Fragments of the Lost by Megan Miranda

Hey book lovers! I’m here with a book review for Fragments of the Lost by Megan Miranda which I read for The Literally Dead Book Club on Goodreads. I read this during the last week of May. I haven’t been in the best mental place for writing reviews the past few months…there’s a lot going on, but I’m trying hard to carve out time to do the things that I know will bring me happiness – reading and writing being in my top 10.

About The Book 📚

Publication Date: November 2017

Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers

Suggested Reader Age: Young Adult

Genre: Contemporary Mystery Thriller

My Review

› Caleb went missing during a storm when his car was swept off the road. Presumed dead, his ex-girlfriend, Jessa is left wondering where Caleb was going in a storm. His mother asked Jessa to help pack up Caleb’s room as punishment because she thinks Jessa is to blame for Caleb’s accident. Picking up the pieces of his room triggers her past memories of Caleb. She realizes what a jerk he’s been and he hasn’t been telling anyone the truth. I don’t want to say too much, I think this is a mystery that you should read without knowing too much.

› Jessa is a smart, strong female lead. I would have liked to get to know her family more. Jessa’s best friend, Hailey, is a stand-out side character for me. She made me laugh so many times. Max…ah Max. The soft boy. I always fall for the soft boy. AND he was tall…He would definitely be the boy I’d fall for as a teen twenty years ago. Eve was unlikeable from the beginning…love to hate her. I quickly felt connected to Jessa and defensive when Eve treated Jessa like crap.

› I liked the mystery surrounding Caleb…there are twists and one surprised me. This is a very slow-build, at times perhaps a little too slow, but hang in there, because once things pick up, they REALLY pick up. The ending felt rushed and there are some plot holes, yet this was a pretty good YA thriller for me.

› As of May 2020, I use the CAWPILE method to rate books.
Characters: 7
Atmosphere: 7
Writing Style: 7
Plot: 6
Intrigue: 8
Logic: 6
Enjoyment: 8

add up the scores
find the average 7

1.1-2.2 = ★
2.3-4.5 = ★★
4.6-6.9 = ★★★
7-8.9 = ★★★★
9-10 = ★★★★★

My Goodreads Rating ★★★★

› Final Thoughts
• Fragments of the Lost is a slow-burn mystery thriller about a young girl discovering the truth about her dead boyfriend’s death. It reminded me of Platform Seven by Louise Doughty and You Are Not Alone by Greer Hendricks but I didn’t like those as much as Fragments of the Lost or The Other People by C. J. Tudor. Highly recommend this one! I’m looking forward to reading more by Miranda.