Discussion Post #1 - Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen

Are you ready for our first discussion post of the year? I sure am! I just know this is going to be an amazing year of reading, and hopefully of discussions as well. Remember, next month is novella month! Don't forget to fill up our community bookshelf with lots of novellas that you'd like to read!

For those of you who are new to discussion posts, here's the skinny:

* They stay open all month, and we chat on them all week. So don't worry if you don't come in until a few days after this goes up. People will still respond to you!

* This is an ongoing discussion post. You can add things whenever you want, even if new posts have gone up!

* Have fun, and be honest! Everyone is entitled to their opinions and we promise to play nice.

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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Chapters: Prologue - Chapter 3

1. Let's start simple. Is this your first Sarah Addison Allen book? If so, how do you feel about her writing style? If not, how does this stack up to what you've already read in terms of atmosphere?

2. Eby and George are only hinted at in the prologue. How do you feel that their story is going to factor into the rest of the story?

3. What are your feelings on our main characters. Do you feel for Kate, or feel like she's weak? What do you think about her parenting style regarding Devin?

4. What do you predict Lost Lake will bring to Kate's life?

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MODERATOR THOUGHTS

Being completely fair, this is the first Sarah Addison Allen book I've read in a very long time. I was introduced to Garden Spells by the lovely Keri, and fell in love with the way that Allen writes. There's something magical about her stories. I'm sure we'll see that even more as the story progresses, but I can already see it in the haunting losses that are portrayed for each member of this family. Lessons are coming. I can feel it.

Eby and George were a wonderful prologue couple. They made me fall in love with the romance that Paris afforded them, and I would have loved nothing more than to continue to follow them. I'm especially intrigued by the way they discovered Lisette. I adore her, and I think that her and Eby are going to be a guiding force in the way that Kate is waking up now.

Which, as you can probably tell, means that I don't dislike Kate at all. I feel like she's handled her loss the way a lot of us out there would. Hiding inside yourself is kind of necessary when you can't handle what's outside. What I love is how strong and original Devin is. I adore how much Kate is proud of her free-spirited daughter, and how she nurtures her in that respect. Devin is wonderfully independent.

I predict that Lost Lake is going to bring out the Kate that existed before she lost her husband. I'm hoping to see more flashbacks, but I also think this is going to be about fixing Kate's broken heart and making her whole again. I'm already in love with this setting and I can't wait for more!