Once Was Lost

by Sara Zarr

Sam is a preacher's daughter, and she's afraid that's all anyone in her small town knows about her. It seems like all the kids in her youth group thinks she's a pillar of faith, but she's not sure what she believes about God these days. Her mom is in rehab after a drunk driving accident, but her dad can't seem to say the words from the pulpit, so everyone is just left to speculate on her whereabouts. To make matters worse, Sam's dad seems to be getting uncomfortably close to the pretty, 26 year old youth group leader. Nick, one of the cutest guys in the group, asked her to dance once last year, but otherwise doesn't seem to know she's alive. Sam's world is already falling apart, and then Jody disappears. Jody, Nick's sweet 13 year old little sister. The town unites to try to find her, and Nick inexplicably reaches out to Sam. Is Jody gone forever? Is Sam's dad lying to her? Will her mom ever come home? And then there's Nick... Does he want to be more than just her friend, or does he have something to do with Jody's disappearance?

Being a preacher's daughter myself, this book resonated with me on several levels. Zarr's writing is solid, and the questions and doubts Sam experiences feel authentic. The mysteries keep you guessing the whole way through, so I was forgiving when they all wrapped up just a little too neatly.