Lost in the Moment and Found by Seanan McGuire

“Be sure, said the words scrawled abovd the door. Well, she was. She was sure it was cold out here, and the store would probably close soon, and she needed to get inside before someone saw her and asked where her parents were. She was sure she couldn’t go home.

She pushed the door open and stepped through.”

Lost in the Moment and Found by Seanan McGuire

The Wayward Children series by Seanan McGuire has come to mean quite a lot to me over the years. I still remember the first time I saw the cover for Every Heart a Doorway, and I was stunned. I knew, knew that this was a book I had to have. Had to read. 

It was also the series that introduced me to the amazing writer, Seanan McGuire. After I started this series, I bought a few novels in the October Daye series, and then all of them. I started devouring her books left and right, completely in awe of how incredibly talented of a writer she is. 

But let’s get back to the doors. As a kid, I was (and I still am) a huge believer of portals. I remember when I was around six or seven years old, riding home on the school bus. I always sat next to the window on the same side of the bus so that I could see this one house and yard. I don’t remember it as clearly now, memories fade even when we don’t want them to. But I remember the hollowed out tree standing in the front yard. I would daydream for hours about what was inside the tree, what worlds, what doors lay beyond it. My childhood imagination was rife with possibilities, and I imagined all sorts of wonderful adventures. 

I have read dozens and dozens of portal fantasies over the years. I even took a class in college that focused on them, and it was amazing. So needless to say, the Wayward Children series feels like coming home, every time. Even when they break my heart. 

Lost in the Moment and Found is book 8 of this series. There are some content warnings for this book including adult gaslighting and grooming and death of a parent. The author makes note of these at the beginning of the book as well. 

Antsy is only five years old when her father dies. One moment he is there. And one moment he’s not. And this changes her life forever. 

Antsy’s mother struggles with moving on, but eventually meets a man Tyler, who she marries. Antsy doesn’t like Tyler. He makes her uncomfortable and she steers clear of him as much as possible. One day, Tyler crosses a line, but before things go too far, Antsy runs. She packs a backpack and leaves. She doesn’t want to leave her mom, but she has to. 

She finds a door that says “Be Sure” and walks through because she is sure. By stepping through, she leaves behind the life she’s always known. Because behind the door is the place where the lost things go, and Antsy lets herself become lost. 

Part of the magic of these books is that every time I read them, I don’t know what’s on the other side of the door, so I won’t spoil that here. But I loved this story so much, despite the tragedy that is woven through its pages. Antsy is a wonderful character, and I really loved reading her story. 

I am so excited for all the Wayward Children books yet to come!