Lost in the Moment and Found (Wayward Children #8)

Lost in the Moment and Found by Seanan McGuire

Thank goodness for these Wayward Children books. I love them all so much. When I received the ARC from Netgalley I sat down the same night and finished it in a single sitting. This book did feel a little bit heavier, a little more real-life scary instead of fantasy scary. And I think it felt that way that's because it's about a child running away after a stepfather starts grooming her for sexual abuse. In this story, the child trusts her instincts and runs away in time before anything truly awful happens, but even so, be sure to check that content warning from the author if that's something you wouldn't want to be surprised by reading.

Antsy is our main character, short for Antionette, and because it's an even-numbered book, we are learning about how she found her Door. (A portal fantasy - my favorite!) A major theme throughout this book is the idea of things being lost. Both tangible and intangible things, even people. And the world Antsy's Door leads to is a world where Lost things go, waiting to be found either by their original owner or a new one. This world was particularly intriguing because it's liminal and malleable, and because it's also where other Doors go when they're bored. In such a short book, McGuire manages to depict another brand-new and very different world from where any of the other Doors have led.

Antsy's story is one of a girl learning what it means to be Lost and Found. And despite the heaviness, or maybe because of it and how well McGuire handles a difficult but very real topic, I thought it was an excellent read. We get a glimpse of one or two other characters from other Wayward Children books, which are fun easter eggs for those of use who've read the whole series. But this book can also stand alone as a portal fantasy novella, or serve as an entry point to the rest of the series.