978 reviews by:

leighsnerdlife

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mysterious slow-paced
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated
dark emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-paced
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

I‘ve previously read and reviewed a book written by Gunnis - and I enjoyed it. So really it’s no surprise that I think The Lost Child is a great read as well. 

Gunnis has a real talent for creating character driven, complex, and emotional mysteries that span generations. So, I find that it’s not just the mystery that pulls you in, but also you get quite invested in the people involved in it. I haven’t seen that happen much in the mysteries I’ve read, which is a shame - I really enjoy that extra depth added to the story. 

I’m trying to keep this vague, since I really don’t want to give the mystery away - and it’s a doozy. But I can say that once you pick the book up it’s really hard to put down! It’s a moody and sometimes dark read, perfect for the Fall. I’d recommend adding it to your October TBR. 
adventurous dark funny fast-paced
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
dark funny fast-paced
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
adventurous emotional inspiring sad tense fast-paced
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
adventurous hopeful mysterious sad medium-paced
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced
informative reflective tense fast-paced
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Thank you Mobius for a copy of this book to review!

Half a World Away is a beautiful novel about a pair of adult siblings (Kerry & Noah) finding each other after decades of being separated by the foster system. But I don’t think it’s just the premise that makes this story so good - Gayle has a way of creating really solid characters you can relate to. They’re flawed, and make bad choices but there is this air of hope to their story - even when things get grim. ‘Uplifting’ keeps coming to mind. 

A bit of a warning though - be prepared for an emotional rollercoaster. It definitely put me through the wringer. Get your tissues ready! 
dark reflective tense slow-paced
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

This adaptation was actually drawn and written by Shirley’s grandson - so he has a very unique perspective on the story. The artwork is beautiful and is a huge part of the narrative.