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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Teen sleuth comes of age, learns of his "gift" and tries to help a friend ..., December 26, 2009
This review is from: All Lost Things (Paperback)
It has been a very hectic year for 18 year old Killian Kendall. Not only is he graduating from high school, and looking forward to going away to college with his boyfriend, Asher, but he manages to score a summer intern job with a local private investigator he ran into (literally, with his car). But things start to unravel when, in the final month of school, it becomes apparent that Asher is interested in someone else (perhaps Caleb, a sophomore member of the school Gay/Straight Alliance, who claims to be beaten regularly by his homophobic father), and is planning a future without him. Home life appears a bit shaky too, as his guardians Steve and Adam seem to be arguing about Steve's plans to relocate everyone to operate a bed and breakfast in a large, reportedly-haunted house in the country. And Killian is haunted by disturbing dreams, first of a bloody murder, and later visits from a deceased friend, escalating into strange sensations and visions he has at the house Steve plans to buy. When Caleb is arrested for suspicion of murdering his father, Killian becomes involved in the investigation, adding his safety to Steve and Adam's concerns.
This is the third in the "Killian Kendall" series, and the first I have read. It is an extremely well-written, riveting mystery, as well as a commendable "coming of age" story as Killian's faces some difficult changes in his life. The supernatural/psychic subplot is handled intelligently, to the point where even the most cynical reader could not possibly object. Wonderful, realistic fully-drawn characters, both straight and gay, cooperate in tackling obstacles, keeping their sense of humor intact throughout. Despite the age of many of the characters, this is not just a book for teens, but likely can be enjoyed by all ages. I loved it ... and give it five "gifted" stars out of five.
- Bob Lind, Echo Magazine
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Best of the Series, March 30, 2010
This review is from: All Lost Things (Paperback)
All Lost Things is the third book in the Killian Kendall series and it is back to form after a disappointing second book. Here the story returns to its strength with the great narrator in Killian and offers a strong, well thought out mystery to dominate the plot. There is a distracting paranormal side plot that shouldn't have been included but Killian's charm combined with the unique voice and easy flow to the prose give an engaging, quick read that is highly addictive. Changes occur from book to book but the author has clearly only begun to tap the possibility that this new series has to offer and I can't wait for the next offering.
Here the story begins with Killian struggling to handle the numerous changes happening in his life. He's fighting with his long time boyfriend, Asher, as the two are growing apart and making separate plans for after graduation. Killian can't help being interested in detecting and goes so far to get a job at a private investigator's over the summer. When Asher's new love interest suddenly comes under police speculation, Asher begs Killian to help. Killian agrees to look into the murder but there are a lot of distractions not to mention a cute new reporter wanting Killian's attention too.
There are a lot of elements as always in this offering but the main focus of the mystery keeps most of these aspects well integrated to the plot. The actual mystery is well crafted and executed with a great ending that is foreshadowed so readers may figure it out but the various clues and detective work to get there is interesting to read. The mystery revolves around a young kid from their high school who has been accused of killing his abusive father. The web of lies surrounding the murder and Killian's slow uncovering of the truth is absorbing. There are a few moments when readers have to suspend disbelief. Several of these are coincidences that set up Killian for his job and the murder mystery but since the mystery is so interesting, a lot of these obvious setups can be forgiven. Additionally the police and ex-cop turned private investigator not only let Killian investigate such a brutal crime but allow him to interview key witnesses and take the lead on following clues. This is slightly far fetched given Killian's age, inexperience, and simple lack of common sense sometimes. However if you can ignore that fact in several places and just go with the story, the characters are engaging.
The focus on Killian is a welcome return as he has natural charm and energy that is easily translated across the page. He has his moments of immaturity and ridiculousness but he slowly grows and matures across the course of the story. His relationship to Asher ends, which may be sad for some readers, but this is handled very well showing how young both boys are and the casual mistakes they make. I especially liked that the author didn't allow Killian to become staid and instead allowed him to grow, even in painful moments. The dramatic ending is over the top but by that point, it's predictable and at least Killian showed some (it not much) common sense in helping the situation. Killian's progression and maturation from young teenager to mature young adult is fascinating and absorbing.
There are a few missteps unfortunately. The first is the few coincidences and slight unbelievable details about Killian allowed to spend so much time and energy on such an investigation, especially when the private investigator seems to waffle back and forth. Sometimes he says it's too dangerous to investigate alone and other times he lets Killian run off without a second thought. At the same time there is a distracting side plot about Killian's guardian Steve (Adam's partner) turning a haunted house into a B & B. This side plot is heavily paranormal and meant to focus on Killian's supernatural "gifts." Unfortunately the entire side plot is ill presented and relies heavily on the overbearing manipulations of a minor character that doesn't make much sense. This entire plot could have been used for another book instead of tossed into this one, which didn't add to the main plot but simply took the focus away from the strength.
Overall this is another great addition to the series and the unique voice afforded Killian sets up a charming, engaging narrator. The interesting mysteries seamlessly combine personal drama without one or the other overwhelming the story. The series is addictive and has numerous possibilities. The large cast matures with each offering showing flaws and strengths side by side; offering an honest and relatable appeal. You can read All Lost Things as a stand alone but really read Bleeding Hearts first so you can understand the incredible growth Killian goes through to really appreciate the change. Start now so you can be ready for the new offering in the series.
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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An entertaining blend of mystery and ghost story, November 15, 2009
This review is from: All Lost Things (Paperback)
Josh Aterovis's novel All Lost Things is the third of a series of stories featuring teenaged sleuth Killian Kendall, who was introduced to the world in 2001 in a novel titled Bleeding Hearts. This unique blend of paranormal and mystery kept me entertained for hours, featuring an irresistible main character and an intriguing storyline, and I would be hard pressed to decide which I preferred: the mystery or the ghost story. Both are very well done, and they work quite well together.
I waffled between classifying this book as a Young Adult novel or not and finally decided to leave the label off. I believe that this story is enjoyable regardless of the age of the reader. This can be considered something of a coming of age story, because Killian is leaving his childhood behind. Although he is young, he is no longer a child, and his life is moving quickly towards adulthood and all the realizations and responsibilities that are a inherent to that time of life.
All Lost Things is a complex story with a number of different subplots and a large and distinct cast. We meet people who must have appeared in the two previous books, but Mr. Aterovis does an excellent job keeping this from being confusing to a reader who hasn't read those novels. Also, Mr. Aterovis keeps the storyline well-organized enough to keep us from getting lost.
Killian Kendall is a very personable character who displays a mixture of childish reactions and adult behavior. He is prone to typical youthful rebellion against adults, gets caught up in his own relationship drama with his ex-boyfriend, and tends to pout a bit when things don't go his way. However, he also has a tender heart and a very sharp mind.
My attention was hooked early on in this story as the teen drama between Killian and his friends develops into something much more serious and the promise of paranormal activity becomes reality. The investigation proceeds in a methodical fashion, as Killian is mentored by his boss Novak, who encourages him as he investigates and takes him to task when he missteps. Killian's teenaged impatience causes him to rush a bit and forge out on his own, and we can never truly anticipate what kind of trouble his sometimes hasty actions and unguarded mouth will create for him. This keeps the investigation lively, and I have a distinct feeling that it probably ages his mentor prematurely as well.
I found All Lost Things to be a very diverting read and will be looking forward to reading more about both Killian and his social circle as Mr. Aterovis continues this series. Since Killian is at this halfway point between youth and maturity, it will be very interesting to see what his direction his life takes in the future.
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