the intention the narrative was going for, but I couldn't get behind it and it's my least liked narrative from Gurtler thus far.
Overall score: 2/5 stars.
Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher.
"How I Lost You" is a narrative that shows the progressive falling out of two friends: Grace and Kya. Grace is the perspective we follow throughout the novel and the novel starts off showing their relationship very well. The two seem inseparable with playing in paintball matches, asserting their girl power and the strength of their friendship (Buds Before Studs - BBS). But as the narrative moves onward, you quickly realize that this friendship is not as strong in its foundation as you would think. Kya is a very flawed young woman who has suffered greatly in her past. Grace feels a protective responsibility towards Kya and when Kya goes from one problematic relationship to the next and ends up in a number of drunken stupors, Grace is there to help Kya through the guilt and regret she feels in the aftermath. But Grace also notices that Kya seems to be distancing herself from their mutual friend James and she's not sure why.
Things change when Grace begins a relationship with Levi. It's beginning a relationship with him that Grace realizes she's doesn't really focus as much on herself as she does her relationship with Kya. And it's in starting to take a more careful eye to the way that Kya changes that Grace realizes that her friend isn't someone she knows as well as she thinks she does and despite her attempts to hold on, they're pulling apart.
I think a few of my biggest problems with this narrative were that I didn't feel as invested in the characters as much as I was hoping for. I know they're teenagers, aspiring to go to college, but there's a mismatch with the maturity and their respective voices that makes it hard for me to align with the narrative despite how serious and mature the subject matters are presented here. The dialogue at times felt too forced and judgmentally handed down to orient to the change in the relationship between Grace and Kya.
And as goodness awful as Kya was to Grace in many points in this narrative (I ended up hating her for the things she did by the end of the story, and I didn't blame Grace for eventually making the choice to walk away), I honestly felt like Grace's reactions, instead of just focusing on the things that Kya did that were horrible, were counterintiutive by low-key sexually shaming Kya and handing down some sexual innuendo/humor that made me uncomfortable as I was reading this. I felt like the execution of these issues could've been so much better for depth and sensitivity of portrayal than what it came across. After a time, it felt like the drama between the characters came across in a way that, while I believe it could certainly happen in real life, it didn't connect with me. I think another reason why it didn't work with me is because despite the fact that this narrative sports a girl-girl positive relationship - it really isn't at all, because the girls can be horrible in thoughts and actions to each other, sometimes in seemingly unforgivable ways. I raged when Kya basically dismissed a sexual assault attempt on Grace and told her that she wished Grace had a similar experience to understand the pain that she was going through. That was inexcusable and I had a hard time believing that Grace wouldn't have had a stronger reaction to that.
To give another narrative that I think handled the character emotions and respective issues similar to the flaws that Kya has in this narrative, but in a more mature sense: Amber Smith's "The Way I Used to Be." Granted it tells the story of a very flawed young woman who goes through a similar experience to Kya in this tale, and shows her progressive falling in and out of relationships with a more visceral and serious feel than I was able to get out of this narrative.
Overall, I did at least appreciate the intention the narrative was going for, but I couldn't get behind it and it's my least liked narrative from Gurtler thus far.
Overall score: 2/5 stars.
Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher.
August 23, 2013
See more reviews at YA Midnight Reads
3.5 stars
Thank you Sourcebooks Fire for sending me this copy. No compensation was given or taken to alter this review.
How I Lost You is the first book I've read by Janet Gurtler. It will not be my last. Without reading the synopsis- I easily mistook this for a romance based story with all the crazy drama and cheesiness. This is not a love story. This is a novel about finding yourself. About letting go, about independence and about friendship. No matter how strong it seems, how closely it's knitted, there's always a loose strand. It's up to that strand to either stay or fall out.
Grace Anderson and Kyla Kessler are like sisters. Buds before studs. Sisters before misters. They are inseparable. They are utterly different and nothing alike. But they are best friends. Through all the hardships, they endeavour, they forgive and they stick like glue. However, during the summer before senior year, their friendship is tested and torn apart as a series of tragic events unfold, drifting Grace and Kyla further away. Like icebergs in the heat of an argument. What made How I Lost You stand out more than other contemporaries was the sport addition. Let me rephrase: an unusual sport addition. Grace's father owns a Paintball arena where Splatterfests are held as a sporting competition. In a way, Grace and Kyla revealed a kick-ass side to them which also was fun to read about.
Janet Gurtler's characters being called a contrasting set would be an extreme understatement. While Grace is reserved, loyal and petite, Kyla is loud, rebellious and slightly clichéd. Grace wanted me to hug her whereas Kyla wanted me to snatch her out of the book and rip her hair out. Nonetheless, the effect was magnificent as a result. The friendship dynamics where full of alternating ego and atmosphere. YA genre, I introduce you to present parents! And a bonus- LOVEABLE ONES! Grace's parents were the cutest people I've ever encountered. Sarcasm and humour were embedded craftily into the easy dialogue- which also helped making this a fast, summery read.
How I Lost You could have been the perfect read if it were not for the predictable plot line. I could see exactly where the novel was heading. Per contra, this still produced a positive outcome as the main message being addressed is a bit of coming-of-age as well as friendships, meaning that an intricate plot line was not essentially necessary. Furthermore, romance takes a few steps away in How I Lost You. The romance is not at all dominating- at a comfortable muted level.
This is the story of Grace and Kyla's friendship. Whether it lasts or not- that is for you to find out and for you to see how it gets there. A fabulous read, filled with witty dialogue and depth, How I Lost You will appeal to Sarah Dessen lovers.
3.5 stars
Thank you Sourcebooks Fire for sending me this copy. No compensation was given or taken to alter this review.
How I Lost You is the first book I've read by Janet Gurtler. It will not be my last. Without reading the synopsis- I easily mistook this for a romance based story with all the crazy drama and cheesiness. This is not a love story. This is a novel about finding yourself. About letting go, about independence and about friendship. No matter how strong it seems, how closely it's knitted, there's always a loose strand. It's up to that strand to either stay or fall out.
Grace Anderson and Kyla Kessler are like sisters. Buds before studs. Sisters before misters. They are inseparable. They are utterly different and nothing alike. But they are best friends. Through all the hardships, they endeavour, they forgive and they stick like glue. However, during the summer before senior year, their friendship is tested and torn apart as a series of tragic events unfold, drifting Grace and Kyla further away. Like icebergs in the heat of an argument. What made How I Lost You stand out more than other contemporaries was the sport addition. Let me rephrase: an unusual sport addition. Grace's father owns a Paintball arena where Splatterfests are held as a sporting competition. In a way, Grace and Kyla revealed a kick-ass side to them which also was fun to read about.
Janet Gurtler's characters being called a contrasting set would be an extreme understatement. While Grace is reserved, loyal and petite, Kyla is loud, rebellious and slightly clichéd. Grace wanted me to hug her whereas Kyla wanted me to snatch her out of the book and rip her hair out. Nonetheless, the effect was magnificent as a result. The friendship dynamics where full of alternating ego and atmosphere. YA genre, I introduce you to present parents! And a bonus- LOVEABLE ONES! Grace's parents were the cutest people I've ever encountered. Sarcasm and humour were embedded craftily into the easy dialogue- which also helped making this a fast, summery read.
How I Lost You could have been the perfect read if it were not for the predictable plot line. I could see exactly where the novel was heading. Per contra, this still produced a positive outcome as the main message being addressed is a bit of coming-of-age as well as friendships, meaning that an intricate plot line was not essentially necessary. Furthermore, romance takes a few steps away in How I Lost You. The romance is not at all dominating- at a comfortable muted level.
This is the story of Grace and Kyla's friendship. Whether it lasts or not- that is for you to find out and for you to see how it gets there. A fabulous read, filled with witty dialogue and depth, How I Lost You will appeal to Sarah Dessen lovers.
January 16, 2018
This turned out to be an OK book for me, a sort of 3 and 1/2 stars.
Buds Before Studs. Sisters Before Misters.
How many of us when younger thought we could live by those promises?
The thing is, as we get older, as we learn along the way and life experiences, they can change us, OK we are still 'us' but we may not have the same things in common any more or realise that we do want our boyfriend before the friendship, who knows.,
The book was well written and I did enjoy it on certain levels, its a book that is a light read for me in between heavier books.
Thought provoking for the young 'uns I would say,.
My thanks to Sourcebooks via Net Galley for my copy
February 7, 2017
Definitely a dramatic and intense book about friendship and how far you are willing to go for someone you love. I loved it.. I just wanted Kya to see how destructive she really was and change. I guess this ended very realistically and I'm grateful for it. I've just never read a book where a character is this dangerous and narcissistic when it even comes to someone they supposedly love like their best friend. The way Kya treats Grace was just terrible. I'm super proud that Grace ends up making that decision on her own. Also her parents are just too funny. Seeing how close they were made the differences in their family apparent.
April 14, 2013
As a Canadian I am always quick to support Canadian authors, so last year when I found out that Janet Gurtler was not only from Canada but lived in Calgary, I was quick to pick up some of her books. Prior to HOW I LOST YOU I had only gotten to read one, WHO I KISSED and I have to say that HOW I LOST YOU blew that one out of the water. This was a novel full of characters that I connected to emotionally and at the heart of the story is one of the most wonderful family units I have had the pleasure of reading about.
The real charm here kicked off in the very first chapter when it came to light that Grace (our MC) and her best friend Kya are kickass paintball players. These girls don’t just play the game here and there but they excel at it. They take part in tournaments and most of the time they whip the guys butts. They have earned a level of respect in the paint balling environment as they compete and work at Grace’s dad’s indoor paintball arena, Splatterfest. The added element of the sport and camaraderie gave me a feeling reminiscent of what I have always felt when reading Miranda Kenneally’s Hundred Oaks series, which was definitely a welcome feeling. I loved what a headstrong character Grace was and watching her function in this primarily male environment.
This novel doesn’t only have the adrenaline that the sports scenes lend to it, it also throws some strong emotion at the reader as it deals with some pretty heavy issues. Grace, Kya, and their other friend James’ relationships are really put to the test as they harbor secrets and hidden feelings for one another. I couldn’t really peg James for much of the novel but as his story came to light and we find out what he has had to deal with with the girls and with his mother who is ailing from MS I really felt for him. He was a caring, present friend in their lives despite all that he was going through. Kya was someone that I felt really bad for but I also wanted to slap some sense into her. She was incredibly impulsive to the point of being self destructive. We also get to watch the characters grow and along with that comes relationships and hurt feelings. Grace’s romance with Levi was incredibly sweet and I loved watching it grow very slowly and naturally.
The relationship at the forefront of the novel is Grace and Kya’s. These girls have been best friends forever and we watch them grow apart. There is an elephant in their closet that has been letting Kya get away with her unhealthy antics for too long and watching Grace come to that realization was pretty emotional. It was intense to see her come around and start putting herself first. Helping her get there is a great support system in the form of her family. Her parents were awesome! Her dad was an ex-cop and her mom an ex-lawyer with quite the personality. Their witty banter with one another was heartwarming and I loved her mom’s dry sarcasm so much.
HOW I LOST YOU is an exceptional novel with so many layers that it has a little something for everyone. Chalk full of great action sequences, layered relationships and well-developed characters, it’s a fun, empowering read that isn’t scared to draw out emotion. I think Gurtler has hit it out of the park with this one and I can’t wait to see what she throws at us next.
An Advanced Reader's Copy was provided bu the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
__
You can read all of my reviews at Alluring Reads.
The real charm here kicked off in the very first chapter when it came to light that Grace (our MC) and her best friend Kya are kickass paintball players. These girls don’t just play the game here and there but they excel at it. They take part in tournaments and most of the time they whip the guys butts. They have earned a level of respect in the paint balling environment as they compete and work at Grace’s dad’s indoor paintball arena, Splatterfest. The added element of the sport and camaraderie gave me a feeling reminiscent of what I have always felt when reading Miranda Kenneally’s Hundred Oaks series, which was definitely a welcome feeling. I loved what a headstrong character Grace was and watching her function in this primarily male environment.
This novel doesn’t only have the adrenaline that the sports scenes lend to it, it also throws some strong emotion at the reader as it deals with some pretty heavy issues. Grace, Kya, and their other friend James’ relationships are really put to the test as they harbor secrets and hidden feelings for one another. I couldn’t really peg James for much of the novel but as his story came to light and we find out what he has had to deal with with the girls and with his mother who is ailing from MS I really felt for him. He was a caring, present friend in their lives despite all that he was going through. Kya was someone that I felt really bad for but I also wanted to slap some sense into her. She was incredibly impulsive to the point of being self destructive. We also get to watch the characters grow and along with that comes relationships and hurt feelings. Grace’s romance with Levi was incredibly sweet and I loved watching it grow very slowly and naturally.
The relationship at the forefront of the novel is Grace and Kya’s. These girls have been best friends forever and we watch them grow apart. There is an elephant in their closet that has been letting Kya get away with her unhealthy antics for too long and watching Grace come to that realization was pretty emotional. It was intense to see her come around and start putting herself first. Helping her get there is a great support system in the form of her family. Her parents were awesome! Her dad was an ex-cop and her mom an ex-lawyer with quite the personality. Their witty banter with one another was heartwarming and I loved her mom’s dry sarcasm so much.
HOW I LOST YOU is an exceptional novel with so many layers that it has a little something for everyone. Chalk full of great action sequences, layered relationships and well-developed characters, it’s a fun, empowering read that isn’t scared to draw out emotion. I think Gurtler has hit it out of the park with this one and I can’t wait to see what she throws at us next.
An Advanced Reader's Copy was provided bu the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
__
You can read all of my reviews at Alluring Reads.
May 21, 2015
“I may not be happy with you right now, but I still love you.”
Thats how I felt reading this book.
At one point I was so mad at Kya I wanted to jump into the story and bitch slap her. But it didnt stop me from finishing it.
This book about letting go of your best friend, someone you thought would always be in your life no matter what.
It was ok. The paintball theme was resfreshing in comparison to the same old football/soccer/basketball stuff. The pacing was slow but it keeps you interested. It is well written but the ending was a little rushed in my opinion. I'd have liked to know more about what happened after.
I really hated Kya and I didn't get how Grace couldn't see what a bitch she really was.
She kept using her traumatic eperience as an excuse for all the hurt she inflicted on others, but all I see is a insecure little girl who craved attention and was jealous of her best friend.
James was indeed annoying at times with his smartass comments but he remained a loyal friend.
Levi was adorable and it's hard not to like him. The girls motto was Budds Before Studds but with a Budd like that and a boy who treats you with respect I don't blame Grace for chosing Levi in the end.
I also anjoyed the parts where the girls interacted with Graces family. Her parents are so cool it makes you wish you were part of it.
Many books make me wish I hadn't started them. Thankfully this wasnt one of them.
Thats how I felt reading this book.
At one point I was so mad at Kya I wanted to jump into the story and bitch slap her. But it didnt stop me from finishing it.
This book about letting go of your best friend, someone you thought would always be in your life no matter what.
It was ok. The paintball theme was resfreshing in comparison to the same old football/soccer/basketball stuff. The pacing was slow but it keeps you interested. It is well written but the ending was a little rushed in my opinion. I'd have liked to know more about what happened after.
I really hated Kya and I didn't get how Grace couldn't see what a bitch she really was.
She kept using her traumatic eperience as an excuse for all the hurt she inflicted on others, but all I see is a insecure little girl who craved attention and was jealous of her best friend.
James was indeed annoying at times with his smartass comments but he remained a loyal friend.
Levi was adorable and it's hard not to like him. The girls motto was Budds Before Studds but with a Budd like that and a boy who treats you with respect I don't blame Grace for chosing Levi in the end.
I also anjoyed the parts where the girls interacted with Graces family. Her parents are so cool it makes you wish you were part of it.
Many books make me wish I hadn't started them. Thankfully this wasnt one of them.
April 30, 2013
After reading Janet Gurtler's I'm Not Her, I wasn't all that impressed with her book. I found the characters annoying and just couldn't get into the story. Despite that experience, I read the summary of How I Lost You and decided to give Janet's books another try. And I'm so happy to say this one ended up being fantastic!
Grace and Kya have been best friends ever since Grace moved in next door, and absolutely nothing can change that. Even when Kya acts out and seems to only care about herself, Grace is always there to help Kya pick up the pieces of her life. Grace knows Kya is dealing with issues from what had happened to her years before, and she knows Kya needs Grace there for support. How far, though, is Grace willing to let Kya go before finally realizing their friendship may not be as strong and unbreakable as she thought?
The very first thing that got me in this book was all the emotion. You seriously want to hate Kya and punch Grace in the face for putting up with her crap. But what happened to Kya makes you realize exactly why Grace acts the way she does. I love how we aren't even told that secret until well into the book, keeping us in suspense and forcing us to continue reading until we figure out every last secret.
Grace is such a sweet character and I loved how she was a paintballer who wants to play in college. I don't think I've ever read a book about paintball, let alone with a girl paintball player, so that was a really cool, unique aspect to Grace's character. Her family is great too and I just want to give James, her other best friend, a big hug. My favorite character, though, would have to be Levi. Now there is a guy that knows exactly how to make a girl happy. Grace is definitely one lucky girl.
This book deals with some real issues, but it still has a way of making things relatable and light as you're reading it. I finished this in one day because it was seriously impossible to put down. I had to know what would happen to Grace next and how all of the tension and secrets that were building up were going to turn out in the end. Full of emotion and lovable characters, Janet Gurtler created a book that keeps you hooked. So go out and find yourself a copy! Once you start it, it'll be impossible to put down.
Grace and Kya have been best friends ever since Grace moved in next door, and absolutely nothing can change that. Even when Kya acts out and seems to only care about herself, Grace is always there to help Kya pick up the pieces of her life. Grace knows Kya is dealing with issues from what had happened to her years before, and she knows Kya needs Grace there for support. How far, though, is Grace willing to let Kya go before finally realizing their friendship may not be as strong and unbreakable as she thought?
The very first thing that got me in this book was all the emotion. You seriously want to hate Kya and punch Grace in the face for putting up with her crap. But what happened to Kya makes you realize exactly why Grace acts the way she does. I love how we aren't even told that secret until well into the book, keeping us in suspense and forcing us to continue reading until we figure out every last secret.
Grace is such a sweet character and I loved how she was a paintballer who wants to play in college. I don't think I've ever read a book about paintball, let alone with a girl paintball player, so that was a really cool, unique aspect to Grace's character. Her family is great too and I just want to give James, her other best friend, a big hug. My favorite character, though, would have to be Levi. Now there is a guy that knows exactly how to make a girl happy. Grace is definitely one lucky girl.
This book deals with some real issues, but it still has a way of making things relatable and light as you're reading it. I finished this in one day because it was seriously impossible to put down. I had to know what would happen to Grace next and how all of the tension and secrets that were building up were going to turn out in the end. Full of emotion and lovable characters, Janet Gurtler created a book that keeps you hooked. So go out and find yourself a copy! Once you start it, it'll be impossible to put down.
April 24, 2013
Firstly I'd like to thank Jean BookNerd and Janet Gurtler for giving me the opportunity to join the tour and review this amazing book.
Now where to start...For me this book was a breath of fresh air, I've been reading so many young adult books lately and don't get me wrong, it's one of my favourite genre's. This book just brought something new to the table. Two best friends going through the hardships of life only to realise sometimes friendships don't last forever.
Grace and Kya are best friends, they do everything together, buds before studs! Something tragic happened to Kya when she was younger, she's still not dealing very well with it. Grace does everything she can to help her bestie get through those bad days but Kya just seems to be slipping further away, so Grace has a hard decision to make.
Grace also meets a gorgeous boy named Levi and things start to look up for her.
Gurtler knows how to tell a story, from the very beginning I was entranced. Having a very sick 11mth old it was hard to find the time to read but having to be up half the night with my bubba I did find a way to get my fix (reading at 3am lol).
The characters are unforgettable, I could relate to alot of things they go through and it made me feel closer to them and more apart of the story. I swear I got teary in some parts and quite frustrated in others, there were also times I had butterflies and anticipation on what was going to happen next. It was sad when I finished the last page but at the same time I finished with a smile on my face.
Looking for something that'll have you glued to the pages? Well look no further, come meet some awesome characters and have fun kicking boys arses in paintball. ;-)
Now where to start...For me this book was a breath of fresh air, I've been reading so many young adult books lately and don't get me wrong, it's one of my favourite genre's. This book just brought something new to the table. Two best friends going through the hardships of life only to realise sometimes friendships don't last forever.
Grace and Kya are best friends, they do everything together, buds before studs! Something tragic happened to Kya when she was younger, she's still not dealing very well with it. Grace does everything she can to help her bestie get through those bad days but Kya just seems to be slipping further away, so Grace has a hard decision to make.
Grace also meets a gorgeous boy named Levi and things start to look up for her.
Gurtler knows how to tell a story, from the very beginning I was entranced. Having a very sick 11mth old it was hard to find the time to read but having to be up half the night with my bubba I did find a way to get my fix (reading at 3am lol).
The characters are unforgettable, I could relate to alot of things they go through and it made me feel closer to them and more apart of the story. I swear I got teary in some parts and quite frustrated in others, there were also times I had butterflies and anticipation on what was going to happen next. It was sad when I finished the last page but at the same time I finished with a smile on my face.
Looking for something that'll have you glued to the pages? Well look no further, come meet some awesome characters and have fun kicking boys arses in paintball. ;-)
March 2, 2015
For sports lovers, I'd say this is a good book. While the synopsis doesn't mention it, Grace and Kya are really into paintball. They play competitively and aim to be part the Grinders, an all-women's college team, when they leave high school. Grace's father owns a paintball place, so the two of them and their other best friend, James, spend their free time working there as well. Although, James isn't into playing paintball, the way the two girls are. Anyway, Grace has a very strong focus on paintball and improving her game. In that aspect, I think anyone who takes her sport seriously will definitely enjoy reading this book.
I also liked the fact that it is about how both Grace and Kya play together, and see each other as a duo, no matter which team they play on. That lent an interesting dynamic because the book doesn't revolve just around one athlete and her aspirations but rather about the two of them which makes navigating their friendships more complex.
What I didn't like though overshadowed my enjoyment a fair bit. Grace lets Kya walk all over her all the time and she cannot stop obsessing about Kya's welfare. Even when she finally meets a guy she's interested in, Kya's still is the very first person on her mind. That doesn't make sense. I mean, butterflies in her stomach, shyness, uncertainty and what not make her so nervous, anticipating where her relationship with him might lead and yet, even in the most intense moments that she encounters with him, it is all about Kya. I mean, I understand that Grace feels that she needs to take care of Kya and that she thinks that Kya is ultra-fragile because of a childhood encounter but that doesn't mean that she has to watch over Kya and think about her as much as a new-born mother does about her baby. After four chapters I got the point and it was tiring to keep reading on about that.
The friendship between Kya and James also makes very little sense. They were best friends even before Grace moved to Tadita. Yet for the most part of the book, they aren't even talking. When they finally explain themselves to Grace, I just couldn't believe that that should even have happened in the first place. I don't get why the three of them are even portrayed as best friends in the first place. Grace and Kya, yes. Grace and James, yes. Kya and James, not at all. Then again, I guess people change and all that jazz. If you wanna look at it from that perspective, maybe that part of the story will hold up for you. For me it just didn't.
As for the resolutions, I would've like to know more about their paintball futures. If that didn't tie in with the rest of the ending anymore, maybe a postscript would've been nice. The way they handled their friendships does fit with the progression of the plot, so I was satisfied. Despite the annoying fixation on Kya, I think there is consistency throughout, so that connections between the events still make sense. A worthwhile read for those who are into sports, girl proving themselves in the face of sexists, and those who are into issues books (read rape, in this case).
Review also available on dudettereads.com.
I also liked the fact that it is about how both Grace and Kya play together, and see each other as a duo, no matter which team they play on. That lent an interesting dynamic because the book doesn't revolve just around one athlete and her aspirations but rather about the two of them which makes navigating their friendships more complex.
What I didn't like though overshadowed my enjoyment a fair bit. Grace lets Kya walk all over her all the time and she cannot stop obsessing about Kya's welfare. Even when she finally meets a guy she's interested in, Kya's still is the very first person on her mind. That doesn't make sense. I mean, butterflies in her stomach, shyness, uncertainty and what not make her so nervous, anticipating where her relationship with him might lead and yet, even in the most intense moments that she encounters with him, it is all about Kya. I mean, I understand that Grace feels that she needs to take care of Kya and that she thinks that Kya is ultra-fragile because of a childhood encounter but that doesn't mean that she has to watch over Kya and think about her as much as a new-born mother does about her baby. After four chapters I got the point and it was tiring to keep reading on about that.
The friendship between Kya and James also makes very little sense. They were best friends even before Grace moved to Tadita. Yet for the most part of the book, they aren't even talking. When they finally explain themselves to Grace, I just couldn't believe that that should even have happened in the first place. I don't get why the three of them are even portrayed as best friends in the first place. Grace and Kya, yes. Grace and James, yes. Kya and James, not at all. Then again, I guess people change and all that jazz. If you wanna look at it from that perspective, maybe that part of the story will hold up for you. For me it just didn't.
As for the resolutions, I would've like to know more about their paintball futures. If that didn't tie in with the rest of the ending anymore, maybe a postscript would've been nice. The way they handled their friendships does fit with the progression of the plot, so I was satisfied. Despite the annoying fixation on Kya, I think there is consistency throughout, so that connections between the events still make sense. A worthwhile read for those who are into sports, girl proving themselves in the face of sexists, and those who are into issues books (read rape, in this case).
Review also available on dudettereads.com.
June 27, 2013
Romance takes such an important place in YA fiction (probably because it also occupies an important place in most of young adult and teens' minds!), that it feels like friendship is often the leftover theme of novels, served on the side when the story needs a little push forward. Yet I remember my teen years being intensely focused on my friends, with all the tears and laughter that involved.
In How I Lost You, Janet Gurtler turns things around by making Grace's friendships the heart of the story, while the romance is light and cute, some sort of relief from Grace and Kya's intensity. A refreshing change, yes, but also a realistically written friendship. It wasn't difficult for me to believe these two were best friends, or to understand their dynamics. It's one thing to say "these two are best friends", but it's another to write it convincingly - which I felt the author succeeded at here!
There were two details that slightly (but only slightly) took away from my enjoyment of the book. The first was the length; the book isn't anything out of the ordinary in terms of page number, but I definitely felt certain scenes would have been even better by getting to the point faster. The second detail was all the foreshadowing to the ending and the hinting at Kya's big secret. I felt like Grace kept getting out of her narration to unnecessary point at one or the other. In my opinion, the effect is only better if you hint at it once, then let the reader forget about it.
This being said, the novel had some other very strong points, one being all the relationships in Grace's life, these being her other friends, her family or her new boyfriend. It was well balanced and believable. I love that her parents were present, and even though she described them as "not the hugging type", I could definitely feel the love between them and their kids. It looked like Grace's house would be a fun place to hang out to!
The characters were well drawn and complex - especially Kya. Her situation isn't easy, which makes her both fun and unpleasant to be around depending on her mood. She's the type of character you have empathy for, even though she breaks your heart most often than not. Add to these characters the amazing setting of paintball competition (I didn't even know it was a thing! I had no idea there were organized teams and such!) and I found the novel to be well rounded. Its conclusion will pull at your heartstrings a little, but it is so true to life, too; I really liked it.
How I Lost You was my first time reading Janet Gurtler and it certainly won't be the last! I already had her other books on my wishlist and I will now be looking for a chance to read them. In the meantime, I can only recommend this book to YA readers looking for a nice contemporary summer fiction!
In How I Lost You, Janet Gurtler turns things around by making Grace's friendships the heart of the story, while the romance is light and cute, some sort of relief from Grace and Kya's intensity. A refreshing change, yes, but also a realistically written friendship. It wasn't difficult for me to believe these two were best friends, or to understand their dynamics. It's one thing to say "these two are best friends", but it's another to write it convincingly - which I felt the author succeeded at here!
There were two details that slightly (but only slightly) took away from my enjoyment of the book. The first was the length; the book isn't anything out of the ordinary in terms of page number, but I definitely felt certain scenes would have been even better by getting to the point faster. The second detail was all the foreshadowing to the ending and the hinting at Kya's big secret. I felt like Grace kept getting out of her narration to unnecessary point at one or the other. In my opinion, the effect is only better if you hint at it once, then let the reader forget about it.
This being said, the novel had some other very strong points, one being all the relationships in Grace's life, these being her other friends, her family or her new boyfriend. It was well balanced and believable. I love that her parents were present, and even though she described them as "not the hugging type", I could definitely feel the love between them and their kids. It looked like Grace's house would be a fun place to hang out to!
The characters were well drawn and complex - especially Kya. Her situation isn't easy, which makes her both fun and unpleasant to be around depending on her mood. She's the type of character you have empathy for, even though she breaks your heart most often than not. Add to these characters the amazing setting of paintball competition (I didn't even know it was a thing! I had no idea there were organized teams and such!) and I found the novel to be well rounded. Its conclusion will pull at your heartstrings a little, but it is so true to life, too; I really liked it.
How I Lost You was my first time reading Janet Gurtler and it certainly won't be the last! I already had her other books on my wishlist and I will now be looking for a chance to read them. In the meantime, I can only recommend this book to YA readers looking for a nice contemporary summer fiction!
April 17, 2013
Grace and Kya are the true meaning of what best friends are. The pair does everything together, shares each other’s inner thoughts, and made it known that nothing will ever come between them. When their friendship presents an unexpected challenge, they began to question just what their friendship means and what it means for their future. Janet Gurtler’s very powerful story, How I Lost You, details the events of what extent a friend will do for another friend and the selfishness one friend can be towards the other.
The friendship that Janet describes in this book is something that many of us can relate to. It is something that everyone holds dear to their heart. We all have that one friend, or former friend, that we shared our deepest secrets to, the one we can always trust, and the first person we think of when help is desperately needed. That is the exact path that Grace and Kya’s friendship was heading and it seemed to be unbreakable. The moment the bump-in-the-road rocked their world, their friendship steers into a complex story when a friend is wronged by a friend.
There were so many surprising factors in this book. All the instances of friendship and the struggles Grace and Kya faced were realistic that it made the reading very gripping. The details that Janet gives readers are simply amazing. Each scene is described in great detail that is paints a clear picture and it becomes easy to picture yourself into the story. How I Lost You is an insight to how friendship develops when one friend changes. It will uplift the reader and gives life situations a new outlook.
The friendship that Janet describes in this book is something that many of us can relate to. It is something that everyone holds dear to their heart. We all have that one friend, or former friend, that we shared our deepest secrets to, the one we can always trust, and the first person we think of when help is desperately needed. That is the exact path that Grace and Kya’s friendship was heading and it seemed to be unbreakable. The moment the bump-in-the-road rocked their world, their friendship steers into a complex story when a friend is wronged by a friend.
There were so many surprising factors in this book. All the instances of friendship and the struggles Grace and Kya faced were realistic that it made the reading very gripping. The details that Janet gives readers are simply amazing. Each scene is described in great detail that is paints a clear picture and it becomes easy to picture yourself into the story. How I Lost You is an insight to how friendship develops when one friend changes. It will uplift the reader and gives life situations a new outlook.
June 28, 2013
I love that it started of differently than other books and with an activity you wouldn't expect. I loved it like other little things. When she mentioned a certain kind of laugh I went back in time when I laughed like that with my own friends.
I loved that they had their friendship symbol and hugs like I have a friendly slap and hugs with my bestie.
I could already see that this story and friendship is going to make me cry. In the middle of the book I could feel the tears coming. I tried to hold it in. Towards the end a few tears fell and turned into sobs.
This my favorite quote from it: "'That's another reason I love you. You're so in tune with your faults.' -Kya." I do have many more.
When I finally finished I felt like being with my friend and wanting to talk. I can relate the best friend parts with my bestie & the losing parts with those so called friends.
The second best thing from having your friend after reading this book is having an ice cream cone or the whole tub.
This is an amazing book to be a gift to your close friends as a way of saying I want this kind if friendship without the trouble and losing you.
I loved that they had their friendship symbol and hugs like I have a friendly slap and hugs with my bestie.
I could already see that this story and friendship is going to make me cry. In the middle of the book I could feel the tears coming. I tried to hold it in. Towards the end a few tears fell and turned into sobs.
This my favorite quote from it: "'That's another reason I love you. You're so in tune with your faults.' -Kya." I do have many more.
When I finally finished I felt like being with my friend and wanting to talk. I can relate the best friend parts with my bestie & the losing parts with those so called friends.
The second best thing from having your friend after reading this book is having an ice cream cone or the whole tub.
This is an amazing book to be a gift to your close friends as a way of saying I want this kind if friendship without the trouble and losing you.
April 25, 2013
Wow, wow, wow!! What an intense story about friendship, going into How I Lost You, I really didn't know what was going to come from it, I had never read a story that's main focus was around a friendship and I worried I would end up not enjoying it. Thank goodness I totally loved it!!
How I Lost You is through the eyes of Grace, Grace knows two things are for sure, 1. she wants to play paintball with the all female college team the Grinders and 2. that Kya Kessler is her best friend that she would do anything for. But as summer comes closer to an end, and Kya is slipping further away from herself, Grace will come to realize that not all friendships last forever, no matter how hard you try to save the other person, sometimes you have to let them go.
This was such a great story! If you are someone that has ever let go of a friendship for the better, then you need to read How I Lost You! I really felt I could connect with Grace, I had a girl in high school that I was insanely close with...we always had tons of fun together when we hung out, lots of inside jokes, and could tell each other anything and everything, she was one of my best friends next to Kira. But as high school went on, I started to realize how much she enjoyed drama, and lying, and it wasn't just little white lies, it would be long fabricated stories about her being pregnant and having to get an abortion, or her even having cancer (and none of it would be true)...after awhile I just couldn't take it anymore, I started to question everything she would tell me, wondering if it was the truth or not. We had a falling out, and it was for the better. We stayed in contact everyonce and awhile afterwards..but things never went back to how they were, and now we don't talk at all. Sometimes I miss how we were, but then I realize that my life was much less complicated after she was out of it, and for me it was for the better in the end.
Like I said though, I really felt I could connect with Grace. She tried everything to keep her and Kya's relationship above water, she let Kya get away with ALOT of wrong doings, and tried to forgive her and move on. Grace was just an all around amazing friend to Kya, I felt so bad for Grace being treated the way she was by Kya, Kya knew Grace would forgive anything she did, and she took advantage of it. When Grace eventually stands up for herself I just wanted to jump up and down with excitement for her. Overall Grace was just really an astounding character, you really see her grow in How I Lost You, and she is a character I think anyone that has ever felt like a doormat to someone, could relate too.
While I didn't like Kya, I still felt sorry for her, she goes through something, that I think is one of every girls worst nightmare. I know it's my greatest fear, so I did feel very much sorry for her, I really wished Kya would've overcome what she went through, but I guess if she had, there wouldn't have been a story. Going along with the topic of Kya, one thing I would've like to have seen from How I Lost You was an explanation from her, I know it didn't matter to the story, but in the end I really wanted to know WHY Kya had lied to James and Grace, what did she gain from it? At the end of the story I know it's not something that mattered, but her lying to them was the only thing that I couldn't think of a 'why' to it.
There is also a slight romance in How I Lost You, that I really enjoyed. Grace meets a guy named Levi, that is shy and sweet. I think without him there for Grace she wouldn't had been able to stand up to Kya. Levi was an important character in my eyes. The romance in this story isn't a big focus though, and for once I am glad it wasn't This story was about having an amazing friendship with someone, then learning and realizing that not everything can last forever, and that sometimes it ending is the best thing for you.
I immensely recommend this book if you enjoy contemporary novels, and want something a little different. For anyone that has ever felt like a doormat, or let go of something that you wished you didn't have to. This is a story for you.
I will def be picking up Janet's other novels after this!
How I Lost You is through the eyes of Grace, Grace knows two things are for sure, 1. she wants to play paintball with the all female college team the Grinders and 2. that Kya Kessler is her best friend that she would do anything for. But as summer comes closer to an end, and Kya is slipping further away from herself, Grace will come to realize that not all friendships last forever, no matter how hard you try to save the other person, sometimes you have to let them go.
This was such a great story! If you are someone that has ever let go of a friendship for the better, then you need to read How I Lost You! I really felt I could connect with Grace, I had a girl in high school that I was insanely close with...we always had tons of fun together when we hung out, lots of inside jokes, and could tell each other anything and everything, she was one of my best friends next to Kira. But as high school went on, I started to realize how much she enjoyed drama, and lying, and it wasn't just little white lies, it would be long fabricated stories about her being pregnant and having to get an abortion, or her even having cancer (and none of it would be true)...after awhile I just couldn't take it anymore, I started to question everything she would tell me, wondering if it was the truth or not. We had a falling out, and it was for the better. We stayed in contact everyonce and awhile afterwards..but things never went back to how they were, and now we don't talk at all. Sometimes I miss how we were, but then I realize that my life was much less complicated after she was out of it, and for me it was for the better in the end.
Like I said though, I really felt I could connect with Grace. She tried everything to keep her and Kya's relationship above water, she let Kya get away with ALOT of wrong doings, and tried to forgive her and move on. Grace was just an all around amazing friend to Kya, I felt so bad for Grace being treated the way she was by Kya, Kya knew Grace would forgive anything she did, and she took advantage of it. When Grace eventually stands up for herself I just wanted to jump up and down with excitement for her. Overall Grace was just really an astounding character, you really see her grow in How I Lost You, and she is a character I think anyone that has ever felt like a doormat to someone, could relate too.
While I didn't like Kya, I still felt sorry for her, she goes through something, that I think is one of every girls worst nightmare. I know it's my greatest fear, so I did feel very much sorry for her, I really wished Kya would've overcome what she went through, but I guess if she had, there wouldn't have been a story. Going along with the topic of Kya, one thing I would've like to have seen from How I Lost You was an explanation from her, I know it didn't matter to the story, but in the end I really wanted to know WHY Kya had lied to James and Grace, what did she gain from it? At the end of the story I know it's not something that mattered, but her lying to them was the only thing that I couldn't think of a 'why' to it.
There is also a slight romance in How I Lost You, that I really enjoyed. Grace meets a guy named Levi, that is shy and sweet. I think without him there for Grace she wouldn't had been able to stand up to Kya. Levi was an important character in my eyes. The romance in this story isn't a big focus though, and for once I am glad it wasn't This story was about having an amazing friendship with someone, then learning and realizing that not everything can last forever, and that sometimes it ending is the best thing for you.
I immensely recommend this book if you enjoy contemporary novels, and want something a little different. For anyone that has ever felt like a doormat, or let go of something that you wished you didn't have to. This is a story for you.
I will def be picking up Janet's other novels after this!
April 4, 2013
How I Lost You is a story that has so many things in it that will surprise the reader. I love Janet's stories because she gives such a powerful message in the story that uplifts the reader and has teens looking at situations in a different light. This book is about friends and where friendships go and how they play out when on friend changes.
Grace and Kya are friends not only friends but best friends. They do everything together and they stick to the saying that friends come before anyone or anything. That is until the friendship hits a bump in the road and both Grace and Kya are looking at what their friendship is and where it is going.
This is such a powerful story about what a friend will do for another friend. What sacrifices a friend will do for the other friend and how selfish one friend can be towards the other. I recommend this book to all girls who have ever been wronged by a friend because this book will open their eyes to what happened and give them some insight on how not to make bad decisions in friendships.
What would you sacrifice for your friend?
Grace and Kya are friends not only friends but best friends. They do everything together and they stick to the saying that friends come before anyone or anything. That is until the friendship hits a bump in the road and both Grace and Kya are looking at what their friendship is and where it is going.
This is such a powerful story about what a friend will do for another friend. What sacrifices a friend will do for the other friend and how selfish one friend can be towards the other. I recommend this book to all girls who have ever been wronged by a friend because this book will open their eyes to what happened and give them some insight on how not to make bad decisions in friendships.
What would you sacrifice for your friend?
January 27, 2013
My favourite Gurtler book so far! Interesting story with absorbing characters, and I honestly can't say I've ever read a story about female paintballers before.
June 20, 2013
Probably one of my least favorite YA books ever. Disliked everyone.
May 25, 2013
How I Lost You turned out to be a story about friendship, romance, and courage. What I liked about this one is that it's sole focus is the relationship between two friends, which isn't common among YA these days. You typically see romance-heavy issues in these types of contemporaries, but How I Lost You's outcome proved to be different. Even though I had some issues here and there, this one is an enjoyable read, with a good balance of sweet, adoring moments and serious, dark ones as well.
When I was first introduced to the main characters Grace and Kya, I immediately fell in love with Grace's character. I think the best way to describe her is loyal. Her obvious love for her best friend is clear and she didn't stop at anything to help Kya. However, my feelings for Kya were at the complete opposite end of the spectrum. To me, Kya felt like an absolutely shallow, meaningless girl. She's the character that has had a dark past and everything, and I understand that it's hard to deal with it all, but that's no excuse to treat everyone else differently just because you didn't have a good childhood. The entire time, I constantly asked myself, "Why, Grace, WHY are you still friends with this girl?" That's how utterly loyal Grace is-- she sticks with Kya, even through the worst. The characters in this book turned out to be a pro and a con; Grace made the story very touching and admirable, but Kya made it annoying and hair-pulling.
I definitely have to mention the romance, even though it played second to friendship in this story. It's a sweet, sweet romance, and I don't think I can describe it any other way. Levi, the love interest, was patient, kind, and shy. His hesitation and carefulness with Grace was just to die for. Aside from the romantic relationship itself, I really admired the fact that Gurtler did not over-exaggerate the romance, because, as mentioned, the main idea for this book was friendship. In other words, the romance didn't overshadow the friendship between Grace and Kya.
There were definitely times when I thought that the plot-pacing was very sporadic. The first half of the novel was fantastic. We were introduced to this colorful cast of characters, and Grace and Kya's summer had just begun. My instant reaction was: YES, A PERFECT SUMMER READ. However, towards the middle, I just got plain bored. Nothing was happening, and every description triggered a thought similar to this: Why the heck do I care that she went to the bathroom with her toiletries bag? I was definitely frustrated at this point, but luckily, the last quarter of this book was redeeming and my initial love for this book returned. The book ended on a good note that I was satisfied with, fortunately!
I think a main aspect that readers will enjoy in How I Lost You is the inclusion of paintballing. I've never read any books that involved a sport with paintballing. I think it added a nice little spark to it that kind of made it stand out. The integration was smooth and played a good role in the story.
How I Lost You had it's good times and not-so-good times, but overall, it's a read that I recommend. It has its useful life-lessons and friendship morals scattered about that everyone can learn from. I know for a fact that Janet Gurtler is an author that I look forward to reading more books from!
3.5 teacups for How I Lost You!
*Thanks to Sourcebooks Fire and Netgalley for providing me with a copy to review!*
THIS REVIEW WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED AT A Reading Daydreamer:
http://a-reading-daydreamer.blogspot....
For more of my reviews, check out the blog:
When I was first introduced to the main characters Grace and Kya, I immediately fell in love with Grace's character. I think the best way to describe her is loyal. Her obvious love for her best friend is clear and she didn't stop at anything to help Kya. However, my feelings for Kya were at the complete opposite end of the spectrum. To me, Kya felt like an absolutely shallow, meaningless girl. She's the character that has had a dark past and everything, and I understand that it's hard to deal with it all, but that's no excuse to treat everyone else differently just because you didn't have a good childhood. The entire time, I constantly asked myself, "Why, Grace, WHY are you still friends with this girl?" That's how utterly loyal Grace is-- she sticks with Kya, even through the worst. The characters in this book turned out to be a pro and a con; Grace made the story very touching and admirable, but Kya made it annoying and hair-pulling.
I definitely have to mention the romance, even though it played second to friendship in this story. It's a sweet, sweet romance, and I don't think I can describe it any other way. Levi, the love interest, was patient, kind, and shy. His hesitation and carefulness with Grace was just to die for. Aside from the romantic relationship itself, I really admired the fact that Gurtler did not over-exaggerate the romance, because, as mentioned, the main idea for this book was friendship. In other words, the romance didn't overshadow the friendship between Grace and Kya.
There were definitely times when I thought that the plot-pacing was very sporadic. The first half of the novel was fantastic. We were introduced to this colorful cast of characters, and Grace and Kya's summer had just begun. My instant reaction was: YES, A PERFECT SUMMER READ. However, towards the middle, I just got plain bored. Nothing was happening, and every description triggered a thought similar to this: Why the heck do I care that she went to the bathroom with her toiletries bag? I was definitely frustrated at this point, but luckily, the last quarter of this book was redeeming and my initial love for this book returned. The book ended on a good note that I was satisfied with, fortunately!
I think a main aspect that readers will enjoy in How I Lost You is the inclusion of paintballing. I've never read any books that involved a sport with paintballing. I think it added a nice little spark to it that kind of made it stand out. The integration was smooth and played a good role in the story.
How I Lost You had it's good times and not-so-good times, but overall, it's a read that I recommend. It has its useful life-lessons and friendship morals scattered about that everyone can learn from. I know for a fact that Janet Gurtler is an author that I look forward to reading more books from!
3.5 teacups for How I Lost You!
*Thanks to Sourcebooks Fire and Netgalley for providing me with a copy to review!*
THIS REVIEW WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED AT A Reading Daydreamer:
http://a-reading-daydreamer.blogspot....
For more of my reviews, check out the blog:
June 18, 2013
Every time I think that Janet Gurtler has wowed me, she does it again and better. What I love most about her writing is how she takes a relevant topic and makes it relatable to readers whether or not they've ever had to experience what the characters go through. More importantly, she writes about realistic teens that we can sympathize with. And this is what I look for in YA Contemporary.
I was especially excited to read How I Lost You because it's about two girl friends. While we all have them, oftentimes friendships fade into the background of the greater plot or romance of many YA books nowadays. This book, however, is all about Grace's relationship with Kya and how recent events cause her to rethink their friendship and its impact on her life. Romance gets put on hold in the meantime. I also love the paintball side to the book. It adds some nice action to the story and rounds out the girls' characters. Plus, it feels really good to see them kicking some boy butt in a male-dominated sport.
Kya is toxic. Guys can't help falling all over her, and even Grace is not immune to Kya's charms, albeit in a completely different manner. Though Kya keeps making Grace put her other life plans on hold in order to take care of her (something Grace has felt obligated to do ever since learning about what happened to Kya in the past), Grace can't help making excuses to her. It's similar to the kind of relationships where one partner keeps hurting the other and saying sorry, and the other party keeps forgiving the hurtful partner. The need to protect Kya keeps Grace blinded to Kya's faults. Grace is a nice girl with genuine concern for Kya's welfare, which makes it all the harder watching her invest so much time into covering up the stupid things that Kya does just to watch Kya do them all over again.
The events that unfold in this novel are necessary for Grace and Kya to grow up. It would be near impossible for Grace to get anywhere in life if she kept taking care of Kya over her own needs, and it's a difficult situation for her. She loves Kya, in the way you love that girl friend you've had forever, and so much that being Kya's BFF is a part of who she is. Now, she's learning that she never really knew that other part of her, and she doesn't know how to begin moving on. Kya has always been able to rely on Grace to forgive her fault. She isn't a bad girl at heart, but I think she can learn how not to make excuses for herself if she doesn't have Grace mothering her all the time. James, the third best friend in this trio, acts as a nice foil to Grace with his different outlook on life. I also really like Levi. He's sweet and supportive, and the romance between him and Grace is sweet and so, so cute to watch unfold.
How I Lost You is a story about friendship, forgiveness, and learning to let go. I recommend this to readers looking for a realistic YA Contemporary read.
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For more of my reviews, visit my blog
I was especially excited to read How I Lost You because it's about two girl friends. While we all have them, oftentimes friendships fade into the background of the greater plot or romance of many YA books nowadays. This book, however, is all about Grace's relationship with Kya and how recent events cause her to rethink their friendship and its impact on her life. Romance gets put on hold in the meantime. I also love the paintball side to the book. It adds some nice action to the story and rounds out the girls' characters. Plus, it feels really good to see them kicking some boy butt in a male-dominated sport.
Kya is toxic. Guys can't help falling all over her, and even Grace is not immune to Kya's charms, albeit in a completely different manner. Though Kya keeps making Grace put her other life plans on hold in order to take care of her (something Grace has felt obligated to do ever since learning about what happened to Kya in the past), Grace can't help making excuses to her. It's similar to the kind of relationships where one partner keeps hurting the other and saying sorry, and the other party keeps forgiving the hurtful partner. The need to protect Kya keeps Grace blinded to Kya's faults. Grace is a nice girl with genuine concern for Kya's welfare, which makes it all the harder watching her invest so much time into covering up the stupid things that Kya does just to watch Kya do them all over again.
The events that unfold in this novel are necessary for Grace and Kya to grow up. It would be near impossible for Grace to get anywhere in life if she kept taking care of Kya over her own needs, and it's a difficult situation for her. She loves Kya, in the way you love that girl friend you've had forever, and so much that being Kya's BFF is a part of who she is. Now, she's learning that she never really knew that other part of her, and she doesn't know how to begin moving on. Kya has always been able to rely on Grace to forgive her fault. She isn't a bad girl at heart, but I think she can learn how not to make excuses for herself if she doesn't have Grace mothering her all the time. James, the third best friend in this trio, acts as a nice foil to Grace with his different outlook on life. I also really like Levi. He's sweet and supportive, and the romance between him and Grace is sweet and so, so cute to watch unfold.
How I Lost You is a story about friendship, forgiveness, and learning to let go. I recommend this to readers looking for a realistic YA Contemporary read.
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July 7, 2015
3.5/5
Grace, Kya, and James have been best friends forever. Kya has had a troubled past with some painful secrets though, and as a result, acts out in wild and promiscuous ways, always getting herself into some kind of trouble. James is sick and tired of Kya’s behavior, but Grace refuses to give up on her, constantly defending her and supporting her, even though she doesn’t always deserve it. When things finally come to a head, and Kya reveals her true nature, Grace must decide what friendships are worth keeping and what ones are worth losing.
I immediately found myself relating to this friendship scenario, as I also have a best friend “trio,” with a girl and a guy. There have been lots of ups and downs, and I’ve always felt like Grace, in that I’ve been the one who wanted to hold the group together, refusing to give up on the three of us. I totally understood where Grace was coming from and I loved that. One thing that I didn’t really relate to at all though, and found myself unable to get into, was the heavy influence of paintball in this book. Grace and Kya are trying out for a college team, and the three friends all work at Splatterfest, a paintball place that Grace’s dad owns. I don’t really know anyone who plays paintball and had a hard time enjoying some of these parts of the book. Nonetheless, I understand there are plenty of people who enjoy it, it just wasn’t necessarily for me. I also felt like I was left waiting for a big major event to happen throughout the book, but it never really did. Despite this, I did still enjoy the book for many reasons.
Kya was a frustrating character, always putting herself in dangerous situations, and blaming what happened to her in the past for everything she ever did wrong. Though she really ticked me off, I thought she was very real. I think a lot of people who suffer from traumatic experiences act out and make poor choices, and Kya’s character was very realistic. Grace frustrated me too, because for the longest time, she refused to see Kya’s flaws, and constantly made excuses for all of her wrongdoings. Grace seemed almost obsessed with her. I think this was realistic too in a sense – toxic friendships and constant excuses made for those who we love. Basically, the two of them were oil and vinegar, but they didn’t want to let go of what they had in the past. Grace, though seemingly weak at first, becomes a stronger and stronger character as time progresses, and I really appreciated seeing her growth.
All in all, I enjoyed Gurtler’s depiction here of a toxic relationship and the true meaning of friendship. Though the book wasn’t one of my favorites of the year, I did like the story and would recommend it to fans of contemporary YA with a dark side.
Note: I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Grace, Kya, and James have been best friends forever. Kya has had a troubled past with some painful secrets though, and as a result, acts out in wild and promiscuous ways, always getting herself into some kind of trouble. James is sick and tired of Kya’s behavior, but Grace refuses to give up on her, constantly defending her and supporting her, even though she doesn’t always deserve it. When things finally come to a head, and Kya reveals her true nature, Grace must decide what friendships are worth keeping and what ones are worth losing.
I immediately found myself relating to this friendship scenario, as I also have a best friend “trio,” with a girl and a guy. There have been lots of ups and downs, and I’ve always felt like Grace, in that I’ve been the one who wanted to hold the group together, refusing to give up on the three of us. I totally understood where Grace was coming from and I loved that. One thing that I didn’t really relate to at all though, and found myself unable to get into, was the heavy influence of paintball in this book. Grace and Kya are trying out for a college team, and the three friends all work at Splatterfest, a paintball place that Grace’s dad owns. I don’t really know anyone who plays paintball and had a hard time enjoying some of these parts of the book. Nonetheless, I understand there are plenty of people who enjoy it, it just wasn’t necessarily for me. I also felt like I was left waiting for a big major event to happen throughout the book, but it never really did. Despite this, I did still enjoy the book for many reasons.
Kya was a frustrating character, always putting herself in dangerous situations, and blaming what happened to her in the past for everything she ever did wrong. Though she really ticked me off, I thought she was very real. I think a lot of people who suffer from traumatic experiences act out and make poor choices, and Kya’s character was very realistic. Grace frustrated me too, because for the longest time, she refused to see Kya’s flaws, and constantly made excuses for all of her wrongdoings. Grace seemed almost obsessed with her. I think this was realistic too in a sense – toxic friendships and constant excuses made for those who we love. Basically, the two of them were oil and vinegar, but they didn’t want to let go of what they had in the past. Grace, though seemingly weak at first, becomes a stronger and stronger character as time progresses, and I really appreciated seeing her growth.
All in all, I enjoyed Gurtler’s depiction here of a toxic relationship and the true meaning of friendship. Though the book wasn’t one of my favorites of the year, I did like the story and would recommend it to fans of contemporary YA with a dark side.
Note: I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
May 17, 2013
How I Lost You was an extremely emotional read for me. I don't expect it would be that way for everyone, but would depend upon how much you connect with it and if you have had similar experiences. While my own experiences were very, very different, they were close enough that it really brought back a lot of what I felt as a teen. My best friend lived hours away so we only saw each other on occasional weekends and during the summer when I'd stay for extended periods. But she was the pretty one, she was the one in control, the boss. She didn't always make the right choices (or smartest choices) and she was very selfish. I shouldn't say 'was', I'm sure she still is but I haven't seen her in 10 years since she moved to the other side of the country. And I loved her, still love her. I understand the love that Grace felt for Kya even when Kya kept doing things to sabotage her happiness. Luckily my best friend was never as bad as Kya got and I'm thankful for that. But reading this book was rather hard. I kept wanting to scream at Grace to stand up for herself, to think for herself, to find her way without Kya. Yet, I understood her reasoning for sticking by her. At least somewhat. See, Kya has a 'excuse' for her behavior. Something happened to her and this something seems to allow her to make poor choices because she's still hung up on it. But does this really excuse all her poor choices? How far can she go before Grace realizes she needs to step back from the friendship?
Watching Grace grow into herself, without depending so much on Kya, was fantastic. I love watching incredible character growth and while it took Grace awhile to realize stuff, by the end I was very proud of her. Part of her ability to find her way is that she has met a boy and he is so, so sweet. He is so perfect and their relationship is drama free. Yeah, she has her doubts about things, but there's never any back and forth. And things move slowly as they get to know each other and just felt very real and authentic. I really loved the romance in this book.
I also loved the family in the book. Grace's parents are very present and while they are somewhat unconventional in some ways, they are pretty great. They aren't perfect, and that's something discussed in the book, but they are very good parents. Having present parents in YA books is something I think is very important so I was happy to see it in this one.
I definitely recommend this book to mature YA readers (sex, language, and drinking is present) and those who enjoy contemporary YA.
You can find this review, and others like it, on my blog at http://www.candacesbookblog.com
Watching Grace grow into herself, without depending so much on Kya, was fantastic. I love watching incredible character growth and while it took Grace awhile to realize stuff, by the end I was very proud of her. Part of her ability to find her way is that she has met a boy and he is so, so sweet. He is so perfect and their relationship is drama free. Yeah, she has her doubts about things, but there's never any back and forth. And things move slowly as they get to know each other and just felt very real and authentic. I really loved the romance in this book.
I also loved the family in the book. Grace's parents are very present and while they are somewhat unconventional in some ways, they are pretty great. They aren't perfect, and that's something discussed in the book, but they are very good parents. Having present parents in YA books is something I think is very important so I was happy to see it in this one.
I definitely recommend this book to mature YA readers (sex, language, and drinking is present) and those who enjoy contemporary YA.
You can find this review, and others like it, on my blog at http://www.candacesbookblog.com
October 21, 2015
Buds before studs. That's the motto that has been Grace and Kya's motto, they've been best friends for many years and share everything including their serious love of paintball. They've planned their future to include a future with college and playing paintball on a team.
But how much is too much to accept from a friend? Grace is always there for Kya, many times at a personal sacrifice but is Kya there for Grace in the same way? Because of Kya's history and their being best friends so long, Grace accepts actions and behaviours that are more and more hurtful and destructive. She has always made excuses for the things Kya has done until now when she's struggling to hold on to her best friend but knowing it isn't in her best interests. When is it okay to let go of a friendship? Sometimes we let history or other factors dictate the rules and losing a friend is hard; you have such a history of memories and swore you'd be bff's forever but (and I have to say I hated that whole but/butt thing and the amount of times someone gave the finger was getting old) sometimes you don't make it to forever. People change and grow, when friendships become one sided, or destructive, or dangerous, it's no longer the friendship it was and cutting ties altogether is often better. Grace's mother compared it to the death of a loved one and that there is a grieving process that follows, yet I think it's sometimes harder as that person is still around, it's hard to let to go of the hope that they will change or they will be back the way they used to be.
I really liked James, I would love a friend like him and while he may not get all he wants in a relationship with Grace, their friendship is more honest and sincere and I think realistically they could go from a threesome to two.
I also liked Grace's parents, down to earth and pretty cool parents but not too cool. They still had guidelines and rules Grace and her brother Indie were expected to follow and they had so much concern for what was happening in their children's lives.
This book is a pretty quick read, mostly the story of the friendship of Grace and Kya, with a little sweet romance thrown in. There is a lot of talk about paintball but not a lot of details that will bore the reader.
I have read a lot of Janet Gurtler's books and can say she is definitely one of my favourite teen/young adult authors. She's light on the romance with some very real and relevant issues. I have enjoyed them all.
But how much is too much to accept from a friend? Grace is always there for Kya, many times at a personal sacrifice but is Kya there for Grace in the same way? Because of Kya's history and their being best friends so long, Grace accepts actions and behaviours that are more and more hurtful and destructive. She has always made excuses for the things Kya has done until now when she's struggling to hold on to her best friend but knowing it isn't in her best interests. When is it okay to let go of a friendship? Sometimes we let history or other factors dictate the rules and losing a friend is hard; you have such a history of memories and swore you'd be bff's forever but (and I have to say I hated that whole but/butt thing and the amount of times someone gave the finger was getting old) sometimes you don't make it to forever. People change and grow, when friendships become one sided, or destructive, or dangerous, it's no longer the friendship it was and cutting ties altogether is often better. Grace's mother compared it to the death of a loved one and that there is a grieving process that follows, yet I think it's sometimes harder as that person is still around, it's hard to let to go of the hope that they will change or they will be back the way they used to be.
I really liked James, I would love a friend like him and while he may not get all he wants in a relationship with Grace, their friendship is more honest and sincere and I think realistically they could go from a threesome to two.
I also liked Grace's parents, down to earth and pretty cool parents but not too cool. They still had guidelines and rules Grace and her brother Indie were expected to follow and they had so much concern for what was happening in their children's lives.
This book is a pretty quick read, mostly the story of the friendship of Grace and Kya, with a little sweet romance thrown in. There is a lot of talk about paintball but not a lot of details that will bore the reader.
I have read a lot of Janet Gurtler's books and can say she is definitely one of my favourite teen/young adult authors. She's light on the romance with some very real and relevant issues. I have enjoyed them all.
June 5, 2013
What I love about this story is that at its core this story is about friendship and the limits of friendship. Kya is on a downward spiral and Grace has always been the person to get Kya back on track. It's never really been a problem until Kya's actions start affecting Grace and Grace's future. Gurtler makes you really question when enough is enough?
How I Lost You is so poignant and there are so many hard hitting moments and moments that make you contemplate about when to let go. I really tried to look at Kya and Grace's relationship from an objective perspective and there are many moments that I'm like "Ok Grace, time to cut her of now...that's too far Grace...Don't let her get away with this Grace...It's not your problem". However Gurtler does an amazing job at painting a picture about how complicated this relationship is, I think the moments were I'm like okay enough, are some of the same moments where Grace is having these realization. It's not a simple decision and I really feel like How I Lost You accurately portrays the difficulty of this decision. Even though I'm like, Ugh! Come On! I understand every reason why Grace feels like she has to stay, maybe it's because I've personally had a parasitic friendship of my own, where one person clearly benefited out of that relationship more than the other. There is absolutely no way to make a clean break with someone you have so much history without there being a lot of hurt and that's partly makes Grace hesitate and continue to give Kya more chances.
I think my favorite of part of the novel however is not actually the characters but Gurtler's writing style, she masterfully interweaves light funny moments with darker serious moments, and those light moments don't detract at all from the serious topics.
I am a personal fan of all of Janet Gurtler's works an How I Lost You is no exception. I laughed and I cried, and I felt a range of emotions and finished the book but couldn't leave the story alone, I couldn't stop thinking about Grace and thinking about how/if I would do anything differently. I would absolutely recommend that you read How I Lost You.
Copy provided by author for a honest and unbiased review.
How I Lost You is so poignant and there are so many hard hitting moments and moments that make you contemplate about when to let go. I really tried to look at Kya and Grace's relationship from an objective perspective and there are many moments that I'm like "Ok Grace, time to cut her of now...that's too far Grace...Don't let her get away with this Grace...It's not your problem". However Gurtler does an amazing job at painting a picture about how complicated this relationship is, I think the moments were I'm like okay enough, are some of the same moments where Grace is having these realization. It's not a simple decision and I really feel like How I Lost You accurately portrays the difficulty of this decision. Even though I'm like, Ugh! Come On! I understand every reason why Grace feels like she has to stay, maybe it's because I've personally had a parasitic friendship of my own, where one person clearly benefited out of that relationship more than the other. There is absolutely no way to make a clean break with someone you have so much history without there being a lot of hurt and that's partly makes Grace hesitate and continue to give Kya more chances.
I think my favorite of part of the novel however is not actually the characters but Gurtler's writing style, she masterfully interweaves light funny moments with darker serious moments, and those light moments don't detract at all from the serious topics.
I am a personal fan of all of Janet Gurtler's works an How I Lost You is no exception. I laughed and I cried, and I felt a range of emotions and finished the book but couldn't leave the story alone, I couldn't stop thinking about Grace and thinking about how/if I would do anything differently. I would absolutely recommend that you read How I Lost You.
Copy provided by author for a honest and unbiased review.
June 7, 2013
How I Lost You was a real surprise find for me and I certainly wasn't expecting it to be as good as it was. I liked the sound of the intense friendship between Grace and Kya, and how that can take over your life, much like a romantic relationship can and does. It's an interesting dynamic to explore, though I tend to find that most YA books focus more on romance and the friendships get pushed to the wayside. Janet Gurtler has written an intelligent book about what happens when a friendship becomes more bad than good, and she effortlessly shows just how hard it is to recognise that.
Besides the very realistic portrayal of friendship, How I Lost You also features a romantic interest in the form of new boy Levi, who Grace ends up friends with when he moves to town. They hit it off instantly and slowly start spending more time with each other, there's no insta-love and it's all very gradual. Just how I like it. Levi is Grace's support throughout her problems with Kya, which unfold at a much faster pace and take centre stage as it becomes clearer that Kya may not be all she seems.
Even though I enjoyed the friendship and romance, my favourite part of How I Lost You is the inclusion of paintballing as a sport. I've never come across that in anything before; in fact, the closest I've seen is roller derby. I had no idea that paintballing is a college team sport, or that there are professional players. I always thought it was a recreational fun game - how wrong I was! Both Grace and Kya play on a league team in this book, they go to practices and compete in tournaments. I loved learning about the different tactics and equipment used, and giving the characters something to strive towards made them that much more lifelike.
How I Lost You is about friendship, a friendship so intense that it takes over your life. When that friendship turns into something you didn't expect, what do you do? How do you deal with it? Janet Gurtler has explored that here, and in doing so has written a true to life account of what it's like to be a seventeen-year-old girl just starting out in the world. I was pleasantly surprised by this book and how much I enjoyed it - a great find, indeed!
Besides the very realistic portrayal of friendship, How I Lost You also features a romantic interest in the form of new boy Levi, who Grace ends up friends with when he moves to town. They hit it off instantly and slowly start spending more time with each other, there's no insta-love and it's all very gradual. Just how I like it. Levi is Grace's support throughout her problems with Kya, which unfold at a much faster pace and take centre stage as it becomes clearer that Kya may not be all she seems.
Even though I enjoyed the friendship and romance, my favourite part of How I Lost You is the inclusion of paintballing as a sport. I've never come across that in anything before; in fact, the closest I've seen is roller derby. I had no idea that paintballing is a college team sport, or that there are professional players. I always thought it was a recreational fun game - how wrong I was! Both Grace and Kya play on a league team in this book, they go to practices and compete in tournaments. I loved learning about the different tactics and equipment used, and giving the characters something to strive towards made them that much more lifelike.
How I Lost You is about friendship, a friendship so intense that it takes over your life. When that friendship turns into something you didn't expect, what do you do? How do you deal with it? Janet Gurtler has explored that here, and in doing so has written a true to life account of what it's like to be a seventeen-year-old girl just starting out in the world. I was pleasantly surprised by this book and how much I enjoyed it - a great find, indeed!
May 13, 2013
Reading How I Lost You by Janet Gurtler was like that eerie feeling you get when someone crawled into your head and put your own memories to paper. Like Grace, I had my own best friend growing up that I gradually grew estranged from until I could barely see what remained of our friendship in the distance. I learned the hard lesson that sometimes you can do everything right and it still just isn’t enough. Like the journey Grace embarks on in this novel.
Grace is a fantastically bright, vibrant character that I quickly grew to love. She has this energy that is infectious and she’s one of the few YA characters that acted her age without making me furious. She was occasionally whiny and melodramatic, but nothing I wouldn’t expect from a typical teenager. All these flaws made her a stronger, more realistic character.
Kya, on the other hand, grated my nerves almost from the jump. When I understood a bit more of her backstory, I was sympathetic. But there was a point when my sympathy ran out and I just wanted her to accept responsibility for the disasters she had created. Maybe because I lived this life before, I wanted desperately to see the outcome I never got.
The friend I mentioned earlier and I never reconciled. Our relationship simply couldn’t survive the strains it underwent and as a teenager I didn’t know how to fix what was broken. I won’t say how things turn out for Grace and Kya—you’ll have to discover that for yourself. What I can say is that How I Lost You was my first Gurtler book, but I can assure you it won’t be my last. Gurtler has a beautiful way of telling a story that breaks your heart and pieces it back together again. It’s easy to see why Gurtler is a darling on the YA world. She’s certainly made a fan out of me.
Grace is a fantastically bright, vibrant character that I quickly grew to love. She has this energy that is infectious and she’s one of the few YA characters that acted her age without making me furious. She was occasionally whiny and melodramatic, but nothing I wouldn’t expect from a typical teenager. All these flaws made her a stronger, more realistic character.
Kya, on the other hand, grated my nerves almost from the jump. When I understood a bit more of her backstory, I was sympathetic. But there was a point when my sympathy ran out and I just wanted her to accept responsibility for the disasters she had created. Maybe because I lived this life before, I wanted desperately to see the outcome I never got.
The friend I mentioned earlier and I never reconciled. Our relationship simply couldn’t survive the strains it underwent and as a teenager I didn’t know how to fix what was broken. I won’t say how things turn out for Grace and Kya—you’ll have to discover that for yourself. What I can say is that How I Lost You was my first Gurtler book, but I can assure you it won’t be my last. Gurtler has a beautiful way of telling a story that breaks your heart and pieces it back together again. It’s easy to see why Gurtler is a darling on the YA world. She’s certainly made a fan out of me.
August 1, 2013
This book was so good. I haven't read a Contemporary YA this wonderful in a long time, trust me. I finished it in a day, and barely ever stopped reading!
What makes this book so good are the characters. Their struggles and emotions are portrayed in a very realistic way. My Favorite character was definitely Levi.
Another thing I liked was the fact that the main characters, Grace and Kya, are female paintballers. I mean, when did you last read a book with female paintballers as the main characters? I even got to learn a teensy bit about the sport, though I admittedly didn't know very much about it to start with.
But the thing that I loved most about How I Lost You was the ending.
In closing, I really liked How I Lost You, and I would definitely recommend it!
I received this book via Goodreads First Reads. This in no way affects my review.
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All I can say after winning this is WOW. This was one book that I was not expecting to win at all, but that I was really hoping to read anyway! It sounds so good, and after I read the reviews for it, I only wanted to read it more. I am really happy right now! Thanks to all who made this giveaway possible!
What makes this book so good are the characters. Their struggles and emotions are portrayed in a very realistic way. My Favorite character was definitely Levi.
Another thing I liked was the fact that the main characters, Grace and Kya, are female paintballers. I mean, when did you last read a book with female paintballers as the main characters? I even got to learn a teensy bit about the sport, though I admittedly didn't know very much about it to start with.
But the thing that I loved most about How I Lost You was the ending.
In closing, I really liked How I Lost You, and I would definitely recommend it!
I received this book via Goodreads First Reads. This in no way affects my review.
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All I can say after winning this is WOW. This was one book that I was not expecting to win at all, but that I was really hoping to read anyway! It sounds so good, and after I read the reviews for it, I only wanted to read it more. I am really happy right now! Thanks to all who made this giveaway possible!
December 26, 2013
Janet's novels have always impressed me, every time. They always deal with concepts that other novels don't, like the effects of drugs and friendship altogether. These days there are so many books that are all about boys and love, and we don't get to read about the true meaning of friendship, especially in teen and YA novels.
I found the story to be fast-paced and the events happened very quick, and straight to the point. I did get bored at times, and I feel that some events weren't even needed, but I wasn't that bored that I'd put the book down, no. Just no.
I hated the atmosphere and people that Grace lived with. Her family was just so upsetting, and I'd never want to live with them. Grace's character was basically the one who got hurt and had to deal with everything. Kya was the "problem." But I liked her anyway. She was very easy-going and only wanted to have fun in live, I'm emphasizing the fun, because that's really what she did. Grace had to pick up the pieces while Kya broke them and their friendship. Why did Kya get into the drugs and stupid stuff? That's because no one loved her, she hardly got any affection except Grace's to her. Wow, that was deep.
I love how meaningful Janet makes her books, they always have concepts that no one else creates, I love her mind.
May 9, 2015
In short, this book was amazing.
I loved the writing, connected with Grace and adored her so much, loved Levi, hated Kya, loved Grace's parents, loved the plot, couldn't stop reading for even a brief moment. It was amazing.
My only problem is that the ending feels somewhat unresolved... We don't know what happens to Kya, or Grace making the team, or if Steve will get in trouble... But even though that was my one major issue, the whole rest of the book deserved four stars.
This is a rare contemporary that actually made be feel something... I felt exactly like Grace in many situations and found many parts very relatable. I'm glad I read this one, because it really did impact me in more than one way. I loved how it focused on Kya and Grace's relationship and the idea of letting go, instead of most YA books where the story is great but focuses way too much on the love interest. This was a great book and deserves a lot more attention, to be honest.
Altogether, 4 Stars.
I'm definitely reading more from this author.
I loved the writing, connected with Grace and adored her so much, loved Levi, hated Kya, loved Grace's parents, loved the plot, couldn't stop reading for even a brief moment. It was amazing.
My only problem is that the ending feels somewhat unresolved... We don't know what happens to Kya, or Grace making the team, or if Steve will get in trouble... But even though that was my one major issue, the whole rest of the book deserved four stars.
This is a rare contemporary that actually made be feel something... I felt exactly like Grace in many situations and found many parts very relatable. I'm glad I read this one, because it really did impact me in more than one way. I loved how it focused on Kya and Grace's relationship and the idea of letting go, instead of most YA books where the story is great but focuses way too much on the love interest. This was a great book and deserves a lot more attention, to be honest.
Altogether, 4 Stars.
I'm definitely reading more from this author.
June 21, 2015
THIS WAS NOT AT ALL WHAT I WANTED.
this was not a bad book. and in fact, it started off really promising. best girl friends who beat boys at paint ball! that's so cool! then it all goes downhill. the problem is that the end message of the book makes me REALLY MAD. is Kya the best behaved friend ever? no. but I'm MAD that . OH, AND the parallel to Grace's struggle with whether to stay friends with Kya is a guy going "I know that feeling, I lost a friend because I beat him up because he was a pedophile." ugh ugh ugh.
I want more ya novels about sisters before misters that stays that way.
this was not a bad book. and in fact, it started off really promising. best girl friends who beat boys at paint ball! that's so cool! then it all goes downhill. the problem is that the end message of the book makes me REALLY MAD. is Kya the best behaved friend ever? no. but I'm MAD that . OH, AND the parallel to Grace's struggle with whether to stay friends with Kya is a guy going "I know that feeling, I lost a friend because I beat him up because he was a pedophile." ugh ugh ugh.
I want more ya novels about sisters before misters that stays that way.
Read
January 8, 2014Grace and her best friend Kya have a bond that seems unbreakable. Buds before Studs is the motto they live by. They spend everyday together but the summer before senior year might change it all. Sometimes they person who’s always the backbone needs a little support too. They wonder how much forgiveness can take place before it’s just too much. Will the answer be what they wanted it to?
This was my first read by Janet Gurtler. When I looked at the cover I thought it would be some boy meets girl thing. I soon realized it’s a book about realizing sometimes the life you’re used to isn’t the right life for you. It comes to a point where you have to quit looking out for others and look out for yourself. After reading this I instantly called my best friend and told her how much I value her. Janet opened my eyes to reality. Her writing is quite amazing. Lot’s of teenagers should give this book a shot, see if it opens your eyes and you change a few things.
This was my first read by Janet Gurtler. When I looked at the cover I thought it would be some boy meets girl thing. I soon realized it’s a book about realizing sometimes the life you’re used to isn’t the right life for you. It comes to a point where you have to quit looking out for others and look out for yourself. After reading this I instantly called my best friend and told her how much I value her. Janet opened my eyes to reality. Her writing is quite amazing. Lot’s of teenagers should give this book a shot, see if it opens your eyes and you change a few things.
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