"Unclaimed Baggage" by Jen Doll is an engaging and heartwarming coming-of-age novel that will resonate with young readers. This delightful book takes readers on a journey of self-discovery, friendship, and the unexpected treasures found in the most unexpected places.

The story follows three teenagers – Doris, Nell, and Grant – who work together at a store that sells items from unclaimed baggage. Each of them is grappling with their own personal challenges and secrets. As they sort through the belongings of strangers, they also find themselves sorting through their own emotions and past experiences.

Jen Doll's writing style is relatable and authentic, capturing the voices of the three main characters with depth and sensitivity. The author skillfully weaves together the perspectives of Doris, Nell, and Grant, giving young readers a glimpse into their distinct lives and emotions. The characters in "Unclaimed Baggage" are beautifully developed, making them feel like real friends to the reader. Each of the three main characters are unique and relatable, and their individual journeys of growth and self-discovery add depth and substance to the narrative.

The book explores important themes such as friendship, acceptance, and the power of empathy. As the characters form a bond and learn to understand and support each other, young readers are reminded of the value of compassion and the strength that comes from true friendship.

One of the strengths of "Unclaimed Baggage" is its focus on diversity and inclusion. The novel features characters from different backgrounds, each bringing their own experiences and perspectives to the story. This emphasis on representation makes the book relatable and relevant to a wide range of readers.

The setting of the unclaimed baggage store adds a unique and intriguing element to the story. As the characters uncover the stories behind the lost belongings, they discover unexpected connections and shared experiences, reinforcing the idea that we are all connected in some way.

With its well-crafted characters, engaging storytelling, and meaningful themes, this book is a perfect choice for children who enjoy stories about friendship and self-discovery. "Unclaimed Baggage" is a treasure trove of emotions and life lessons that will stay with young readers long after they've turned the last page.

I received this free eARC novel from NetGalley. This is my honest review.

This has been on my TBR pile for so long, and I'm glad I finally got around to it. I really enjoyed the storyline and seeing the characters change throughout the story was a great character development. The plot was great and kept my attention. I'm glad I got the chance to read this and will be on the lookout for more in the future!

This was a cute, fun book! I read it with a few of my HS students for book club and I very much enjoyed it! I loved seeing all the items the kids found at the unclaimed baggage store. I loved the development of their relationship. I really enjoyed reading about their day at the hot air ballon launch. I just thought this was a fun book that handled some harder topics pretty well! (And that is such a cute cover!)

I wanted to like this. I loved the girls' names, Doris and Nell, and the parents were grounded for the most part - but the plot was too fanciful for me, and I wasn't comfortable with the swoony attraction between 2 of the 3 main characters. I guess I'm beyond believing that the troubled young man changes personality in a month, says sorry and gets the girl, plus he's a total dreamboat. The lost treasure subplot was just silly, and didn't work for me against the seriousness of other aspects of the book. How about a sequel with the same characters and no over-the-top plot? I'll be following this author with interest

I had been drawn to this book because I chaperone trips to Space Camp in Huntsville, AL. On my fourth trip I decided to research what could be seen further afield and came upon Unclaimed Baggage. I visited with my fellow chaperones and it was quite the experience. Sadly, my anecdotes about this road trip are more interesting than this book. The setting is fantastic, but the character was so naïve that I wanted to shake her. It actually took me a few tries to finally finish this book.

It starts off slow and kind of dense, but once the action begins, it's hard to resist the story as it drives forward. It reads as a true epic, one that makes you feel the world really has been reshaped as you read it. Would recommend.

When I first saw the title and read the synopsis, I was elated to finally read what I thought was going to be a funny, quirky, geeky book about three girls with vastly different interests becoming fast friends and solving all the world's problems together. I mean, what's not to love? Nerdy conventions - a writing convention, a indoor percussion convention (more like a competition), and (get this) a taxidermy championship. What a hoot! (#sorrynotsorry, PETA and vegans - it's funny!)

As soon as I grabbed my copy, I began to read. Then, after the first twenty-five pages or so, I put it down. The next day, I tried again. And put it down after 30 or so pages. I really wanted to love this book, so I tried again, and again, hacking away at the story 20-30 pages at a time. The way the first part of the book was going, I was sure my rating would be a solid 2 stars. However, after the first 150 pages, the story picked up.

{Sorry, I have to do this.}

PROS:
I really enjoyed the three POVs from each of the three main characters - Callie, the taxidermist; Phoebe, the percussionist; and Vanessa, the fan-fiction writer. The way in which the three characters meet and become friends is very well-written - it's believable, honest, and the characters' dialogue and willingness to help each other seems genuine. Callie's strained relationship with her dad is something that many teens will relate to, while Phoebe's angsty, love/hate relationship with a boy, and the too-quick-to-judge-and-walk-away attitude with her friends is also quite relatable. (As a high school librarian, I see this EVERY DAY.) Vanessa's character (minus the Soleil drama) grew on me towards the last half of the book. Her character is much more likable when she's writing, than fawning/whining about Soleil.

I also enjoyed the side notes of some of the other conventions with their character costumes and quirkiness. I especially appreciated the nod to Supernatural (yes, I AM a big fan!).


CONS:
Not really buying the whole scalpels for mallets scene, although the build-up to why Phoebe resorts to such far-fetched lengths is plausible.

Soleil: the-quintessential-cliched-mean-girl-everyone-is-supposed-to-hate.

BONUS:
Beige starring in the Little Miss Citrus Pageant.

I have to say that Beige was by far my favorite character in the entire book! Her antics are woven throughout the book, and each occurrence is funnier than the last. I laughed/snorted picturing a spunky 5-year old dressed up as a Viking (complete with the Madonna-esque cone-shaped breast plate) gearing up to sing opera in German. And the exchanges between Beige and her mother were hilarious! I pictured a scene from the show My Name is Earl and the "Broke Joy's Fancy Figurine" episode.

The scene:

Today, Beige was dressed in a Viking helmet and leather breastplate with metal cones where her boobs would be a decade from now. Her platinum braids reached her butt, and she was clutching a fake sword.

and the exchange between Beige and her mother:

“Sweetie, what do we call Delancey?”

“My arch-ne-me-sis,” Beige said, enunciating carefully.

“And what do we do with our archnemesis?”

Beige raised her foot-long sword in the air. “We crush her!”

The BEST part for me has to be the epilogue - life with donuts from Beige's POV. Beige's 5-year old perspective is hysterical!

Overall, I would recommend this book to my students who enjoy reading contemporary light-hearted fiction. I think high school girls will love this book!

I had the pleasure of meeting Jen Doll while in NYC for BookCon 2018. She was such a joy to talk to and it left me even more excited to read her book.
Unclaimemd Baggage was a very surprising read. The cover would lead you to believe it is a fluffy contemporary, but that is not the case AT ALL. This book dives into some really relevant and important topics. I would love to have read this and others like it when I was a teen and I think teens now could really relate to many of the issues.
A surprisingly fantastic book that should not be judged by it's cover!

This is a cute summery read about a summer break job that brings three teens together in an unusual place. All three are dealing with their own emotional baggage, while sorting through the literal unclaimed baggage that the store they work at resells. It's a nice story, with some good lessons for teens.

Unclaimed Baggage introduces Nell, who is devastated when she moves to Alabama, leaving her Chicago high school friends and boyfriend behind. She takes a job at a store that sells long lost luggage from airports, where she meets Doris and Grant. Doris is an outspoken agnostic, making her an outcast in her bible belt community. Grant, whose football career is in jeopardy after a drunk driving accident, is struggling to deal with his alcoholism. The three form a tentative friendship and begin working on their personal baggage. The story is told in alternating voices, giving the reader insight into what each teen is going through. When Nell's biracial boyfriend visits, he is assaulted and the three must come to terms with small town prejudice and where their loyalties lie. The characters are well-drawn and sympathetic, making this a charming read.

Broad appeal for many types of teen readers. Empathetic and likable characters, with a lot of humor..

This book is about three teens who come from different backgrounds who end of working in the store Unclaimed Baggage where they sell....unclaimed baggage. There were some good takeaways from this book like talking about racism, equal rights, and sexism but the book, in general, was not that enjoyable. I put it down several times as the characters were too much to bear. Maybe I will try again later to finally finish it, but I think that some of my teens would connect to the characters

This book was a wonderful book that covered many topics that young adults could talk about. The book probably isn’t meant for an English class, but I would use it as one. The discussion of alcoholism in teenagers, racism, teen pregnancy, and just dealing with people can all be difficult. This is all discussed in this book, I would like a sequel to this book to see where the main characters end up in their lives as adults. I will definitely recommend this book to others.

“Finding your truth takes time, but as long as you keep going, there’s a good chance you’ll get there,” which is the case in Unclaimed Baggage. Doll takes the theme of baggage to new heights in this YA novel that hits on racism, sexism, bigotry and assault. Through the journeys of these teenage characters, we see how “none of this is fair,” and that growing up and finding your true self is rather hard to do.
Fabulously creative plot, settings and characters, this was a coming of age journey that hooked me with its charm and wit.

I FLEW through this book. It covers the lives of 3 different teens living in Alabama, dealing with family members, alcohol abuse, religion, the importance placed on high school athletes, and so many more topics that are relatable to teens today. Written from all 3 perspectives, it isn't hard to follow, and I was easily able to jump into the mindset of each narrator during each chapter. While it dealt with some trauma, it wasn't overly mature (I would consider 8th grade and up) and high schoolers will eat it up.

I've been in a reading rut lately, and nothing has really appealed to me, but this ARC did the trick, and I never wanted to put it down. I will be recommending it to many teens and friends. Plus, the cover is SO FREAKING CUTE!

This is the story of three friends told in their own personal perspectives. Doris works at Unclaimed. Wow, I guess I haven't ever thought about what happens to baggage that does not get picked up at the airport. This was an eye opener. Doris brings the three friends in to work together at the store.
They become great friends and help each other through many obstacles.

I thought this was a great story and definitely want to know more about these friends. The characters are so complex and believable. They are all three in high school and going through the same issues that most teenagers must face. I think students will love this book and think of the characters as friends they would like to have for themselves.

This is the rare YA book that feels fresh and true-to-life. It manages to give real characters real problems without dropping into the grimdark and gritty, or becoming fairytale light.

Plot in a sentence: Doris, Nell and Grant work together in the local Unclaimed Baggage store and become friends after a summer of coming to grips with alcoholism, assault and long distance relationships.

This review is based on an ARC given to me by MacMillan. This novel was released on September 18th 2018.

Recommended age: 14 and up (content warning: sexual assault, alcoholism)

Diversity:

Race: Nell’s boyfriend is biracial.

Who will love this book:

Readers who like redemption stories.

What I liked about this book:

My favorite part of this novel is the very idea of unclaimed baggage and the mystery of their contents. I wanted MORE of this.
The frame of the mysterious baggage offers a novel approach to some standard YA issues like alcoholism, assault and love.
There is romance in the book but I especially appreciated the supportive friendship between the three teens.

If you liked this book, read: The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider for another quirky novel with a character who, like Grant, has to deal with past mistakes and find new love.

A fast paced story that will be liked by YA. Numerous topics are covered in this story that YA can relate to. I’m sure most YA would have been more fascinated with this book if there were more unclaimed baggage items as those mysteries would appeal to them.

Doris, Nell and Grant were so real, so interesting and nuanced, and the store that brought them together was the most charming place ever. I want to go to their town, shop at the baggage store, and hang out with these kids. I love novels with unlikely friends and wrongs righted, and this did not disappoint. More please!