Lost It (Paperback)

by Kristen Tracy (Author)
Key Phrases: pardoned turkeys, pickle dish, survival camp, Tess Whistle, Cautious Bob, Ben Easter (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Readers will be immediately drawn to this hilarious and heartfelt first novel about a girl who falls in love—and has her first sexual experience—and tries to let go of her fears. Tess Whistle lives in Idaho with paranoid parents, who "became born again" after a kitchen fire. The book begins with an account of how she loses her virginity, then flashes back to the start of junior year, when she expected to stay a virgin until she is "at least engaged." Tess has plenty of phobias, mostly of the natural world where she could be "torn to pieces by a pack of recently relocated gray wolves." Just before her whole life crumbles, Benjamin Easter transfers to her school. Tess falls intensely in love without realizing "that you can't depend on another person to provide your own balance." And there's no doubt that Tess's life is out of balance: Her best friend is building a bomb, claiming she wants to blow up a poodle, her parents run off to join a survival camp, and Tess tells Ben she is diabetic as way of explaining her "juvenile" apple juice box, then maintains the lie. Readers may be so busy laughing out loud at the eccentric characters and outrageous plotting that they may not realize how much they have grown to empathize with desperate Tess until her relationship is in crisis. Readers will fall in love with this offbeat story—and its rich lesson about living a life without guarantees. Ages 14-up. (Jan.)
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From School Library Journal
Grade 9 Up–Idaho teen Tess Whistle is having one weird junior year–she, her family, and her friends are all losing it. Her parents, born again following a serious grease fire in the kitchen, take off unexpectedly to a survival camp in the Utah desert, leaving Tess with her grandmother. Tess's best friend, Zena, reacts to her parents' marital troubles by making elaborate plans to blow up a poodle. And Tess herself, who used to be 100 percent certain that she'd wait until she was married before she had sex and is deathly afraid of the wilderness, loses her virginity out of doors with her boyfriend. This book is a great read, hilarious and poignant at the same time. Teens will laugh out loud at Tess and her frank, humorous observations about the outrageous situations in which she finds herself, but they will also empathize with her feelings of not being in control of her life. They will also be heartened by the conclusion of the novel, for even though Tess is unsure of what will happen next, she has finally come to terms with the fact that life offers no guarantees, saying, For the first time in a long time, I feel hopeful. And ready for what comes next.–Kathleen E. Gruver, Burlington County Library, Westampton, NJ
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Simon Pulse (January 23, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416934758
• ISBN-13: 978-1416934752
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #13,470 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too, March 2, 2007

By	TeensReadToo.com "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada) - See all my reviews

The title of Kristen Tracy's LOST IT sums up the heart of the novel in two simple words, but like the novel itself, its simplicity is deceiving. "Lost it" could refer to many facets of the book. The narrator, Tess, starts things off by telling readers how she lost her virginity, and how she subsequently seems to have lost the guy she gave it to. At the same time, her rock-solid best friend is losing her grip after a parental divorce, Tess's parents are running off to recover the sense of self they think they've lost, and Tess, in the middle of everything, feels lost in the world as she tries to pull her life together without them. LOST IT is one of those rare books that gives you a light, fun read yet packs an emotional wallop you won't soon forget.

Like the novel, Tess is a rarity. Readers will relate to her insecurities and her struggles to understand the people in her life, but her constant fear of attacks by wild animals and her naivety due to her born-again parents's restriction of TV viewing give her voice an oddball, comic touch. Tess's voice is a far cry from the polished, hyper-mature tones of the Gossip and It Girls in teen fiction. She's not quite like any character I've ever read about, and that difference makes this book stand out.

Much of the story focuses on Tess's developing relationship with a new guy at school. Tess deals with many of the same questions teens face when they start dating: how serious to get, how far to go, how to make sure he'll stay. But, gradually, readers realize that despite its somewhat juicy opening, what's important isn't whether Tess should have slept with her boyfriend, or whether she's lost him for good. LOST IT proves that there are bigger issues than dating and sex. At the heart of the story is Tess lost in a sea of strong personalities and vague fears. She won't win by keeping the guy, but by keeping her head above water and accepting the uncertainties of life which threaten to overwhelm her.

LOST IT should appeal to a wide range of teen readers, but especially to those who value honesty and awkwardness over posh worldliness. While the novel contains some sexual subject matter, it's hardly glorified or graphic. And its themes of learning to cope with and even enjoy change and unpredictability may be just want teens want to hear. I suspect this is a book that will affect readers of all ages, and stick with them after they finish reading.

Reviewed by: Lynn Crow

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Worth Finding, May 19, 2007

By	Little Willow (USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

Lost It has a perfect title. Yes, the book IS what you think it's about, but it's not ONLY about that. It's about losing your keys. It's about losing your focus. It's about losing your fears. It's about losing your heart.

Kristen Tracy populates her debut novel with memorable, unconventional characters, from the impulsive mother to the somewhat saucy grandmother, from the unpredictable and seemingly sinister best friend to the leading character herself, the unassuming Tess, who has exploding shoes and a tremendous fear of the outdoors.

The most stable character is Ben, the boy who comes into Tess' life during her junior year of high school. He is the catalyst for many of her changes, but in fact, these changes come about due to her own choices and actions. It is she who lets down her guard. It is she who fibs, just a little bit, then trips and falls on the snowball eventually created by that lie.

Lost It will make readers laugh out loud from the very first page. The word 'pageturner' is typically reserved for mysteries and thrillers, but it applies in this case as well. The narration zips along at the speed of thought, and as Tess hints at past and future events, readers will be anxious to find out what happens.

Utterly quirky, totally fun, and surprisingly engrossing, Lost It is a book you should find and keep.

Recommended for older teens and adults.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book. Fast Read, May 28, 2008

By	Skittles <33 - See all my reviews

Amazing book for me personally.
The story line is a bit slow at the start, but once you get about 50 pages in you'll be hooked! I sat down and read this book in 2 hours. I loved it. Any teen who's been in a relationship will be able to relate to this book. It made me laugh, cry, and look at myself in a different light. Most teen girls can probably relate to the lead character Tess, her humor is perfect and really lightens the mood in a serious scene. Her grandma I personally thought was the best character. Her witty sense of humor completed the book. While many people have said the book is graphic I didn't find it to be that way. It never goes into detail and it doesn't cross the line in my opinion.
Great book you won't regret reading it =)