The Other Side of Lost

Everything in Mari’s life is for show. She’s a popular social media presence, and her fans love her Instagram and YouTube posts—whether they’re inspirational quotes, yoga shots, or charming moments with her boyfriend, another social media star. The truth is, he’s not really her boyfriend, and Mari is incredibly lonely. Turning 18 reminds her of Bri, the cousin she grew up with, and how they’d grown apart before Bri’s death from a hiking accident. When Mari gets real about her sadness on YouTube, her star falls, and she decides to follow Bri’s old plan to walk the John Muir Trail—all 200-plus miles through the Sierra Nevada mountains. It’s not a hike for neophytes, but Mari has Bri’s pack, provisions, itinerary, even her boots, and she soon makes friends on the trail. The telling is at times oversimplified—with Mari’s troubles chalked up to her parents’ divorce and Bri idealized—but Kirby (Moonglass) skillfully evokes the extreme beauty and challenges of the hike and the importance of making friends who like you even when you’re dirty, tired, and honest. Ages 14–up. Agent: Leigh Feldman, Leigh Feldman Literary. (Aug.)