Pink Polka Dot Books: Fragments of the Lost by Megan Miranda-- Blog Tour Review + Giveaway

Fragments of the Lost

by Megan Miranda
Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers
Release Date: November 14, 2017

Synopsis:

Jessa Whitworth knew she didn’t belong in her ex-boyfriend Caleb’s room. But she couldn’t deny that she was everywhere—in his photos, his neatly folded T-shirts, even the butterfly necklace in his jeans pocket…the one she gave him for safe keeping on that day.

 His mother asked her to pack up his things—even though she blames Jessa for his accident. How could she say no? And maybe, just maybe, it will help her work through the guilt she feels about their final moments together.

 But as Jessa begins to box up the pieces of Caleb’s life, they trigger memories that make Jessa realize their past relationship may not be exactly as she remembered. And she starts to question whether she really knew Caleb at all.

 Each fragment of his life reveals a new clue that propels Jessa to search for the truth about Caleb’s accident. What really happened on the storm-swept bridge?

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Jessa is going through Caleb's room remembering the whirlwind year of their relationship. She's also looking for something, anything that can tell her why Caleb was out driving around during the flood that ultimately killed him. His room is full of pretty much what she expected-- pictures and things that bring back memories of when they were an "us"-- but as she gets deeper into it, she starts finding things that get her mind turning. Each piece isn't enough to go in a particular direction, but as she follows her instincts, she starts down a shocking path to the truth.

I read this book in a day because I COULD NOT STOP. It might low-key slide into the discussion of what my favorite book of the year was. And that's because of how this book blossomed as it went on.

At first I was like-- hmmm, is this book going to be about going through her dead boyfriend's room and reminiscing about their relationship?? Because, yeah, that doesn't sound like a super interesting book. But HOLY SHIT!!! This book was NOT about that!!!

This book was about finding out what happened to Caleb. Finding out why his mom is acting like an aggressive hyena. Finding out about friendship and loyalty. Finding out secrets.

The progression this book took from the sad "my boyfriend died and I miss our relationship" book to intense "we have to figure out what the heck happened because !!!!!" was so well-done and surprising. I didn't even realize it was happening until I was in the thick of it.

My fave character: Max!! Max is the Sam of this book. He's the Kent, the Josh, the Wes. He's what took this book from an intense mystery that I wanted to figure out, to an all-out feeling fest in my heart.

For the record, Jessa was a strong main character. She was an average, everyday girl that I think a lot of people will relate to. At first I didn't get why she would let Caleb's mom treat her like crap-- and I started thinking she was kind of a wet-blanket. I was worried that I wouldn't warm up to her, but I was completely wrong. It becomes obvious why she was willing to take the foul moods of Eve, and it has nothing to do with a personality flaw. Once I really figured out who Jessa was, I respected the hell out of her ability to be logical in a time where my emotions would have ruled the day.

OVERALL: A++ book from one of my favorite authors!! This book started as a coming to terms with feelings book and morphed into a thrilling mystery in a completely effortless way. I 100% recommend this to mystery/thriller lovers who are looking for a book with lots of substance.

My Rating: 5/5

Megan Miranda is the New York Times bestselling author of All the Missing Girls. She has also written several books for young adults, including Fracture, Hysteria, Vengeance, Soulprint, and The Safest Lies. She grew up in New Jersey, graduated from MIT, and lives in North Carolina with her husband and two children. The Perfect Stranger (4/11/17) is her second novel of psychological suspense.

Megan is represented by Sarah Davies at The Greenhouse Literary Agency

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