ARC Review: Fragments of the Lost by Megan Miranda

Fragments of the Lost
Author: Megan Miranda
Publication: Crown Books for Young Readers (November 14, 2017)

Description: From the New York Times bestselling author of All the Missing Girls and The Perfect Stranger comes a suspenseful psychological mystery about one girl's search to uncover the truth behind her ex-boyfriend's death. Perfect for fans of We Were Liars and 13 Reasons Why.

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?

My Thoughts: Jessa is grieving the death of her ex-boyfriend Caleb when Caleb's mother asks her to pack up his room. Jessa agrees because she has so many questions about him and about the day he stopped at her cross country meet and then was swept away in a flash flood. She is looking for pieces of her life that she shared with him and hoping to learn more about the boy she lost.

Each new discovery raises more questions and she begins to wonder if she ever knew Caleb at all. She begins to believe that she only knew the barest traces of what made Caleb Caleb. Each picture she finds brings back memories of happier times and we see flashbacks of Caleb and Jessa's life together.

But things aren't adding up for Jessa and she begins to try to track down the places he took her to solve the mystery. She is beginning to wonder if Caleb really died in that flood. Caleb's best friend Max also has questions and flashbacks reveal that he and Jessa have some complications in their relationship too.

This was a story that started out as a girl grieving the loss of her boyfriend and turned into an intriguing mystery. I enjoyed the writing and the story. The emotions that Jessa felt - grief, guilt, confusion - were all clear. I recommend the book to mystery fans.

Favorite Quote:

There are too many unknowns: the money he supposedly took from Max, that we cannot find; the unused bus tickets; the story Terrance Bilson told me about his college visit, and the man who showed up looking for him. As if Caleb had this whole other life, hidden beneath.

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.