Leave No Trace

Leave No Trace is intense, atmospheric, and fully absorbing. I lived the story along with the characters.

I came across this book on the Bookish First website, which I love because I'm often introduced to books and authors I might have otherwise passed over. The description didn't grab me, but it intrigued me enough to go on and read the offered excerpt. From there, Mindy Mejia's writing style hooked me, the characters fascinated me, and I wanted more.

Atmosphere and setting take on a life of its own in this story. I knew nothing about this area called Boundary Waters, but Mindy Mejia put me right there. I felt the biting cold, saw the vast wilderness, and heard the rushing water.

The characters are fully developed, with all the strengths show more and flaws that come with being human. Maya is a young adult - 23 - and she's also haunted by a dark past, and so she sometimes behaves impulsively. Occasionally she pushes the boundaries a little further than might seem possible in a particular setting, but the reasoning is sound and the story, as a whole, feels plausible.

The content explores some difficult topics with a unique and honest approach. We have a couple of twists that jump out like a sucker punch. The pace continues to pick up, pulling us along until we have no choice but to hold on tight for an unforgettable ride.

*I received an advance copy from the publisher, via Bookish First, in exchange for my honest review.* show less

Mindy Mejia’s latest novel is part mystery/part survivalist story, set in and near Minnesota’s wilderness area called the Boundary Waters. A boy named Lucas disappeared with his father in this place, and a decade later at age 19 he makes a rather violent reappearance. Where has he been for 10 years, and what happened to his father?

Unwilling to communicate with authorities, Lucas is sent to a mental health facility, where he’s assigned to Maya Stark, a young speech therapist, in hopes she’ll make a connection with him. Maya is struggling with her own troubling secrets and personal issues, and on top of that Lucas proves to be a very difficult patient.

I’m left with a lukewarm feeling towards this book. I was drawn in by the show more unique premise and loved the survivalist aspects of the story and the wilderness descriptions. I did keep wondering how the pieces of the puzzle would fit, and I liked the twist that brought everything together.

On the other hand, I felt like this book was too slow paced to be a suspense/thriller. I struggled to become invested in the characters, and Maya, in particular, I never cared for. She wasn’t that interesting and her actions were downright unethical. I also never understood why a 23-year old speech therapist with little experience would be put in charge of a high-profile, dangerous patient.

I adored Mindy Mejia’s first book, and though LEAVE NO TRACE didn’t thrill me as much, I will definitely keep an eye out for her next novel.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley & Bookish First in exchange for an honest review. show less

On the surface, when I selected this audiobook, Leave No Trace by Mindy Mejia, from my massive TBR, I thought it was going to be this suspenseful story about a teenager who emerged from the wilderness 10 years after he and his father had gone missing. I finished this book stunned in deep thought with a lot to process.

Yes, it is a story about a father, Josiah, and son, Lucas, who went camping in the wilderness, like they did frequently. The two went missing and were presumed dead until Lucas appeared 10 years later ransacking an outfitter store. Due to his erratic behavior and lack of communication, he was placed in a psychiatric facility. Maya, a young speech therapist, is assigned to work with Lucas to find out what happened to his show more father. And that just scratches the surface of this story.

There is a lot of suspense as the unknown fate of the father is of prevalent concern. There is depth to the story as the family history unfolds. I am fond of how the story switched to the past from time to time. It allowed me to understand the characters and their life choices.

There’s a lot of things I really hold dear about this book. As a nature lover, I enjoyed the setting of Minnesota with the rural forests and glacial lakes. I’ve never been to Minnesota, so it was a pleasure to learn about The Boundary Waters. Mindy’s talent for writing also helped create a vivid mental picture of what must be beautiful land. And, what a perfect time for me to select this book as it takes place in fall with winter quickly approaching. The way mental health professionals treat people with mental health disorders, or even perceived disorders, is striking in this story. When I refer to perceived mental health disorders, I am referring to people with unusual lifestyles. It remains prevalent that those of us in helping professionals try to treat those different from the societal norm, rather than gain an understanding of why they chose a unique way of life and how it works for them. Another layer of this story lies with Maya, whose mother disappeared long ago. While genuinely trying to help Lucas, Maya is forced to examine her own past and trauma related to loss.

I became aware while listening to this audiobook that I genuinely rooted for the father and son and became highly annoyed with the psychiatric staff. The ending was not a fairytale ending. There were some shocking events with hope for a peaceful future. I believe this story will stick with me for a long time.

I purchased this audiobook through my Audible membership. It was a pleasure listening to the narration by Patricia Rodriguez.

I have photos and additional information that I'm unable to include here. It can all be found on my blog, in the link below.
A Book And A Dog show less

I rarely read anything billed as a thriller. Occasionally I end up with one though and I hate to let a book go without reading it (hence my ridiculous backlog of unread books). So when my daughter asked to read this one, I knew I’d have to read it myself before sending it off to her. Luckily for me, this wasn’t the most thriller-y thriller ever.

Maya Stark is an assistant speech therapist who works at the Congdon Psychiatric Facility when a mute young man is brought in. Lucas Blackthorn is that young man. He and his father disappeared into the Boundary Waters a decade prior and were presumed dead. He is apprehended robbing a local convenience store and he turns violent, leading to his admission to Congdon. Maya is asked to work with show more Lucas to try and get a response from him. In working with Lucas, she not only has to help him but she has to face her own troubled past.

Maya narrates the story, uncovering the trauma in both Lucas and herself, examining society’s idea and definition of mental illness and the terrible legacy of abandonment. The premise of the novel is an interesting one but the book certainly asks the reader to suspend disbelief a lot and to ignore some pretty big ethical issues with Maya and Lucas’ burgeoning relationship. Their bond is very definitely an uncomfortable one. There are some surprising twists to the story, even if they are too coincidental. The depictions of the wilds of the Boundary Waters are beautifully done and Mejia does make the story suspenseful and sometimes shocking as well. However, the ending is tied up very neatly in ways that don’t quite feel earned. Readers who enjoy survivalist stories where someone has to interact with society after being off the grid for so long might appreciate this one. show less

After reading “Everything You Want Me to Be” last year, I knew this was an author I would follow. In this outing she gives us a very different book but with equally compelling characters.

The blurb gives a great snapshot of the story so I won’t get into the plot too much. The MC’s are 2 damaged people who have more in common than you initially think. Maya Stark is a speech therapist at Congdon Psychiatric Facility. Her youth, innovative style & maroon hair set her apart. She lives with her dad Brian who really wishes she worked somewhere else. Especially after her…em…spot of trouble a few years back.

Lucas Blackthorne is Congdon’s infamous new resident. After vanishing with his father 10 years ago, his sudden reappearance show more has caused quite a stir. The media & groupies are camped out at the gates waiting to hear his story but Lucas isn’t talking. Then he meets Maya. And one struggling outsider recognizes another.

Don’t go into this expecting a thrill-a-minute ride. There are moments of action but that’s not what this is about. Like the previous book, it’s about the characters & the effect of the ripples they cause as they pass through each other’s lives. On one hand, it’s a compelling mystery as we slowly learn the MC’s histories. On the other, it touches on deeper themes such as family, loss, memories & the grey area around right vs. wrong.

Strong secondary characters flesh out the story as we follow Maya & Lucas on their deeply personal search to understand the past. The last quarter has some reveals that may make you rethink what you thought you knew. And while a couple of them may stretch disbelief a teensy bit, it’s all part of the journey in this strong, well written tale. show less

I read the hardback print version.

This novel is one I couldn't put down. I don't read many thriller type books and I'm beginning to think maybe I should. Leave No Trace was riveting from beginning to end.

A father goes camping in the most northern reaches of Minnesota with his son and they mysteriously disappear. Ten years later the son reappears, wild and unwilling to communicate. A daughter struggling deeply with the emotional and physical abandonment of her mother who has beat the odds and become a speech pathologist and is assigned his case. They form a delicate bond and the story explodes from there.

What I Did Like
The writing style was spot-on for me. I flew through these pages and couldn't put it down. There were a few twists I show more didn't predict, which I genuinely enjoy as I'm very adept at guessing what will happen next.

Although others may find it tedious or unnecessary, I loved the descriptions of the terrain and the history of Minnesota and Lake Superior. (Before I finished the book I found myself Googling images of the Boundary Waters, Ely, and Duluth and locating them on a map. Simply gorgeous - and now I want to vacation there.) Here's a photo I dug up:

boundary waters" (CC BY 2.0) by steve conry

As you can see, the cover reflects the atmosphere of setting of Leave No Trace quite well.

Additionally, I enjoyed the flawed characters; they were developed completely and I understood them; their motives, their actions, their emotions; even though not one of them is like anyone I know. Both of the main characters are struggling with losing a parent and their pain creates a tight bond. The girl is particularly strong, the boy is driven by love and seems to know nothing but kindness. The story delves into their struggle with abandonment.

This is one of those books that transported me right out of the room and put me somewhere else. And I cried. I just cannot imagine carrying such emotional baggage.

What I Didn't Like
If anything, the one thing I find unlikely is that a fledgling speech pathologist would be assigned to a high-profile case of a potentially violent individual. If you can get over that, and take it a face value and believe the reasoning in the book, it's plausible enough from there. Sit back and enjoy.

Should You Read It?
Yep. I think this was a good one. Well worth the three evenings it took me to get through it.

More of my book reviews HERE show less

I thought I was reading a good book until about halfway through I realized I was reading something much more, something that gripped me inside, tearing my heart out and not letting go. Two damaged people searching for something that only the other can help provide. Their location is Duluth and the Boundary Waters of Minnesota. I'm still reeling from the ending but allI I can say is READ IT!