Member Reviews
The reviewer found All We Lost Was Everything an engaging and fast-paced read, with plenty of twists that kept them reading late into the night. However, they were uncertain about the intended genre, as it fluctuates between YA, romance, mystery, and women's fiction. The inclusion of explicit scenes felt unexpected, especially if aimed at a younger audience. Additionally, the "letters from mom" segments, which appear about halfway through, were somewhat confusing in the digital format but might be clearer in print.
Overall, the book is recommended for readers 18+ due to mature themes, including dark emotions, sex, and violence.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
A fun, thrilling read that had an ending twist that had my jaw DROP! I did not see that coming! There is a lot going on in this story line and it weaves in text messages and letters. It also has multiple narrators which kept things exciting. I really enjoyed this story and am excited to see what Sloan Harlow comes up with next. Keep ‘em coming!
Look for this fantastic read in May 2025. Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this arc.
River loses everything in a fire, including her dad. Then someone gives her $2 million in a go fund me. She works at a diner, and wonders if each person she sees could have been the donor. Meanwhile, she starts to fall for her coworker. Then family secrets start to come out. A good, suspenseful YA thriller.
Ugh - THIS BOOK! So beautifully written, and I just wanted to give River a hug! What an incredible and heartbreaking story about dealing with grief, change, and growing up...all at such a young age. Even as an adult, I could relate to the betrayal of learning that your family isn't as perfect as you remembered growing up, and being faced with lots of life-changing decisions in such a short period of time. Gripping from the first page, you won't want to put this one down!
Unfortunately, I wasn't a huge fan of the Logan POV chapters. He seems like a great guy, but the way he talked felt too "nice guy" for me to fully like and trust. Regardless, I think this is a book that will help a lot of teens process their experiences in growing up. Thanks so much for the ARC!
River has a solid heritage but loses it all in pieces. Losing her father in a house fire is just the beginning of her losses, Even when something good enters her life, she cannot trust that it comes from a good source or will even stay. With her best friend Tawny and her Tita Anna at her side, she builds her life back up. But life keeps kicking her back down each time she gets up. This is a story of hope and survival, but is also a psychological thriller because no one is who they appear to be and no one is innocent in their actions toward River. So many threads of deception wind together in this twisty tale that is a mystery even when it tries not to be. With so many people having dark intentions, the ending was still a sad surprise to me. I appreciated that the author kept the ending more realistic than Disney/Hallmark - it made for a much more satisfying conclusion.
Another dark and twisty read from Sloan Harlow! All We Lost Was Everything is a gripping suspense sure to keep you off balance and at the edge of your seat.
This story was a mix of romance and mystery. I never knew who to trust and there was a sense of unease portrayed throughout the novel. I loved the dual POV and the letter interludes. Each new perspective added another layer to the plot, and I found myself eagerly reading into the night to get answers to my many questions.
Harlow continues to approach mature topics in her work in a sensitive and appropriate manner for YA audiences. There’s a lot to unpack - death in the family, abandonment, alcoholism, taking responsibility for your actions, break ups, and first time sex - and she handles each topic with care. I appreciated the closure to all the plot lines at the end, and the idea that forgiveness is not an ephemeral thing, but something that can be gained over time.
Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Reader’s Group/G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley for the copy of "All We Lost Was Everything"! If my honest review makes you curious, this book is expected to be published in May of 2025!
AWLWE was a very enjoyable story to read, in my opinion. It flowed well, and there were nights where I had to stay up late to see what was going to happen next.
My thought oftentimes was that I couldn't tell what this book was supposed to be. Sometimes I thought it was a YA book, sometimes I thought romance, sometimes I thought mystery, sometimes I just thought women's fiction. Of course, books don't have to be just one genre-- but when you sometimes can't tell if this is aimed towards teenagers-- a steamy sex scene (which there are a few) seemed a little surprising. I also was very confused because the "letters from mom" really started to appear halfway through the book and it was typically after River had texted her, so I was like "oh so she wrote back?" Maybe these sequences will be more understanding in physical print.
This is a fun read and the twists are insane. I do recommend it, but I recommend it for ages 18+. There are some dark emotions with it, sex, violence, etc.
4.5 ⭐️
This book had me on the edge of my seat. So much is packed into the story, and I loved it all. The romance... the suspense... there is very little not to love. As with her prior book, there are heavier, more mature topics, but they are done very well. I will continue to pick up anything Sloan Harlow writes.
I got sucked into the story right away. The book is a mix of romance, heartbreak and mystery. I was kept guessing on the mystery in the story and was surprised by the truth. I highly recommend reading this book.
River has lost it all, her father to a recent fire, her home, her mother has disappeared. Then she receives 2 million dollars anonymously via go fund me. While looking for her birth certificate she stumbles upon something and begins to think there is something more sinister behind the tragedy in her life.
I loved this book, I loved the angst between River's two love interests, I loved the support of her best friend and tia. I loved that there were several layers to the story that all served a purpose in the end. Too often there is 'noise' in the domestic suspense storylines, but Sloan Harlow managed to weave all of the plot points together with a beautiful pay out.
The twist was magnificent! I did not see it coming, I had about 3-5 ideas worked out about how it could play out and I wasn't completely wrong, and I loved it.
Another hit for Sloan Harlow!