The Lost Coast

Have you ever picked up a book thinking that it was going to invoke a certain feeling based on its cover? Honestly, we probably all have, since coverart is a pretty unavoidable marketing method and if done well gives us an idea of what the book will contain. I picked up this novel from the library thinking that it would be a lighthearted read with summery overtones, evoking a west coast vibe that hinted at the magic that the cover notes described. While the novel definitely evokes the west coast perfectly, it is far from the lighthearted read that I expected. Instead of surfers, frolicking in the waves, and summertime sunrises I instantly felt like I was back in high school with my own coven, discovering our own magic amongst the show more lakeside forests during the twilight hours. Obviously our experience did not include rogue sisters, murders, or actually bringing ghosts into the future, but that feeling of finding ourselves through our friendship, exploring the world and creating our own, and feeling the power of nature and our burgeoning womanhood felt absolutely familiar to what the Greys go through as the story progresses. It echoes a truth that I had almost forgotten, as our group drifted away (though not always apart) over the years, since that feeling of youthful exploration and finding magic never really fades away. For all that it reads as a murder mystery, the important themes are far more intuitive and I am glad that this book doesn’t seem to be marketed as simply another teen beach read once you get into the actual story - even if its cover seems to imply as such. Considering that this isn’t the first book by author Amy Rose Capetta, I’m a bit surprised that I’ve never heard of her - but I guess it’s great to find a new author with some back publishing to catch up on. Here’s hoping her previous novels are as magical as this one!

"Most magic doesn't change the world. It's about being in the world. Appreciating its gifts." (page 132). show less

Danny and her mom move to the Redwood Forests of Northern California, seemingly at random, for a fresh start. However, upon her arrival, Danny finds that she may have been called there by a group of queer witches called The Grays who are trying to help their friend recover from a magical accident.
I didn't actually understand at first what had happened to Imogen. I thought she was literally dead or disappeared, not just really, really out-of-it. However, the text is beautifully written and I loved each of the Grays. Such well-drawn characters! So self-confident!
I loved the book enough to pass it on to the 14-year-old daughter of a friend and I believe she liked it as well.

My review will be published on my blog at http://www.kinziethings.com on April 14, 2019. I will post to Goodreads immediately. The review is as follows!

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The short blurb bit: Danny seems to have been looking for something without really knowing it. She has moved with her mother to a small town called Tempest. She falls in with a group of friends called The Grays without knowing that they may have actually brought her there.

The Grays are a coven of young witches who have lost their friend, Imogen. Danny – it seems may have exactly the magical skill that they need to get Imogen back. There are forces working against them though, and all of them may be in danger.

The descriptive bit: Danny and the Grays inhabit a world where magic show more lives and breathes and gets tangled up in people’s’ bodies. Capetta waves a beautiful tale of magic, love, exploration, and coming of age. When Danny arrives in Tempest, she doesn’t know that there is magic inside her. The Grays take her under their wings and teach her to listen to her instincts.

"Magic is like love. You see how other people do it, you have the stories and instructions they leave behind, but then you have to figure out how you do it."

The Grays have lost their friend and coven-member, Imogen. Danny brings with her, the exact magic that is needed to help find Imogen and restore things to the way they were. The Grays are diverse and wonderful: Lelia is a non-binary asexual nature lover who collects buttons, June is a Filipino lesbian with a physical disability, Hawthorn is black and bisexual and finally, Rush lives with Synesthesia, plays the Cello and hums her magical spells.

As the search for Imogen begins, the mystery deepens. Soon, there are two dead boys, a frightened little sister and Danny is finding herself drawn to one particular Gray.

This is a little bit mystery, a little bit love story and a lot magical.

My thoughts bit: The writing in this novel is exquisite. It reads much more like poetry than prose. In particular, I enjoyed the descriptions of nature: the giant Redwoods, the wind, and rain, the ocean… Capetta writes with such detail that the reader can paint a vivid mental picture of the landscape.

I struggled a little with the time jumps and the switching points of view. The cast of characters was a bit complex.

I did feel that all of the characters were fully fleshed out and given the respect of having their own personalities and quirks. I enjoyed getting to know them.

The warnings bit: Mentions death, injuries, physical disability. show less

Disclaimer: I received this book for free from LibraryThing Early Reviewers and Candlewick Press in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I really, really enjoy Amy Rose Capetta’s writing style. If you’ve been around this blog before, you’ve heard me babble about how much I enjoyed Echo After Echo. This book has a similar feel in its characters, but the aesthetic of a town among the Redwoods feels so vibrant and alive. Amy Rose Capetta is a master of atmosphere, and I fall into her books so easily. I am here for anything she writes. Even when the story or the characters aren’t amazing, her writing style gets me to the end easily.

With the same characteristic as Echo show more After Echo, The Lost Coast was a book I could have easily read in one sitting. In fact, the only reason I didn’t is because we’re in the process of packing up all our possession as I write this, and I’ve been stealing time to read. Still, I found myself pushing my self-imposed boundaries because I didn’t want to put it down. I love Tempest, the way it seems to settle into the land. I love the variety of buildings and people. I love how the students at school seem to speak with one voice, carving out only the Greys and Danny. It’s a whispering place that feels old and clouded with cool fog and falling crow feathers and basically I’m just a sucker for any witch story set on the Pacific Coast.

The story line is a little lose here. I will admit – The Lost Coast feels like you’re going in circles, and once the secret is revealed… it’s a bit anti-climatic. The ending left me wondering what happened to Danny after the story. It was interesting to follow a protagonist on the edge of things: Danny works with the Greys, but I never felt like she truly became one of them. Therefore, the relationships we see are between other people, and I personally didn’t feel any emotional attachment or investment in Danny herself. I don’t think we got to know any of the characters deeply enough to really love them. Vague curiosity, but not attachment.

For the feel of this novel, Amy Rose Capetta gets full marks. But the story tried to do a lot of things and they all jumbled together and tripped over one another. It could have been a little better developed and a little more depth would have been nice. It was almost there – it was so close – but didn’t quite make it. I loved the feel of this book, but the story wasn’t as good as it could have been.

Still, if you like that witchy aesthetic and books like The Price Guide to the Occult and The Wicked Deep, you simply must read this one. Tack on the many shades of LGBTQ+ rep here, and it’s a beautiful thought. If you’re looking for yourself in YA magical realism, you may just find yourself in one of the Greys. show less

Danny moves to CA with her mom and discovers Redwood trees, magic, and love. She discovers she was called there be a group of witches who need her help to unravel the mystery of a missing member of their group. Lyrically written.‬

My review will be published on my blog at http://www.kinziethings.com on April 14, 2019. I will post to Goodreads immediately. The review is as follows!

-=-=-=-

The short blurb bit: Danny seems to have been looking for something without really knowing it. She has moved with her mother to a small town called Tempest. She falls in with a group of friends called The Grays without knowing that they may have actually brought her there.

The Grays are a coven of young witches who have lost their friend, Imogen. Danny – it seems may have exactly the magical skill that they need to get Imogen back. There are forces working against them though, and all of them may be in danger.

The descriptive bit: Danny and the Grays inhabit a world where magic show more lives and breathes and gets tangled up in people’s’ bodies. Capetta waves a beautiful tale of magic, love, exploration, and coming of age. When Danny arrives in Tempest, she doesn’t know that there is magic inside her. The Grays take her under their wings and teach her to listen to her instincts.

"Magic is like love. You see how other people do it, you have the stories and instructions they leave behind, but then you have to figure out how you do it."

The Grays have lost their friend and coven-member, Imogen. Danny brings with her, the exact magic that is needed to help find Imogen and restore things to the way they were. The Grays are diverse and wonderful: Lelia is a non-binary asexual nature lover who collects buttons, June is a Filipino lesbian with a physical disability, Hawthorn is black and bisexual and finally, Rush lives with Synesthesia, plays the Cello and hums her magical spells.

As the search for Imogen begins, the mystery deepens. Soon, there are two dead boys, a frightened little sister and Danny is finding herself drawn to one particular Gray.

This is a little bit mystery, a little bit love story and a lot magical.

My thoughts bit: The writing in this novel is exquisite. It reads much more like poetry than prose. In particular, I enjoyed the descriptions of nature: the giant Redwoods, the wind, and rain, the ocean… Capetta writes with such detail that the reader can paint a vivid mental picture of the landscape.

I struggled a little with the time jumps and the switching points of view. The cast of characters was a bit complex.

I did feel that all of the characters were fully fleshed out and given the respect of having their own personalities and quirks. I enjoyed getting to know them.

The warnings bit: Mentions death, injuries, physical disability. show less

My review will be published on my blog at http://www.kinziethings.com on April 14, 2019. I will post to Goodreads immediately. The review is as follows!

-=-=-=-

The short blurb bit: Danny seems to have been looking for something without really knowing it. She has moved with her mother to a small town called Tempest. She falls in with a group of friends called The Grays without knowing that they may have actually brought her there.

The Grays are a coven of young witches who have lost their friend, Imogen. Danny – it seems may have exactly the magical skill that they need to get Imogen back. There are forces working against them though, and all of them may be in danger.

The descriptive bit: Danny and the Grays inhabit a world where magic show more lives and breathes and gets tangled up in people’s’ bodies. Capetta waves a beautiful tale of magic, love, exploration, and coming of age. When Danny arrives in Tempest, she doesn’t know that there is magic inside her. The Grays take her under their wings and teach her to listen to her instincts.

"Magic is like love. You see how other people do it, you have the stories and instructions they leave behind, but then you have to figure out how you do it."

The Grays have lost their friend and coven-member, Imogen. Danny brings with her, the exact magic that is needed to help find Imogen and restore things to the way they were. The Grays are diverse and wonderful: Lelia is a non-binary asexual nature lover who collects buttons, June is a Filipino lesbian with a physical disability, Hawthorn is black and bisexual and finally, Rush lives with Synesthesia, plays the Cello and hums her magical spells.

As the search for Imogen begins, the mystery deepens. Soon, there are two dead boys, a frightened little sister and Danny is finding herself drawn to one particular Gray.

This is a little bit mystery, a little bit love story and a lot magical.

My thoughts bit: The writing in this novel is exquisite. It reads much more like poetry than prose. In particular, I enjoyed the descriptions of nature: the giant Redwoods, the wind, and rain, the ocean… Capetta writes with such detail that the reader can paint a vivid mental picture of the landscape.

I struggled a little with the time jumps and the switching points of view. The cast of characters was a bit complex.

I did feel that all of the characters were fully fleshed out and given the respect of having their own personalities and quirks. I enjoyed getting to know them.

The warnings bit: Mentions death, injuries, physical disability. show less