The Souls of Lost Lake - by Jaime Jo Wright

"There was a lake hidden miles into the forest. Surrounded by oak and aspen. . . . Few knew of this lake, but that day the search party stumbled on it. Lost in the wilderness, they found its shoreline, and set away in the woods they discovered its horror." Tales told around the campfire. . . . meant to scare children and entertain adults. However, the story of Ava Coons was the kind of yarn that kept repeating itself, or at least that is what the people near Deer Lake Bible Camp in the Northwoods of Wisconsin were beginning to think. Another little girl. Missing without a trace. Was it possible, or even conceivable, that the ghost of Ava Coons had come to haunt them again? Ava Coons was a pathetic little figure; stumbling out of the woods dragging a bloody lumberman's ax that would have been impossibly heavy for her spindly arms to wield, and yet her family had been brutally murdered (if the blood on the scene was any indication) while Ava continued to insist that she had no recollection of the event. Convenient or tragic . . . no one could decide. Years went by. And then there were more . . . Arwen Blythe has lived on Deer Lake Bible Camp property for years. Even though she is frequently surrounded by people, Wren often grapples with feelings of lostness and isolation, she has a difficult time bonding with anyone. When a tourist's daughter named Jasmine disappears, Wren randomly dreams about the shores of Lost Lake and begins to convince herself that she too has seen the wandering ghost of Ava Coons . . . but what possible connection could she have to one so young, and to another who is simply a subject of local lore? Two young women; decades apart, routinely misunderstood, with strong feeling of displacement; longing for belonging. They may have more in common than anyone ever expected. Will the road to discovery will not be easy for either of them? No, it will not. "Some things couldn't be captured but through the experience of pain. It was a wicked but essential way to understand the depths of perfection, the depths of God . .. ." "We're all lost in our own ways. Some of us just hide when we shouldn't. We hide in our grief, in our minds, in our pain . . . . in the woods . . . or in a story, like Ava Coons." Excellent book!

Wow, wow, wow! Totally gobsmacked! I could not figure out either of the split time stories and I’m usually very good at it. This is absolutely hands down the best book I have read so far this year. You will not want to put this down once you start as it is fascinating, creepy, inspiring, and pulls on your heartstrings. Ava was the most fascinating character for me and I believed in her from the start even though circumstances didn’t show that. I can’t find words to describe how I was swept into a story that will be on my mind for a long time to come. The descriptions, timing, and weaving of the stories was flawless. My heart was pounding at times trying to help when I couldn’t. My favorite bittersweet scene was when Patty was saying goodbye as it brought back memories of my mom and was spot on in details. I could go on and on raving about how wonderful this was but instead I will say run don’t walk to grab a copy and settle in as you won’t be disappointed. I was blessed to receive a complimentary copy from the publisher/author. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.

Fans of Jaime Jo Wright know to expect a certain eerie, haunting quality in her tales. The Souls of Lost Lake is beyond even what we would normally expect from Wright. She is the only author I know who can include ax murders and still maintain the integrity of the Christian fiction genre. I must say here that even those who enjoy an incredibly spooky campfire tale who don't identify as Christina will love this story. This split time story tells us of Ava Coons, accused of being a type of Lizzie Borden, and Arwen Blythe, a twenty-six year old secretary at a large Christian camp who has felt lost most of her life. Discovering how their stories intertwine will keep readers up late into the night. Maybe, just maybe, readers will be inspired to reach out to those they encounter who feel lost, for whatever reason. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of The Souls of Lost Lake from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

To say that this book is a page-turner is an understatement! I was Immediately captivated by the 'ghost story' being told around the campfire, and I couldn't wait to learn more about the tale of Ava Coons. But wait...The Souls of Lost Lake isn't just Ava's story! It's also the story of Wren Blythe, and she and Ava are linked in a dual timeline tale that will long remain in my memory. Two women, separated by 90 years but both plagued by the same emotions: fear, uncertainty, feeling unwanted, wanting to be loved, and needing to believe that they matter. This book is a compelling story that can be gruesome at times, but there's also a beautiful spiritual thread that touches your soul. In 2017, I read a debut novel, The House on Foster Hill, and I became a fan of author Jaime Jo Wright, but she's outdone herself with this book. It has suspense with strong Gothic vibes, twists and turns that you never see coming, a love story that is more than romance, and a faith message filled with hope, grace, and redemption. I can't say enough good things about The Souls of Lost Lake! I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and publisher. There was no obligation for a positive review. These are my own thoughts.

"We're all lost in our own ways. Some of us just hide when we shouldn't. We hide in our grief, in our minds, in our pain... in the woods... or in a story, like Ava Coons." Once again, Jaime Jo Wright beautifully brings to life a dual timeline story of mystery, murder, and intrigue wrapped around a timeless theme of grief, sense of displacement, and a hunger for belonging so central in our human experience. Though the story starts out with a scary campfire story, it's definitely less eerie and chilling than the author's previous books. The suspense and mystery components in both timelines are really powerful with twists and turns in the plot that will have the reader perplexed and absolutely invested in figuring out the villain. It will keep you up way past your bedtime. This book should be made into a movie! Told in third person perspective, but only in the women's voices, the narrative moves swiftly and pulls the reader in from the first page. Ava and Noah in 1930s are an interesting pair. Ava is uncouth in her backwoods ways and Noah is often conflicted regarding his feelings and actions toward Ava but they somehow complement each other. Wren and Eddie in the present time are best friends working at a Bible camp. Theirs is the story of a believer’s unfiltered grief and pain in losing a loved one even as they find each other in the midst of their suffering. Search and rescue for a lost little girl in the woods ties Ava and Wren’s stories together as the truth in the ghost stories of Ava Coons comes to light. I received the book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own.