What do you think?
Rate this book
Beware the Wild #1
Beware the Wild
It's an oppressively hot and sticky morning in June when Sterling and her brother, Phin, have an argument that compels him to run into the town swamp—the one that strikes fear in all the residents of Sticks, Louisiana. Phin doesn't return. Instead, a girl named Lenora May climbs out, and now Sterling is the only person in Sticks who remembers her brother ever existed.
Sterling needs to figure out what the swamp's done with her beloved brother and how Lenora May is connected to his disappearance—and loner boy Heath Durham might be the only one who can help her.
This debut novel is full of atmosphere, twists and turns, and a swoon-worthy romance.
Sterling needs to figure out what the swamp's done with her beloved brother and how Lenora May is connected to his disappearance—and loner boy Heath Durham might be the only one who can help her.
This debut novel is full of atmosphere, twists and turns, and a swoon-worthy romance.
327 pages, Hardcover
First published October 21, 2014
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 486 reviews
June 22, 2014
“When the swamp took my brother, it sent someone—something else to take his place. I don’t know what Lenora May is, but she’s not my sister.”This book is a dark American fairy tale.
In Celtic mythology, we often hear about the changeling in connection with the fae, fairies, whatever you call them. The fae are capricious creatures. They will take what they please, and in some instances, they will take whomever they please. Children, newborn infants, specifically, are particularly vulnerable. The beautiful child will disappear, abducted by the fae, leaving an ugly, wizened, “wrong,” fae child in its place.
This book has that similar premise, with a twist. Instead of Ireland or the UK, we have the swamps of the deep South in the US. The “child” being abducted is a young man, about to go to college. What’s different is that all memories of the abducted are erased.
The writing is great. The main character is a sympathetic one. There is no insta-love. The atmosphere of the Deep South is well-written, and there is a sense of eeriness and frustration that is pervasive throughout the book. This is one of the better YA paranormal books I have read.
The Summary:
“The swamp ate my brother.”Sterling Saucier is about to finish her sophomore year of high school when the unthinkable happens: her brother Phineas, in a fit of anger, in an unthinking moment – steps into the swamps behind Sticks, Louisiana. Everyone in town knows not to go into the swamp. It’s dangerous. Once you go in, you never leave.
Even the plants know better: stay the fuck out. The swamp stays away from the people. The people stay away from the swamp. It is a tenuous peace.
For some reason, the swamp stays firmly on the other side. A few brave plants may reach across the line, but by and large, the swamp keeps as much distance from us as we do of it.Phineas has been gone for hours, and Sterling is frantic. She is panicking, feeling like she will never see her brother again, when out of the swamp steps a girl. Not Phin. A strange girl whom Sterling has never seen before.
Her hand extends slowly and she hesitates before finding the fence. Dark hair hangs in her face, wild with curls and lovely in a way mine will never be. She climbs with something less than grace, fumbles with her dress, and nearly falls to the ground in my yard.Everyone tells Sterling that this is her sister.
“I want to know who she is, why she’s here, and why you’re all acting like you know her. I watched her climb over the swamp fence, for crying out loud!”The trouble is Sterling knows otherwise. She somehow has memories of this stranger.
“Now you’re worrying me,” Mama says. “Are you telling me you don’t recognize your own sister?”
I can’t remember someone who doesn’t exist. I can’t remember that her favorite color is purple but thinks Chevelles look best in red. I don’t even know her name.But Sterling knows: this is not her sister. Phin is her brother, and he has disappeared. Nobody remembers her but him.
Except I do.
Lenora May. May to her friends. Lenora to teachers and Aunt Mina. But Lenora May to me. Always Lenora May.
Well, not nobody. Someone knows what she’s going through. Somebody believes her. Somebody who has lost someone of his own.
“Nathan Payola,” he says. He waits for me to react, but there’s nothing for me to react to. Angrily, he adds, “He was my best friend.”That somebody is Heath. Heath is a boy at her school. He is not unfamiliar to her, in fact, they had a short, brief, flirtation.
Heath wasn’t a talker, but when he did talk, the words we shared were sweet and supplemented with notes of the flirting variety.Only that flirtation abruptly stopped…and now she knows why. Heath was struggling with the same thing she was, the loss of a friend, and the knowledge that nobody believes him.
And now they’re in the same boat, and as cute as Heath is, as much of a brief history they’ve had together, there are more important things at hand right now, like how to get her brother back.
At any other time, I’d be stuck on him admitting he ditched me. But now, all I can think of is Phin.A situation doomed to end in frustration now shows a small ray of hope, because they’re in this together.
We can’t fight something we don’t understand. But I remember what Heath said about hope. I’m not going to let the swamp have that, too.And they’re going to cling on to every last vestige of that hope they can. Hope is all they have.
The Setting:
There are a hundred ways to die all cloaked in the twist of pale trees—gators fast enough to catch a grown man, mosquitoes teeming with disease, stinging plants, hungry black bears, and nasty cottonmouths all filled with spite and patience.Tell people that swamps are a dangerous place, and they’ll give you a “No shit, Sherlock,” stare. But they don’t know about the swamps behind Sticks, Louisiana.
But what’s in ours is worse.I love a creepy, small Southern town atmosphere, and this book absolutely delivers. It is filled with local legends, lore, creepiness on its own.
Ours is a creature all its own. We don’t stare into its depths and we don’t ever go inside.
This is a dead-end small town in which anyone with aspirations for a better life needs to get the fuck out. There is no future here.
Most of the good folk of Sticks consider it’d be faster to throw your money in a fire if you’re that keen on wasting it, but then, most of the good folk of Sticks think the periodic table has something to do with birth control.Much of the population can be described by urban citizens as “white trash.” The point is to get out. Leave it all behind.
The swamp itself is a terrifying thing, filled with creatures like the one that wears Phin’s skin.
“I’m hungry,” he says, a sound that seems to crawl from his throat. It’s devoid of the warmth Phin’s voice should have, all mud and gravel. He reaches with webbed hands, each finger tipped with a sharp, black claw.There is a tale of horror that lies behind the mystery that held my attention as it unfolded. This is truly a beautifully descriptive, atmospheric book.
Not my brother, I think, a trick.
The Characters:
he was gone.I absolutely loved Sterling. Trigger warning: the main character has an eating disorder, brought on by the stress of her beloved brother leaving. I thought the portrayal of said eating disorder was well done, because there is an emphasis in this book that eating disorders are not about being thin. It is a mental disorder, exacerbated by stress, by any number of things. Sterling’s mitigating factor just happened to be her brother.
And it’s my fault.
If I was afraid to live in a town without Phineas, I’m plain terrified of living in a world without him.
The first time she asked me about this, I’d tried and failed to explain that it wasn’t about wanting to be thin; I couldn’t think of food when the threat of losing Phin to college was so near.So many people in Sterling’s life give her a hard time about her anorexia, and it is impossible for her to explain to them: it is not about being thin. I think this aspect of her character was adequately done.
I like the fact that Sterling is a devoted sister. She truly loves her brother. She constantly thinks about him. She always seeks to get him back. She will go to any lengths, overcome her own fears of the swamp in order to attempt to rescue him.
The swamp continues to beckon.Her beauty is never mentioned. Not everyone falls in love with her. Sterling is a realistic character with real flaws, real hurts, and is wholly sympathetic because of them.
I can do this.
“Phineas Harlan Saucier,” I say to whatever might be listening. “I’m coming for my brother.”
Characters who should be the enemy have depths. They have life. They are filled with spirit.
“You’ve been so safe all your life. So safe you might as well be dead. Phin did that, he kept you from living, but I won’t. I promise you, I only want to live as fiercely as I can.”They have stories. They are not mindless monsters, creatures to be feared. They are people. An unknown and nonexistent sister, not a monster, a person who may turn out to be someone who could be admired.
Lenora May doesn’t care that she’s in the dirt or that she’ll have to wash her dress three times to get rid of the stubborn smells that follow you home from the track, and not caring makes her both vulnerable and beautiful.The Romance:
I feel small and secure in his arms with my hip balanced against his thigh. This is different from the kiss. That felt chaotic and delirious and like something beginning. This is the opposite. Together we are solid and smart and somehow not new at all.Now this is how I like my romance. Sterling and Heath have a small romantic past, but they are above all else, friends and allies. She understands him. He understands her. They have a shared past, and a shared present. He is the only one who understands her pain, having gone through it himself.
Heath is a bad boy, but not one as you’d expect. He developed that reputation after having gone through the frustration of losing a friend. Heath is a good kid who started acting out of frustration and anger and pain. He is never, ever an asshole.
Hell, he’s actually quite a gentleman.
“Sterling Saucier,” he says.Overall: an excellent book.
His eyes narrow in a smile. Sunlight shines through them, illuminating too many rings of brown and brass to count. He bends closer.
“May I kiss you?” he asks.
All quotes were taken from an uncorrected proof subject to change in the final edition.
July 23, 2022
Swamps make stellar settings for the spookiest of stories. “The meanest swamp in Louisiana” however, disdainfully dismisses “spooky”. This arrogant, angry bog is far more frightening than the orneriest of angry alligators. A petulant presence, tinged with wicked lurks within.
Following an epic sibling squabble, Sass’s revered brother, Phin belligerently explodes from the sanctity of their backyard into the eagerly awaiting quagmire. She dreads the worst. Not “the worst” as it relates to the average, hazardous marsh. It isn’t images of the one person she loves unconditionally, who loves her right back: sinking into quicksand, being bitten by a venomous snake, hopelessly lost, slowly succumbing to the elements that plague her.
Whispered legends. Volumes of collected Swamp Stories. Knowing looks exchanged over children’s heads. The unimaginable horror that is never actually addressed, always alluded to. These fears fill her mind and freak her out. As if insulted by her tame, unimaginative worries, the glade grabs Sass by her chin, jerks her head up and shoves the unspeakable, tortuous cruelty into her stunned face.
Ms. Parker explodes into the Young Adult literary world, boldly and courageously with an authority that won’t be denied. I’m a little bit in love with her and I’m pretty sure she had me in mind with the shout out to my beloved Phish and the perfect use of a term that needs to come back: spaz attack.
Amid a tale that unapologetically reaches out and with a quick tug, pulls the reader into the sticky, steamy swamp; enters dark-skinned Abigail, the “girl who prefers girls” in a very small town. This diversity is not gratuitous nor is it the point of the story. Rather, Ms. Parker’s natural inclination to include characters of differing ethnicities and sexual orientation seems simply indicative of her norm; yet feels utterly refreshing.
Superbly depicted southern stereotypes lend a feel of authenticity while the dynamics among the characters enrich this brilliantly written, compelling, creepy and captivating story. Absolutely, all-the-way awesome, Beware the Wild is a book that I look forward to re-reading and sharing with my bookish pals both Young and Not-So-Young Adults.
Following an epic sibling squabble, Sass’s revered brother, Phin belligerently explodes from the sanctity of their backyard into the eagerly awaiting quagmire. She dreads the worst. Not “the worst” as it relates to the average, hazardous marsh. It isn’t images of the one person she loves unconditionally, who loves her right back: sinking into quicksand, being bitten by a venomous snake, hopelessly lost, slowly succumbing to the elements that plague her.
Whispered legends. Volumes of collected Swamp Stories. Knowing looks exchanged over children’s heads. The unimaginable horror that is never actually addressed, always alluded to. These fears fill her mind and freak her out. As if insulted by her tame, unimaginative worries, the glade grabs Sass by her chin, jerks her head up and shoves the unspeakable, tortuous cruelty into her stunned face.
Ms. Parker explodes into the Young Adult literary world, boldly and courageously with an authority that won’t be denied. I’m a little bit in love with her and I’m pretty sure she had me in mind with the shout out to my beloved Phish and the perfect use of a term that needs to come back: spaz attack.
Amid a tale that unapologetically reaches out and with a quick tug, pulls the reader into the sticky, steamy swamp; enters dark-skinned Abigail, the “girl who prefers girls” in a very small town. This diversity is not gratuitous nor is it the point of the story. Rather, Ms. Parker’s natural inclination to include characters of differing ethnicities and sexual orientation seems simply indicative of her norm; yet feels utterly refreshing.
Superbly depicted southern stereotypes lend a feel of authenticity while the dynamics among the characters enrich this brilliantly written, compelling, creepy and captivating story. Absolutely, all-the-way awesome, Beware the Wild is a book that I look forward to re-reading and sharing with my bookish pals both Young and Not-So-Young Adults.
July 11, 2014
"I do not tell these stories to delight or entice. Rather, I tell these stories to entreat you - stay away from our swamp, but do not ignore it. Read these stories, my loves, and remember. Secrets are never so dangerous as when they've been forgotten."
There were many things I liked about Beware the Wild, but I still didn't like it as much as I expected to. The thing is, it should have ticked every box I have: creepy atmospheric setting, tough but realistic protagonist who puts her sibling first, paranormal mystery with a fairy tale-esque feel to it... but I was able to grow bored at times.
I will be the first person to point out if a romance overtakes what should be the main plot, and I don't think that was done here, but the book does become increasingly romantic as the story moves along. While I can usually take that, I could see absolutely zero chemistry between the main character - Sterling - and Heath Durham. The bits of the book that got taken up with their dates and flirtations actually prompted me to skim read. But there is much to like here too.
The central storyline is about Sterling and her brother - Phin - who runs away one night out into the town swamp. Everyone knows the stories of the swamp - its dangers and its magic - most people don't really believe the tales, of course, but they stay away just in case. And this one night, when Phin disappears, a girl called Lenora May returns in his place. But, even stranger, everyone in Sterling's family and in their small town seems to have forgotten Phin, their memories replaced with Lenora May. As if Phin never existed.
Did Phin ever exist? Is Sterling going crazy? Or is there something far more sinister going on here? Sterling may be the only one who can find out the answers.
Atmosphere. Hell, I loved it. Despite some of the things I didn't like about the romance, this book may just be worth reading for that wonderful atmosphere that hovered somewhere between small town claustrophobia, sticky summer humidity, and eerie supernatural swampness. I swear I could hear the ghostly sounds coming from the swamp as I was reading. It really does have that whole fairy tale feel - timeless, beautiful and steeped in magic.
The official description of Beware the Wild declares: "This debut novel is full of atmosphere, twists and turns, and a swoon-worthy romance." It's almost true. And, as Meat Loaf sang, I guess two out of three ain't bad. Also, I just thought I'd say, the cover and title are awesome, IMO.
Blog | Leafmarks | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr
There were many things I liked about Beware the Wild, but I still didn't like it as much as I expected to. The thing is, it should have ticked every box I have: creepy atmospheric setting, tough but realistic protagonist who puts her sibling first, paranormal mystery with a fairy tale-esque feel to it... but I was able to grow bored at times.
I will be the first person to point out if a romance overtakes what should be the main plot, and I don't think that was done here, but the book does become increasingly romantic as the story moves along. While I can usually take that, I could see absolutely zero chemistry between the main character - Sterling - and Heath Durham. The bits of the book that got taken up with their dates and flirtations actually prompted me to skim read. But there is much to like here too.
The central storyline is about Sterling and her brother - Phin - who runs away one night out into the town swamp. Everyone knows the stories of the swamp - its dangers and its magic - most people don't really believe the tales, of course, but they stay away just in case. And this one night, when Phin disappears, a girl called Lenora May returns in his place. But, even stranger, everyone in Sterling's family and in their small town seems to have forgotten Phin, their memories replaced with Lenora May. As if Phin never existed.
Did Phin ever exist? Is Sterling going crazy? Or is there something far more sinister going on here? Sterling may be the only one who can find out the answers.
Atmosphere. Hell, I loved it. Despite some of the things I didn't like about the romance, this book may just be worth reading for that wonderful atmosphere that hovered somewhere between small town claustrophobia, sticky summer humidity, and eerie supernatural swampness. I swear I could hear the ghostly sounds coming from the swamp as I was reading. It really does have that whole fairy tale feel - timeless, beautiful and steeped in magic.
The official description of Beware the Wild declares: "This debut novel is full of atmosphere, twists and turns, and a swoon-worthy romance." It's almost true. And, as Meat Loaf sang, I guess two out of three ain't bad. Also, I just thought I'd say, the cover and title are awesome, IMO.
Blog | Leafmarks | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr
October 14, 2014
This started on a great note with a super creepy premise that had a lot of potential, but it started dragging and getting more and more ridiculous; magical peaches and gaterboys and all. in the end, I unfortunately can't say I enjoyed this one very much.
It did grab me full-on at the start, though. Sterling's brother goes missing inside a swamp, and the next thing you know, a strange girl comes out in his place and no one but our main character even remembers her brother. So of course, her family thinks she's gone insane. They remember this new girl, though, as if she had been there all along. Even Sterling starts getting false memories about their childhood together. Sounds awesome, right? I loved it, then, I truly did! I particularly enjoyed the creepy atmosphere and eerie swamp that seemed like a character in itself. It's described as being both magical and evil, and had me completely enamoured. From then on, the story did not go in the direction I had hoped for and expected, however. We find out very early on what the secret behind the swamp is, and why Sterling is the only one who remembers the missing people. That was the beginning of the end for me, sadly. After learning of the swamp's… abilities, I was less enthused with the whole story arc. The mysterious element went from intriguing to mildly interesting and even silly. The answers found in magical peaches and magical cherries only made me snicker and snort, and then when you add in half boy, half alligator beasts… nope, not for me at all.
Still, I could have rolled with it if I had cared about the characters, but unfortunately they fell flat for me as well. I feel like Sterling had this whole complex character arc that just did not come through. She talks of her physically abusive father and having a sort of anxiety anorexia, yet this is merely mentioned in passing. Sure it's mentioned several times, but it's a tell rather than show writing style that ultimately failed to make me feel her psychological scars or emotional struggles. Which is a real shame because it could have given the story a lot more depth and tension. Instead, I grew frustrated with my inability to understand her as her personality simply came off as confusing. Then we've got the secondary characters who felt like convenient plot devices with nonexistent personalities. In turn, there was absolutely zero chemistry between her and the love interest, Heath, who was your cliché misunderstood "rumoured" bad boy.
While I enjoyed the suspense and the eerie atmosphere built around this swamp, the execution of the mystery and the route it took really bored me. I also did not expect this level of strange - and not the good kind of strange (for me at least). Really, though, this is like a B-Rated horror movie. Some will find themselves fully entertained by it, and others will roll their eyes and sigh. I'm sure you can guess which side I landed on. And with that, I wish you good luck with this one!
--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
It did grab me full-on at the start, though. Sterling's brother goes missing inside a swamp, and the next thing you know, a strange girl comes out in his place and no one but our main character even remembers her brother. So of course, her family thinks she's gone insane. They remember this new girl, though, as if she had been there all along. Even Sterling starts getting false memories about their childhood together. Sounds awesome, right? I loved it, then, I truly did! I particularly enjoyed the creepy atmosphere and eerie swamp that seemed like a character in itself. It's described as being both magical and evil, and had me completely enamoured. From then on, the story did not go in the direction I had hoped for and expected, however. We find out very early on what the secret behind the swamp is, and why Sterling is the only one who remembers the missing people. That was the beginning of the end for me, sadly. After learning of the swamp's… abilities, I was less enthused with the whole story arc. The mysterious element went from intriguing to mildly interesting and even silly. The answers found in magical peaches and magical cherries only made me snicker and snort, and then when you add in half boy, half alligator beasts… nope, not for me at all.
Still, I could have rolled with it if I had cared about the characters, but unfortunately they fell flat for me as well. I feel like Sterling had this whole complex character arc that just did not come through. She talks of her physically abusive father and having a sort of anxiety anorexia, yet this is merely mentioned in passing. Sure it's mentioned several times, but it's a tell rather than show writing style that ultimately failed to make me feel her psychological scars or emotional struggles. Which is a real shame because it could have given the story a lot more depth and tension. Instead, I grew frustrated with my inability to understand her as her personality simply came off as confusing. Then we've got the secondary characters who felt like convenient plot devices with nonexistent personalities. In turn, there was absolutely zero chemistry between her and the love interest, Heath, who was your cliché misunderstood "rumoured" bad boy.
While I enjoyed the suspense and the eerie atmosphere built around this swamp, the execution of the mystery and the route it took really bored me. I also did not expect this level of strange - and not the good kind of strange (for me at least). Really, though, this is like a B-Rated horror movie. Some will find themselves fully entertained by it, and others will roll their eyes and sigh. I'm sure you can guess which side I landed on. And with that, I wish you good luck with this one!
--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
July 27, 2014
«Beware the Wild» is a dark and creepy gothic fairytale. It lures you into its mysterious swamp, makes you forget about your life and captures on the pages of its story.
Have you ever heard of Sticks, Louisiana? Nobody has. It’s a secluded small town with own secrets, and the biggest one of them – is the swamp. Nobody knows why it is fenced, why are everyone scared of it, but they know one thing for sure – you better stay the hell away from it. Don’t mind the swamp and it won’t mind you.
That is what everybody in Sticks does, until one girl loses her brother.
Sterling Saucier is the main protagonist. At the beginning we see her as a girl who was always under protection of her a bit aggressive brother. Their father was a cruel man who liked to beat his wife and children, and the only person who tried to protect them was Phin Saucier. But after some stressful fight over his moving to college, the boy leaves his home and goes into the swamp. Sterling waits for him the whole day and then she sees like someone climbs over the fence… but it’s not Phin. It’s a girl, Lenora May, who claims the spot of her brother.
Nobody remembers him anymore… Nobody believes that he ever existed… except for Heath, the boy at school with whom she had a brief romance and who experienced the same situation. What is more important, he believes her. He remembers.
What I really liked, was the development of Sterling’s character. At the beginning she was just a scared girl with eating disorder because of a fear of losing her brother – her only protector. But now it is he who needs her help. As it turns out, Sterling has the courage of a lion. She is strong, smart and desperate to save her beloved brother.
There is also Heath, Sterling’s love interest, but I can’t say much about him. I was not into this romance. He is a good boy with the dark past, and the reason to it is the swamp. But if Sterling became strong because of her burden, Heath became weak. And that’s my only problem with him. I love it when main heroes are equal.
But this book is not about love between a boy and a girl. It’s about brother and sister relationships. That our love to someone and the need to protect can be twisted into something entirely else. That we must learn to stand for ourselves and stop depending on other people. Because everything has a price.
The plot and the writing were incredibly good. It made me want to go to the swamp, so vivid was the description of it, with its lights that are always leading people into its depth, with magical cherry trees and monsters, waiting for you in the dark. I also loved the secondary characters and the main villain. It’s not easy to guess here who is good and who is evil. Everyone has their reasons. Somebody can surprise you.
Overall, this book is a must-read for fans of gothic romances. I’ve read it a couple of days ago and its atmosphere still haunts me. And I love it!
Have you ever heard of Sticks, Louisiana? Nobody has. It’s a secluded small town with own secrets, and the biggest one of them – is the swamp. Nobody knows why it is fenced, why are everyone scared of it, but they know one thing for sure – you better stay the hell away from it. Don’t mind the swamp and it won’t mind you.
That is what everybody in Sticks does, until one girl loses her brother.
Sterling Saucier is the main protagonist. At the beginning we see her as a girl who was always under protection of her a bit aggressive brother. Their father was a cruel man who liked to beat his wife and children, and the only person who tried to protect them was Phin Saucier. But after some stressful fight over his moving to college, the boy leaves his home and goes into the swamp. Sterling waits for him the whole day and then she sees like someone climbs over the fence… but it’s not Phin. It’s a girl, Lenora May, who claims the spot of her brother.
Nobody remembers him anymore… Nobody believes that he ever existed… except for Heath, the boy at school with whom she had a brief romance and who experienced the same situation. What is more important, he believes her. He remembers.
What I really liked, was the development of Sterling’s character. At the beginning she was just a scared girl with eating disorder because of a fear of losing her brother – her only protector. But now it is he who needs her help. As it turns out, Sterling has the courage of a lion. She is strong, smart and desperate to save her beloved brother.
There is also Heath, Sterling’s love interest, but I can’t say much about him. I was not into this romance. He is a good boy with the dark past, and the reason to it is the swamp. But if Sterling became strong because of her burden, Heath became weak. And that’s my only problem with him. I love it when main heroes are equal.
But this book is not about love between a boy and a girl. It’s about brother and sister relationships. That our love to someone and the need to protect can be twisted into something entirely else. That we must learn to stand for ourselves and stop depending on other people. Because everything has a price.
The plot and the writing were incredibly good. It made me want to go to the swamp, so vivid was the description of it, with its lights that are always leading people into its depth, with magical cherry trees and monsters, waiting for you in the dark. I also loved the secondary characters and the main villain. It’s not easy to guess here who is good and who is evil. Everyone has their reasons. Somebody can surprise you.
Overall, this book is a must-read for fans of gothic romances. I’ve read it a couple of days ago and its atmosphere still haunts me. And I love it!
November 21, 2014
See more reviews at YA Midnight Reads
No one has seen Phin all day. After having a fight with his sister, Sterling, he stepped foot into the swamp and hasn't emerged ever since. Everyone knows not to go into the swamp, they say that if you go in, you never come back. Yet later that day, while Sterling is outside underneath the hot beating sun, she see's someone come out of the swamp, but it's not her brother. It's a girl and apparently her sister. Lenora May has always been Sterling's sister according to everyone but Sterling. Suddenly, no one knows who Phin is, like he never existed, and in his place is Lenora May, the strange girl that emerged from the swamp. Determined to find out what has happened to Phin and why no one remembers him, Sterling might just have to go to the swamp herself.
The things that I liked:
- The atmosphere in Beware the Wild was fantastic. I loved every bit of it and could practically feel the heat of the burning sun and the creepiness and ambiguity of the swamp. And on top of those detailed descriptions? I was feeling pretty skittish and wide-eyed in the end. Seriously guys, this isn't a swamp you want to go poking your head around at.
- Sterling. She was a quick to love narrator and a very determined girl. I really liked her devotion and strong-will to save her brother from the swamp without acting rash and not thinking before acting. She was an ideal protagonist and the author made her so easy to love. Also, Sterling does a have an eating disorder here, which I appreciated for being addressed, especially by her friends. It just goes to show how great the friendships were as well as they were all constantly looking out for each other.
- The story line is one of the more obvious things I loved. It's the thing that got me wanting to read this and it still remains one of my favourite aspects of the book. I wanted to know why no one remembered Phin and what had happened to him and why there was a totally random girl in his place.
The things that I didn't like:
- The romance. The synopsis says there's a swoon-worthy romance and I absolutely LOVE swoon-worthy romances. Sometimes I go out of my way and read a book just because there's a swoon-worthy romance. Unfortunately, I didn't feel any swoons here. Honestly, I didn't see the connection--apart from the fact that Heath also experienced something similar to Sterling, and could relate with her. That being said, I don't think the romance dominated the plot that much, so it wasn't a problem in the sense that it took the attention away from the plot line. Thankfully, the romance wasn't something that pissed me off or made me want to rage. I guess I was just disappointed that I didn't get a swoon-worthy or convincing romance, ultimately.
- I got bored for a while during the book. The pacing did stutter here and there a bit for me and I was losing attention. However, it wasn't a large issue.
Summing up:
Beware the Wild was a intriguing read with a refreshing premise and a brilliant atmosphere and array of characters. I am definitely curious to see what other works this author has to offer!
No one has seen Phin all day. After having a fight with his sister, Sterling, he stepped foot into the swamp and hasn't emerged ever since. Everyone knows not to go into the swamp, they say that if you go in, you never come back. Yet later that day, while Sterling is outside underneath the hot beating sun, she see's someone come out of the swamp, but it's not her brother. It's a girl and apparently her sister. Lenora May has always been Sterling's sister according to everyone but Sterling. Suddenly, no one knows who Phin is, like he never existed, and in his place is Lenora May, the strange girl that emerged from the swamp. Determined to find out what has happened to Phin and why no one remembers him, Sterling might just have to go to the swamp herself.
The things that I liked:
- The atmosphere in Beware the Wild was fantastic. I loved every bit of it and could practically feel the heat of the burning sun and the creepiness and ambiguity of the swamp. And on top of those detailed descriptions? I was feeling pretty skittish and wide-eyed in the end. Seriously guys, this isn't a swamp you want to go poking your head around at.
Ours is a creature all its own. We don’t stare into its depths and we don’t ever go inside.
- Sterling. She was a quick to love narrator and a very determined girl. I really liked her devotion and strong-will to save her brother from the swamp without acting rash and not thinking before acting. She was an ideal protagonist and the author made her so easy to love. Also, Sterling does a have an eating disorder here, which I appreciated for being addressed, especially by her friends. It just goes to show how great the friendships were as well as they were all constantly looking out for each other.
- The story line is one of the more obvious things I loved. It's the thing that got me wanting to read this and it still remains one of my favourite aspects of the book. I wanted to know why no one remembered Phin and what had happened to him and why there was a totally random girl in his place.
The things that I didn't like:
- The romance. The synopsis says there's a swoon-worthy romance and I absolutely LOVE swoon-worthy romances. Sometimes I go out of my way and read a book just because there's a swoon-worthy romance. Unfortunately, I didn't feel any swoons here. Honestly, I didn't see the connection--apart from the fact that Heath also experienced something similar to Sterling, and could relate with her. That being said, I don't think the romance dominated the plot that much, so it wasn't a problem in the sense that it took the attention away from the plot line. Thankfully, the romance wasn't something that pissed me off or made me want to rage. I guess I was just disappointed that I didn't get a swoon-worthy or convincing romance, ultimately.
- I got bored for a while during the book. The pacing did stutter here and there a bit for me and I was losing attention. However, it wasn't a large issue.
Summing up:
Beware the Wild was a intriguing read with a refreshing premise and a brilliant atmosphere and array of characters. I am definitely curious to see what other works this author has to offer!
~Thank you HarperTeen for sending me this copy!~
January 9, 2015
Objectively, Beware the Wild is really good. Subjectively, while I found it decent, I couldn't really connect to it very much.
Don't get me wrong, the writing is gorgeous. It's very showing than telling, moving the plot along in a great pace while portraying the heroine's personality and flaws exceptionally well. There were a lot of inner thoughts and monologues that give you front-row seats of the turmoils being stirred within her as Sterling finds herself in a situation where nobody suddenly remembers who her brother is, except, perhaps, the Swamp where magic and danger lie within. There is flow, and you could even say things happen "naturally" and nothing feels forced, but...
I don't know. It just... fell flat, for me, characterisation-wise. Is it normal to recognize the beauty of the words and how they were weaved (which means, yeah, kudos to the writing), but not feel connected to the characters? Because that's what happened to me. It felt like while the words flowed beautifully and naturally, it lacked 'heart'. At times, I found myself skimming over some scenes (especially the romantic ones) because I would lose interest every now and then. And then we would have half-human/half-alligator creatures, magical fruits, and I would sigh every 10 pages because I would feel exhausted.
BUT!!! The atmosphere. The atmosphere is really well-done, and it's something I haven't seen this well-written in a long, long while. You're in a small town called the Sticks (the Sticks?! Really?! It's hilarious and a little ridiculous at the same time, but there is an endearing aspect to it), and nearby is the Swamp, and between the two is a white fence that has been there for generations. It really gives this "magical realism" vibe mixed with some eerieness that can only be achieved when characters live in a small town that knows everybody right next to a living, breathing, giant place of mud and huge oak trees. Imagine the swamp in The Princess and the Frog (Disney version) just... more sinister. And somehow romantic, even? Does that even make sense?!
As for the plot itself, I liked it, even if I weren't emotionally-invested in it. It was really creepy when everyone suddenly had no memory of one person and had new memories of someone else who appeared out of the blue. Even if I couldn't connect completely to Sterling, I did feel for her at least in this regard. I can't imagine it if someone you loved suddenly didn't exist in everyone's minds except for yours. I would go completely crazy! To think that a Swamp has such powers really makes it formidable and somehow romantically mysterious.
All in all, Beware the Wild was well-written in a way it's not telling than showing and that it sets up the atmosphere really well, better than many I've read previously. Small town with a dangerous swamp may not be original but this book gives something new to the plate, no doubt. It's just disheartening that I couldn't connect to the characters, and thus, the plot, because it would have an even more fantastic ride otherwise. I recommend you try it yourself, still, though. I may not have had a 5-star experience, but your journey may be well different from mine.
Find me here:
Twitter
Blog
Instagram
Don't get me wrong, the writing is gorgeous. It's very showing than telling, moving the plot along in a great pace while portraying the heroine's personality and flaws exceptionally well. There were a lot of inner thoughts and monologues that give you front-row seats of the turmoils being stirred within her as Sterling finds herself in a situation where nobody suddenly remembers who her brother is, except, perhaps, the Swamp where magic and danger lie within. There is flow, and you could even say things happen "naturally" and nothing feels forced, but...
I don't know. It just... fell flat, for me, characterisation-wise. Is it normal to recognize the beauty of the words and how they were weaved (which means, yeah, kudos to the writing), but not feel connected to the characters? Because that's what happened to me. It felt like while the words flowed beautifully and naturally, it lacked 'heart'. At times, I found myself skimming over some scenes (especially the romantic ones) because I would lose interest every now and then. And then we would have half-human/half-alligator creatures, magical fruits, and I would sigh every 10 pages because I would feel exhausted.
BUT!!! The atmosphere. The atmosphere is really well-done, and it's something I haven't seen this well-written in a long, long while. You're in a small town called the Sticks (the Sticks?! Really?! It's hilarious and a little ridiculous at the same time, but there is an endearing aspect to it), and nearby is the Swamp, and between the two is a white fence that has been there for generations. It really gives this "magical realism" vibe mixed with some eerieness that can only be achieved when characters live in a small town that knows everybody right next to a living, breathing, giant place of mud and huge oak trees. Imagine the swamp in The Princess and the Frog (Disney version) just... more sinister. And somehow romantic, even? Does that even make sense?!
As for the plot itself, I liked it, even if I weren't emotionally-invested in it. It was really creepy when everyone suddenly had no memory of one person and had new memories of someone else who appeared out of the blue. Even if I couldn't connect completely to Sterling, I did feel for her at least in this regard. I can't imagine it if someone you loved suddenly didn't exist in everyone's minds except for yours. I would go completely crazy! To think that a Swamp has such powers really makes it formidable and somehow romantically mysterious.
All in all, Beware the Wild was well-written in a way it's not telling than showing and that it sets up the atmosphere really well, better than many I've read previously. Small town with a dangerous swamp may not be original but this book gives something new to the plate, no doubt. It's just disheartening that I couldn't connect to the characters, and thus, the plot, because it would have an even more fantastic ride otherwise. I recommend you try it yourself, still, though. I may not have had a 5-star experience, but your journey may be well different from mine.
Find me here:
Blog
October 15, 2014
When I first heard about BEWARE THE WILD, I was floored by the concept. A girl whose brother goes into a mysterious, haunted forest on the edge of their property, and returns...as a girl.
I waited and waited for the cover reveal, and when it finally came up on my twitter feed, I was even MORE excited for the book.
And then came the review copy. Then the first few moments of reading..chapter one, chapter two, and chapter three, the very first parts of the book that will tell me whether or not I will be hooked.
The verdict: I was SO hooked. I loved BEWARE THE WILD. What an atmospherical, twisted and delicious read, perfect for fall, and just in time for Halloween! This story was strange, and I never knew where it was going to take me, and I loved that. I just loooooved it. The writing style was another aspect that really sucked me in. I love a good "gothic" type of writing, and Natalie C Parker really gives readers that feel.
I read this book while at a cabin in the woods, and that made the story come alive even more. I was incredibly impressed, and I believe this is a single title, which means::: Natalie C Parker MUST have another book in her future, because if she doesn't, I'll be devastated.
Congrats on a wonderful debut. I think readers all around will be just as happy as I was with it.
I waited and waited for the cover reveal, and when it finally came up on my twitter feed, I was even MORE excited for the book.
And then came the review copy. Then the first few moments of reading..chapter one, chapter two, and chapter three, the very first parts of the book that will tell me whether or not I will be hooked.
The verdict: I was SO hooked. I loved BEWARE THE WILD. What an atmospherical, twisted and delicious read, perfect for fall, and just in time for Halloween! This story was strange, and I never knew where it was going to take me, and I loved that. I just loooooved it. The writing style was another aspect that really sucked me in. I love a good "gothic" type of writing, and Natalie C Parker really gives readers that feel.
I read this book while at a cabin in the woods, and that made the story come alive even more. I was incredibly impressed, and I believe this is a single title, which means::: Natalie C Parker MUST have another book in her future, because if she doesn't, I'll be devastated.
Congrats on a wonderful debut. I think readers all around will be just as happy as I was with it.
December 11, 2018
Different but good and I loved the swamp setting. I wasn't too keen on the author's choice to make... but I grasp her intention. It just felt like a very underwhelming solution.
From looking at the cover and reading the synopsis I expected this story to be scary and have more of a horror vibe to it then it actually did. It's pretty mild. The alligators didn't even bite.
*Read for 2018 AMMP Bairn Bingo - Sloth
*Read for 2018 AMMP Trim A Tree
*Read for 2018 AMMP Gifts for the Wild
From looking at the cover and reading the synopsis I expected this story to be scary and have more of a horror vibe to it then it actually did. It's pretty mild. The alligators didn't even bite.
*Read for 2018 AMMP Bairn Bingo - Sloth
*Read for 2018 AMMP Trim A Tree
*Read for 2018 AMMP Gifts for the Wild
February 19, 2014
Okay just finished and I can't even form coherent sentences. It was gorgeous. Atmospheric. Completely creepy. So FREAKING GOOD!!
I was racing through the pages b/c I was DYING to know what happened next and, at the same time, I wanted to pace myself b/c the writing's brilliant and Sterling's an awesome heroine and I didn't want to leave her.
Ugh. Fall's waaayyyy too long to wait for this one. If you have a chance to score an ARC, do it. WILD is beyond excellent.
I was racing through the pages b/c I was DYING to know what happened next and, at the same time, I wanted to pace myself b/c the writing's brilliant and Sterling's an awesome heroine and I didn't want to leave her.
Ugh. Fall's waaayyyy too long to wait for this one. If you have a chance to score an ARC, do it. WILD is beyond excellent.
May 9, 2012
I have been fortunate to read this book as it was written and I can't tell you how excited I am for people to read BEWARE THE WILD. It's not like anything out there right now -- a little Southern Gothic, a little Paranormal, a LOT of awesome. And one of my favorite boy characters ever!
July 9, 2013
Be jealous. Be very jealous. NCP nailed it with this book.
September 25, 2014
4.5 stars
Beware the Wild is a remarkable debut and Natalie C. Parker’s defining work. It speaks volumes about this young author and about all the things we can expect from her in the future. It is precisely the type of book I’m always hoping to read: gorgeously written, slightly weird, completely original and even daring. There aren’t that many YA authors whose writing easily takes my breath away. I’m always hoping to add another one to the list, and today I finally have.
Parker’s debut novel is hauntingly atmospheric and absolutely gorgeous. The mood of this book is similar to that in Brenna Yovanoff’s or Tessa Gratton’s works, but Parker's writing style is different enough to make the whole thing stand out. It is so easy to get lost in Sterling’s story despite the many dangers lurking right behind the fence. All it takes is a single page for us to get lost in Parker’s beautiful and compelling prose.
Sterling only ever loved and needed her older brother Phin. He was her rock, this boy who saved her from their abusive father, protected her for years from every fear and insecurity. He is her protector and best friend, so when he disappears, Sterling’s world collapses. To make matters worse, when Phin gets lost in the swamp, no one but Sterling can remember him. In his place is Lenora May, a lovely girl and Sterling’s older sister, at least according to everyone else. But Sterling can’t forget the brother she once had, even if she also has memories of this new girl, of growing up with her, hiding from their father, whispering secrets while growing up. But what is real and what is the result of some strange magic? Is Sterling the one who is delusional or is it everyone else?
Then comes Heath, a boy Sterling likes.. He’s also lost someone to the swamp, and no one but him remembers. While they search for their loved ones desperately, a romance slowly develops, but it never gets in the way of their search and what is truly important. The romance worked very well for me; it kept things interesting without overtaking the plot, and I liked seeing Heath and Sterling together, their relationship was simple, beautiful and natural.
As I mentioned before, this is only Parker’s debut, and she already shows so much maturity and promise. She joined Yovanoff, Stiefvater and Gratton on my auto-buy list, and I fully expect her to stay there for years (and many more novels) to come.
Beware the Wild is a remarkable debut and Natalie C. Parker’s defining work. It speaks volumes about this young author and about all the things we can expect from her in the future. It is precisely the type of book I’m always hoping to read: gorgeously written, slightly weird, completely original and even daring. There aren’t that many YA authors whose writing easily takes my breath away. I’m always hoping to add another one to the list, and today I finally have.
Parker’s debut novel is hauntingly atmospheric and absolutely gorgeous. The mood of this book is similar to that in Brenna Yovanoff’s or Tessa Gratton’s works, but Parker's writing style is different enough to make the whole thing stand out. It is so easy to get lost in Sterling’s story despite the many dangers lurking right behind the fence. All it takes is a single page for us to get lost in Parker’s beautiful and compelling prose.
Sterling only ever loved and needed her older brother Phin. He was her rock, this boy who saved her from their abusive father, protected her for years from every fear and insecurity. He is her protector and best friend, so when he disappears, Sterling’s world collapses. To make matters worse, when Phin gets lost in the swamp, no one but Sterling can remember him. In his place is Lenora May, a lovely girl and Sterling’s older sister, at least according to everyone else. But Sterling can’t forget the brother she once had, even if she also has memories of this new girl, of growing up with her, hiding from their father, whispering secrets while growing up. But what is real and what is the result of some strange magic? Is Sterling the one who is delusional or is it everyone else?
Then comes Heath, a boy Sterling likes.. He’s also lost someone to the swamp, and no one but him remembers. While they search for their loved ones desperately, a romance slowly develops, but it never gets in the way of their search and what is truly important. The romance worked very well for me; it kept things interesting without overtaking the plot, and I liked seeing Heath and Sterling together, their relationship was simple, beautiful and natural.
As I mentioned before, this is only Parker’s debut, and she already shows so much maturity and promise. She joined Yovanoff, Stiefvater and Gratton on my auto-buy list, and I fully expect her to stay there for years (and many more novels) to come.
February 9, 2017
This and other reviews can be found on The Psychotic Nerd
MY THOUGHTS
I really wanted to read this book because of it's very unique idea! And I did really end up enjoying this book!
After a fight, Sterling's brother, Phin, runs into the swamp. No one ever goes into the swamp, with good reason. Phin never comes out, but a girl named Lenora May does. Soon, Lenora May takes over Phin's life. Everyone, except Sterling has forgotten about Phin and believes that Lenora May is her sister. Even Sterling has memories of Lenora May that she knows never happened. Sterling has to figure out how to get Phin back and it's becoming difficult to convince people that she has a brother, not a sister. Though, a boy in her class knows exactly what she's going through, as his friend was forgotten as well, and together they might be able to figure it out.
I love, love, love the premise of this story! There are a lot of books centered around rescuing the MC's sibling, which actually is a good thing as it shows the importance of family, but this book twisted it around in an entirely different way. Not only does Sterling's brother go missing, but someone else takes his place and everyone forgets about her brother. This would be extremely hard, and it is for Sterling. She knows she has a brother and everyone has forgotten about him, even her parents and his best friends. Honestly, it's very sad and frightening.
The premise with the swamp goes further and further as the book goes on. Basically, it gets weirder and weirder. I don't know how I feel about it. I love the weirdness, but there were points when it just got a bit confusing. All in all, the weirdness did add a lot more uniqueness to the book.
Sterling, our main character, is your pretty average YA heroine, so I don't really have that much to say about her. She does stay strong in this book and continues to remember her brother, which is very difficult. She makes some reckless decisions, but that is to be expected. Heath helps her out in this book. Without Heath, she would have probably continued to tell people that she doesn't have a sister, which is what she was doing before Heath.
Romance was okay. It didn't distract from the main plot, which I love, but it didn't really evoke any feeling from me.
IN CONCLUSION
Overall, this was a very strange book that I oddly liked! The premise was very new and interesting and was treated well. If you want to read a unique paranormal standalone, this is a great book!
MY THOUGHTS
I really wanted to read this book because of it's very unique idea! And I did really end up enjoying this book!
After a fight, Sterling's brother, Phin, runs into the swamp. No one ever goes into the swamp, with good reason. Phin never comes out, but a girl named Lenora May does. Soon, Lenora May takes over Phin's life. Everyone, except Sterling has forgotten about Phin and believes that Lenora May is her sister. Even Sterling has memories of Lenora May that she knows never happened. Sterling has to figure out how to get Phin back and it's becoming difficult to convince people that she has a brother, not a sister. Though, a boy in her class knows exactly what she's going through, as his friend was forgotten as well, and together they might be able to figure it out.
I love, love, love the premise of this story! There are a lot of books centered around rescuing the MC's sibling, which actually is a good thing as it shows the importance of family, but this book twisted it around in an entirely different way. Not only does Sterling's brother go missing, but someone else takes his place and everyone forgets about her brother. This would be extremely hard, and it is for Sterling. She knows she has a brother and everyone has forgotten about him, even her parents and his best friends. Honestly, it's very sad and frightening.
The premise with the swamp goes further and further as the book goes on. Basically, it gets weirder and weirder. I don't know how I feel about it. I love the weirdness, but there were points when it just got a bit confusing. All in all, the weirdness did add a lot more uniqueness to the book.
Sterling, our main character, is your pretty average YA heroine, so I don't really have that much to say about her. She does stay strong in this book and continues to remember her brother, which is very difficult. She makes some reckless decisions, but that is to be expected. Heath helps her out in this book. Without Heath, she would have probably continued to tell people that she doesn't have a sister, which is what she was doing before Heath.
Romance was okay. It didn't distract from the main plot, which I love, but it didn't really evoke any feeling from me.
IN CONCLUSION
Overall, this was a very strange book that I oddly liked! The premise was very new and interesting and was treated well. If you want to read a unique paranormal standalone, this is a great book!
February 10, 2015
Strong beginning, shaky middle, strong ending. Overall this was a very unique book. Definitely loved the interesting twist on the whole changeling mythology. I really enjoyed it.
November 9, 2014
Bell, Book & Candle | Beware the Wild Review
Apparently I added this to my "to read" list on Goodreads and completely forgot about it. The other day i received an email alert that this book was released and decided to read it right away. The story was certainly something. The premise was very fascinating and captured my attention right away; how strange would it be that one day everyone forgot your brothers entire existence? It would be very peculiar if I do say so myself. Alright, so let's get this review rolling!
The setting is in the swamps of Louisiana, so you already know there's about to be some bullshit happening! One swamp in particular has a bizarre habit of luring people into its clutches. Consequently, the people never leave like its the hotel California, and are immediately written out of existence. The pacing dragged a little at times and had he wondering when the big showdown was going to happen. Some parts were predictable, I. E the bracelet subplot, so don't be surprised if you've guessed half the book right. The characters could be brainless at times, which really put a damper on my mood while reading.
Our POV character, Sterling, was a decent heroine. I can't say that she's the bomb or anything, mainly because her incessant pestering of everyone about if they remember her brother was a bit annoying. Obviously the swamp makes people forget those they took, so why do you keep asking? She was beginning to sound deranged. And yet it worked out for her in the end with Heath remembering, but you'll have to find out why.
Sterling has also been shown to be clueless. Why is she trusting some guy she met in the infamous swamp? Especially when fisher said some things that didn't quite fit together with what we have already learned in the book. It's plain as day that he's manipulating and cunning. And the supposed help fisher is giving her? Come on Sterling, you're old enough to know that nothing in life is free.
I didn't like Lenora May at first, but she's the character I ended up liking the most. Although Sterling was legitimate in her feelings of her missing brother, her demonizing of Lenora May didn't puzzle in with how Lenora behaved towards her. The saddest part was when she said the swamp wouldn't let her go, but at least at that time her and Sterling formed a sisterly bond.
There's an exiguous romantic plot between Heath and Sterling that was borderline cheese-fest. Especially when they had a date that mirrored the date scene in the notebook. Maybe of I were still on high school I would think it romantic but not anymore.
In short this book wasn't half bad. It was predictable at times but still decent none the less. It's not terribly difficult to figure out where the plot is heading. It had it cheesy moments, i. e. Notebook date, but I was still entertained. Good writing and worth a read!
Apparently I added this to my "to read" list on Goodreads and completely forgot about it. The other day i received an email alert that this book was released and decided to read it right away. The story was certainly something. The premise was very fascinating and captured my attention right away; how strange would it be that one day everyone forgot your brothers entire existence? It would be very peculiar if I do say so myself. Alright, so let's get this review rolling!
The setting is in the swamps of Louisiana, so you already know there's about to be some bullshit happening! One swamp in particular has a bizarre habit of luring people into its clutches. Consequently, the people never leave like its the hotel California, and are immediately written out of existence. The pacing dragged a little at times and had he wondering when the big showdown was going to happen. Some parts were predictable, I. E the bracelet subplot, so don't be surprised if you've guessed half the book right. The characters could be brainless at times, which really put a damper on my mood while reading.
Our POV character, Sterling, was a decent heroine. I can't say that she's the bomb or anything, mainly because her incessant pestering of everyone about if they remember her brother was a bit annoying. Obviously the swamp makes people forget those they took, so why do you keep asking? She was beginning to sound deranged. And yet it worked out for her in the end with Heath remembering, but you'll have to find out why.
Sterling has also been shown to be clueless. Why is she trusting some guy she met in the infamous swamp? Especially when fisher said some things that didn't quite fit together with what we have already learned in the book. It's plain as day that he's manipulating and cunning. And the supposed help fisher is giving her? Come on Sterling, you're old enough to know that nothing in life is free.
I didn't like Lenora May at first, but she's the character I ended up liking the most. Although Sterling was legitimate in her feelings of her missing brother, her demonizing of Lenora May didn't puzzle in with how Lenora behaved towards her. The saddest part was when she said the swamp wouldn't let her go, but at least at that time her and Sterling formed a sisterly bond.
There's an exiguous romantic plot between Heath and Sterling that was borderline cheese-fest. Especially when they had a date that mirrored the date scene in the notebook. Maybe of I were still on high school I would think it romantic but not anymore.
In short this book wasn't half bad. It was predictable at times but still decent none the less. It's not terribly difficult to figure out where the plot is heading. It had it cheesy moments, i. e. Notebook date, but I was still entertained. Good writing and worth a read!
October 16, 2014
This year seems to be my year for trying the unusual, the bizarre, and the strange. I have loved some of those reads and some of them, not so much. But the fact is, either way, I have loved trying them and trying something that wasn't the norm. After all how do you really know what you like or dislike unless you try it?
And I admit, for a lot of them, I have been drawn to the setting more than anything else. There is just something to be said about a good creepy read set near the heart of New Orleans. The bayous fascinates me and all the myths and hocus pocus that goes with it.
Would I like to live there? No actually I am too big of a chicken for that but yes I would love to go there and take it all in. The sights, sounds, smells...the pure magic of it's history so until I can one day go there, I settle for a good solid read there instead.
And that is what I go in this story. A good slightly bizarre and slightly creepy read that takes place on the bayou or well, a really creepy swamp at any rate.
This story was completely unique and fun and yes I will say it again, creepy. The unknown factors were so well done with just enough mystery and intrigue to keep you guessing and turning the pages not knowing what was going to happen next and an all most fairy tale like thread to the story that hinted at something more, something magical.
Sterling was a great character. One who showed a lot of growth throughout and I think that is why I liked her so much. I am always all about the growth.
This was an exciting and enchanting read that I quickly devoured in one sitting and perfect for this time of year.
And I admit, for a lot of them, I have been drawn to the setting more than anything else. There is just something to be said about a good creepy read set near the heart of New Orleans. The bayous fascinates me and all the myths and hocus pocus that goes with it.
Would I like to live there? No actually I am too big of a chicken for that but yes I would love to go there and take it all in. The sights, sounds, smells...the pure magic of it's history so until I can one day go there, I settle for a good solid read there instead.
And that is what I go in this story. A good slightly bizarre and slightly creepy read that takes place on the bayou or well, a really creepy swamp at any rate.
This story was completely unique and fun and yes I will say it again, creepy. The unknown factors were so well done with just enough mystery and intrigue to keep you guessing and turning the pages not knowing what was going to happen next and an all most fairy tale like thread to the story that hinted at something more, something magical.
Sterling was a great character. One who showed a lot of growth throughout and I think that is why I liked her so much. I am always all about the growth.
This was an exciting and enchanting read that I quickly devoured in one sitting and perfect for this time of year.
November 8, 2014
Loved the premise of this book and the fact that it was a stand alone almost had me weeping in joy.
Sterling is a great MC. She's sassy and stubborn and loyal as hell. It was fun being inside her head, reading her struggle with everything. Heath has a lot of swoony potential and the only downside to this story is that I wanted a lot more of the two of them.
There are so many great secondary characters, but the only one I'll mention is Candy. She's Sterling's BFF and I loved her snark and idiosyncrasies. Her role in Phin's rescue attempt is perfection.
All in all, a very creepy book with perfect atmosphere and a really unique storyline.
**Huge thanks to Harper Teen and Edelweiss for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
Sterling is a great MC. She's sassy and stubborn and loyal as hell. It was fun being inside her head, reading her struggle with everything. Heath has a lot of swoony potential and the only downside to this story is that I wanted a lot more of the two of them.
There are so many great secondary characters, but the only one I'll mention is Candy. She's Sterling's BFF and I loved her snark and idiosyncrasies. Her role in Phin's rescue attempt is perfection.
All in all, a very creepy book with perfect atmosphere and a really unique storyline.
**Huge thanks to Harper Teen and Edelweiss for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
October 30, 2014
In all honesty, Beware The Wild was so much better than I thought it would be and so very different from what I initially assumed it would be about. It's not so much a horror story, as it is a beautifully drawn gothic fantasy with elements of horror and supernatural. It's so rich and flavorful, so thick and layered, so sensual and atmospheric and full of southern charm and magic, it's a fabulous read through and through.
I went into it expecting a scary read. A creepy swamp story that would send chills down my spine. And you know what's? In a way it did. There are scenes in this book that are genuinely chilling, or, at the very least, deeply unsettling. Parker's stunningly vivid visuals help make these scenes even scarier, and also kind of poetic. But, for the most part, this book was just so.. profoundly beautiful, sad, mesmerizing and sentimental (in a good way). And so damn evocative of everything southern, you could almost taste the murky swamp water on your tongue and feel the humidity sticking to your skin like a layer of damp clothing.
Above all, this book was also charged with powerful feelings of love, longing, desire to protect, regret and heartbreak. And, because there are no simple truths in this story and instead of blacks and whites we get a world painted in the shades of gray, it was also a profoundly and undeniably sad read. I finished and I wanted to feel happy for those who won and got free, but instead I felt deflated and sad for those who lost. And you can't really understand it until you read the book for yourself, but just know that this story really pulled at my heart strings and hit me hard in all the soft spots.
I fell under the spell of this story and it held me captive until the very end. I could not resist its charm and seductive allure. I think fans of Brenna Yovanoff and Genevieve Tucholke will really like this book, especially if you're into heartfelt gothic stories set against vivid southern backdrops.
I went into it expecting a scary read. A creepy swamp story that would send chills down my spine. And you know what's? In a way it did. There are scenes in this book that are genuinely chilling, or, at the very least, deeply unsettling. Parker's stunningly vivid visuals help make these scenes even scarier, and also kind of poetic. But, for the most part, this book was just so.. profoundly beautiful, sad, mesmerizing and sentimental (in a good way). And so damn evocative of everything southern, you could almost taste the murky swamp water on your tongue and feel the humidity sticking to your skin like a layer of damp clothing.
Above all, this book was also charged with powerful feelings of love, longing, desire to protect, regret and heartbreak. And, because there are no simple truths in this story and instead of blacks and whites we get a world painted in the shades of gray, it was also a profoundly and undeniably sad read. I finished and I wanted to feel happy for those who won and got free, but instead I felt deflated and sad for those who lost. And you can't really understand it until you read the book for yourself, but just know that this story really pulled at my heart strings and hit me hard in all the soft spots.
I fell under the spell of this story and it held me captive until the very end. I could not resist its charm and seductive allure. I think fans of Brenna Yovanoff and Genevieve Tucholke will really like this book, especially if you're into heartfelt gothic stories set against vivid southern backdrops.
Read
August 6, 2017The setting in this book is so vivid, I could smell the swamp, feel the humidity and practically see the fireflies. I really loved that about it. There are tales of the swamp mentioned in the book and I would absolutely pick up a book about that. It sounds fascinating. Loved the heroine and the story of the grandpa and the peaches.
October 14, 2014
Four Stars: A gorgeously written, creepy atmospheric read!
Sterling's skin sticks to the hood of Phin's Chevelle. Even though the metal is burning her bare legs, Sterling refuses to budge from the car. She has been out there staring at the swamp for hours, hoping against hope that Phin will come striding out of the swamp. It is Sterling's fault that Phin jumped the fence and disappeared into the swamp. They were fighting, and in a fit of rage, Phin left. Hours later, a strange girl comes strolling out of the swamp. Her name is Lenora May, and she claims to be Sterling's sister. What's worse, every in the town has no memory of Phin. Lenora May has taken his place in everyone's minds except Sterling's. Did Phin ever exist? What is hiding in the swamp?
What I Liked:
*Beware the Wild is a breath of fresh air in the YA genre. This is a beautifully written, creepy atmospheric read that is exciting and original. It avoids the well known cliches and tropes and provides something truly unique. If you are in need of something fantastic and unusual, grab this one.
*At the heart of the story is the sinister swamp. For generations, the small town of Sticks has butted up next to the swamp. Everyone in town seems to instinctively know that there isn't something quite right about the swamp, and few folks dare to traverse into its dangerous terrain, and if they do, they return either not quite right or not at all. The town built a fence between its boundaries and the swamp. To make sure the swamp doesn't creep into town, folks place all kinds of beads, baubles and shiny stuff on the fence to protect them. I loved the creepy, suspenseful atmosphere of the town and the swamp. It is one of those small towns where everyone is hiding the truth, and you get the vibe that something isn't quite right. I love these unsettling type of settings, and Ms. Parker does an excellent job of creating suspense with the town and the swamp.
*Sterling is an easy character to like. At sixteen, she is head strong and feisty, and she loves her brother fiercely. So much so that she is willing to do anything, even dare to enter the swamp in search of him. I liked how she never backed down when it came to retrieving Phin, and how hard she fought to save him. She has plenty of courage.
*Lenora May was a character who ended up surprising me. Once the truth came out about her, I was drawn to her. I loved the way that she and Sterling ended up bonding, and I liked that she took me by surprise, I wasn't expecting to like her.
*The romance is simple and pleasant. It avoids love triangles and insta love situations as well as drama. Sterling and Heath had flirted with one another and even broached the idea of going out over a year ago, and then Heath backed off and began acting strange. When Phin disappears, he is the only one who believes Sterling. The renew their friendship and during the course of the book, a small romance develops. I liked that the romance was realistic and that it didn't overtake the plot. The romance is more of a side note than a main focus, which worked for me. If you are looking for a breath taking, swoon worthy romance, you might be disappointed, but again this book has so much more going for it than the romance.
*The ending was complete and satisfying. All the loose ends were wrapped up and resolved. This appears to be a stand alone, which is nice, but if a sequel is in the works, I am all for reading it. Rest assured, there are no cliffhangers or nagging questions at the end.
*For all of you who like a bit of creepy but not over the top scary, this story is perfect. It provides plenty of eerie vibes and an unsettling atmosphere, but nothing that will make you hesitant to turn the lights off at night.
*The writing is gorgeous. Ms. Parker proves that she has mad writing skills, and I am eager to see what she does next. This debut is most impressive.
And The Not So Much:
*I am a reader who needs the details, and I think this story faltered a bit over lack of detail. For instance, throughout the story, there are small revelations regarding Sterling and Phin's turbulent upbringing. They were beaten and abused by their alcoholic father. There is a mention that their Grandpa drove their father away, but nothing more. I wanted to know so much more about the siblings' backstory. What happened to their father? When did he leave? What role did their Grandpa play?
*Another nagging point for me was the whole thing regarding the Clary family. For generations, the Clary family has recorded and kept the tales and secrets of the swamp. Old lady Clary seems to be in the know when it comes to all things swampy, but when she is confronted with questions she either provides cryptic answers or clams up. I was itching to know so much more about the Clary family, and how they knew so much about the swamp. I guess I just wanted more of their swamp stories.
*Once the truth about Sterling's grandpa comes out, I had a few questions. What happened to the grandpa after the swamp encounter? He obviously married and had children but was he ever quite right? I would love to know more of the Grandpa's history, and how he died.
*The pacing at times was either to fast or too slow. As I mentioned, the book tended to gloss over some of the more interesting and important facets of the story, and then it got bogged down in the middle while Sterling spins her wheels a bit wondering what to do. This isn't a big issue, just an observation. I found myself wishing for more back story and less floundering around in the present.
Beware the Wild is an entertaining and original novel. If you are needing something slightly scary with a strong mystery set in the swamps of the South, I highly recommend Beware the Wild. Ms. Natalie Parker is a strong story teller with impressive writing skills. I am a fan, I will certainly be picking up her next book.
Favorite Quotations:
"Secrets are never so dangerous as when they've been forgotten."
"You can't go judging what other people've been up to based on your own personal scale. The thing only goes from easy to slut."
"Fear doesn't protect anyone. Fear only makes us more vulnerable when we should be finding ways to be strong."
"Music is where we sing our hearts for others to hear."
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.
Sterling's skin sticks to the hood of Phin's Chevelle. Even though the metal is burning her bare legs, Sterling refuses to budge from the car. She has been out there staring at the swamp for hours, hoping against hope that Phin will come striding out of the swamp. It is Sterling's fault that Phin jumped the fence and disappeared into the swamp. They were fighting, and in a fit of rage, Phin left. Hours later, a strange girl comes strolling out of the swamp. Her name is Lenora May, and she claims to be Sterling's sister. What's worse, every in the town has no memory of Phin. Lenora May has taken his place in everyone's minds except Sterling's. Did Phin ever exist? What is hiding in the swamp?
What I Liked:
*Beware the Wild is a breath of fresh air in the YA genre. This is a beautifully written, creepy atmospheric read that is exciting and original. It avoids the well known cliches and tropes and provides something truly unique. If you are in need of something fantastic and unusual, grab this one.
*At the heart of the story is the sinister swamp. For generations, the small town of Sticks has butted up next to the swamp. Everyone in town seems to instinctively know that there isn't something quite right about the swamp, and few folks dare to traverse into its dangerous terrain, and if they do, they return either not quite right or not at all. The town built a fence between its boundaries and the swamp. To make sure the swamp doesn't creep into town, folks place all kinds of beads, baubles and shiny stuff on the fence to protect them. I loved the creepy, suspenseful atmosphere of the town and the swamp. It is one of those small towns where everyone is hiding the truth, and you get the vibe that something isn't quite right. I love these unsettling type of settings, and Ms. Parker does an excellent job of creating suspense with the town and the swamp.
*Sterling is an easy character to like. At sixteen, she is head strong and feisty, and she loves her brother fiercely. So much so that she is willing to do anything, even dare to enter the swamp in search of him. I liked how she never backed down when it came to retrieving Phin, and how hard she fought to save him. She has plenty of courage.
*Lenora May was a character who ended up surprising me. Once the truth came out about her, I was drawn to her. I loved the way that she and Sterling ended up bonding, and I liked that she took me by surprise, I wasn't expecting to like her.
*The romance is simple and pleasant. It avoids love triangles and insta love situations as well as drama. Sterling and Heath had flirted with one another and even broached the idea of going out over a year ago, and then Heath backed off and began acting strange. When Phin disappears, he is the only one who believes Sterling. The renew their friendship and during the course of the book, a small romance develops. I liked that the romance was realistic and that it didn't overtake the plot. The romance is more of a side note than a main focus, which worked for me. If you are looking for a breath taking, swoon worthy romance, you might be disappointed, but again this book has so much more going for it than the romance.
*The ending was complete and satisfying. All the loose ends were wrapped up and resolved. This appears to be a stand alone, which is nice, but if a sequel is in the works, I am all for reading it. Rest assured, there are no cliffhangers or nagging questions at the end.
*For all of you who like a bit of creepy but not over the top scary, this story is perfect. It provides plenty of eerie vibes and an unsettling atmosphere, but nothing that will make you hesitant to turn the lights off at night.
*The writing is gorgeous. Ms. Parker proves that she has mad writing skills, and I am eager to see what she does next. This debut is most impressive.
And The Not So Much:
*I am a reader who needs the details, and I think this story faltered a bit over lack of detail. For instance, throughout the story, there are small revelations regarding Sterling and Phin's turbulent upbringing. They were beaten and abused by their alcoholic father. There is a mention that their Grandpa drove their father away, but nothing more. I wanted to know so much more about the siblings' backstory. What happened to their father? When did he leave? What role did their Grandpa play?
*Another nagging point for me was the whole thing regarding the Clary family. For generations, the Clary family has recorded and kept the tales and secrets of the swamp. Old lady Clary seems to be in the know when it comes to all things swampy, but when she is confronted with questions she either provides cryptic answers or clams up. I was itching to know so much more about the Clary family, and how they knew so much about the swamp. I guess I just wanted more of their swamp stories.
*Once the truth about Sterling's grandpa comes out, I had a few questions. What happened to the grandpa after the swamp encounter? He obviously married and had children but was he ever quite right? I would love to know more of the Grandpa's history, and how he died.
*The pacing at times was either to fast or too slow. As I mentioned, the book tended to gloss over some of the more interesting and important facets of the story, and then it got bogged down in the middle while Sterling spins her wheels a bit wondering what to do. This isn't a big issue, just an observation. I found myself wishing for more back story and less floundering around in the present.
Beware the Wild is an entertaining and original novel. If you are needing something slightly scary with a strong mystery set in the swamps of the South, I highly recommend Beware the Wild. Ms. Natalie Parker is a strong story teller with impressive writing skills. I am a fan, I will certainly be picking up her next book.
Favorite Quotations:
"Secrets are never so dangerous as when they've been forgotten."
"You can't go judging what other people've been up to based on your own personal scale. The thing only goes from easy to slut."
"Fear doesn't protect anyone. Fear only makes us more vulnerable when we should be finding ways to be strong."
"Music is where we sing our hearts for others to hear."
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.
July 16, 2014
Beware the Wild is a languid, eerie, beautifully written and wonderfully atmospheric mystery with a flawed, but engaging main character, a fascinating mystery and plot, and a fantastic romance that's a partnership all the way to the end. From the beginning, Beware the Wild excels at creating a mystifying and engaging atmosphere that effortlessly captures the mesmerizing quality of the Southern Gothic and adds a wondrous feel for the fantastical. This book oozes magic and handles beautifully the mystery of the place, the wonders of the secrets kept by this small town.
Sterling wasn't always a heroine that was easy to like, but she was so multidimensional, so realistic and flawed, it wasn't hard in the slightest to feel invested and interested in her. She's a near perfect example of how a heroine can win over the reader with her layers, her imperfections and her motivations instead of immediately falling into the reader's graces because of the safe, special snowflake, saint-like goodness characterization most YA authors prefer. Sterling had her flaws and she overcame a lot throughout the book, but she did it because she was brave, she was driven, determined and strong. Everything she achieved in this book was through her own effort and merit, and she did it by pushing through the barriers of her own flaws, her own shortcomings and weaknesses. Not everything about her gets wrapped up perfectly in the end and not every problem gets solved, but the book leaves you with the sense that she's on the right path to face her troubles head on instead of avoiding them.
The book doesn't spend much time in the development of secondary characters, and still, they all came across as a diverse, engaging, well-rounded group of individuals that added their own weight to the story. There were a couple of characters that left me wanting for more development and exposure, particularly the POC/minorities characters, which I felt the novel would've benefited a lot from, but for the most part, the characters that played a central role in the plot came through as layered individuals with clear personalities and motivations, particularly Lenora and Candy, even Phin who shows up very little in the story. Somehow, Parker created these characters, and in the most subtle of ways and with the smallest space, she managed to shape them in a realistic way that transcended the page effortlessly and made me care for them deeply. They all had their issues, their stories and their struggles, and the author weaved all that carefully but confidently into the main plot, effectively creating a multi-layered and thoroughly engaging story that went far beyond just the general mystery and wonder of the main storyline. A lot of personal issues were touched here, from social to emotional to physiological, and each and every single one of them was handled with care, respect and honesty, though I ended up wishing some of them had ended the book with some closure.
The same goes for the love interest, Heath. He is one of the most endearing love interests I've read about in a while. He is supporting, understanding, and comes with his own set of weaknesses and flaws that humanize him in the most captivating ways. His relationship with Sterling was also lovely. They had a little bit of history before the events of the book, and while it still feels a bit fast, the relationship still felt natural to me all the way through. They respected and understood each other. They worked around each others' faults and weaknesses and created a partnership that became the perfect foundation for their romantic relationship.
This novel was tautly plotted and developed almost flawlessly. It is unbelievably refreshing to see a novel that takes full advantage of every tool at its disposal and works beautifully without turning to coincidences, conveniences and deux ex machinas to solve every single one of its plot lines and plot holes. There's a difference between complex and complicated, and this book managed to be complex without once being overcomplicated or hard to get through or understand. There's never a dull moment and the story got better and better with each new chapter.
This novel was a very lovely surprise. I went in expecting one thing, and the novel delivered that flawlessly, but it gave me so much more than I expected. This is a complex, beautifully executed novel that has honest characters, a great romance, an engaging story, and a mesmerizing atmosphere, all of which combined make Beware the Wild one of my favorite books this year.
Sterling wasn't always a heroine that was easy to like, but she was so multidimensional, so realistic and flawed, it wasn't hard in the slightest to feel invested and interested in her. She's a near perfect example of how a heroine can win over the reader with her layers, her imperfections and her motivations instead of immediately falling into the reader's graces because of the safe, special snowflake, saint-like goodness characterization most YA authors prefer. Sterling had her flaws and she overcame a lot throughout the book, but she did it because she was brave, she was driven, determined and strong. Everything she achieved in this book was through her own effort and merit, and she did it by pushing through the barriers of her own flaws, her own shortcomings and weaknesses. Not everything about her gets wrapped up perfectly in the end and not every problem gets solved, but the book leaves you with the sense that she's on the right path to face her troubles head on instead of avoiding them.
The book doesn't spend much time in the development of secondary characters, and still, they all came across as a diverse, engaging, well-rounded group of individuals that added their own weight to the story. There were a couple of characters that left me wanting for more development and exposure, particularly the POC/minorities characters, which I felt the novel would've benefited a lot from, but for the most part, the characters that played a central role in the plot came through as layered individuals with clear personalities and motivations, particularly Lenora and Candy, even Phin who shows up very little in the story. Somehow, Parker created these characters, and in the most subtle of ways and with the smallest space, she managed to shape them in a realistic way that transcended the page effortlessly and made me care for them deeply. They all had their issues, their stories and their struggles, and the author weaved all that carefully but confidently into the main plot, effectively creating a multi-layered and thoroughly engaging story that went far beyond just the general mystery and wonder of the main storyline. A lot of personal issues were touched here, from social to emotional to physiological, and each and every single one of them was handled with care, respect and honesty, though I ended up wishing some of them had ended the book with some closure.
The same goes for the love interest, Heath. He is one of the most endearing love interests I've read about in a while. He is supporting, understanding, and comes with his own set of weaknesses and flaws that humanize him in the most captivating ways. His relationship with Sterling was also lovely. They had a little bit of history before the events of the book, and while it still feels a bit fast, the relationship still felt natural to me all the way through. They respected and understood each other. They worked around each others' faults and weaknesses and created a partnership that became the perfect foundation for their romantic relationship.
This novel was tautly plotted and developed almost flawlessly. It is unbelievably refreshing to see a novel that takes full advantage of every tool at its disposal and works beautifully without turning to coincidences, conveniences and deux ex machinas to solve every single one of its plot lines and plot holes. There's a difference between complex and complicated, and this book managed to be complex without once being overcomplicated or hard to get through or understand. There's never a dull moment and the story got better and better with each new chapter.
This novel was a very lovely surprise. I went in expecting one thing, and the novel delivered that flawlessly, but it gave me so much more than I expected. This is a complex, beautifully executed novel that has honest characters, a great romance, an engaging story, and a mesmerizing atmosphere, all of which combined make Beware the Wild one of my favorite books this year.
September 14, 2015
With Halloween on the horizon, and so many of my friends enjoying this book, I knew I had to put a few things aside and fall into this world that Parker created.
Welcome to Sticks, Louisiana. A small town, with a swamp that has put a lot of fear into the residents surrounding it. When Sterling's older brother Phin runs away from home and into the town swamp and doesn't return, a girl named Lenora May climbs out of the swamp instead and alters the memories of the town folks. The only person that seems to remember Phin is Sterling herself and as she struggles to hold on to those memories, she needs to find a way to bring Phin back and learn the truth behind Lenora May.
What I like...
The story. I thought it was fun. The idea felt fresh and original about a small town with what seems to be a dark history surrounding a swamp where scary things loom and no one really wants to talk about. It was creepy, somewhat dark, and kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. Once I picked it up, I found myself so engrossed in the plot that I had a really difficult time putting the book down, finishing it in a day. I love books that capture my attention from start to the very finish.
The setting. It was dark and creepy and I like the way it read. Plus it was in a small town of Sticks, Louisiana - which I also found kind of appealing to the entire story line and the community of people within it and how that played in the book. But it had sort of Gothic appearance to it, and I couldn't pass that up.
The relationships. The bond between siblings in this book is very clear. Especially between Phin and Sterling. It's obvious how much they love each other and how that played in Sterling doing everything she can in saving her brother. That same bond and love was clear in Lenora May's case, but I cannot go too much into detail there in fear of exposing too much. But there is a lot of sibling relationships in play and strong friendships that kept Sterling going, as well as parental involvement and obviously a cute romantic relationship.
The romance. Heath and Sterling were two very easy characters to like in this book. I found them enjoyable and I liked their developing friendship turned into romance. Two people who needed each other most provided them both hope that they aren't as crazy as other people seemed to believe.
The ending. I like the way everything ended. No loose ends and no cliffhangers. I was a little nervous to see how it would end, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that I actually liked the way the story wrapped up - it was almost kind of comforting.
The writing. It's obviously Natalie Parker really knows how to write and it's clear in this book. It's smooth, flowing, and entirely engrossing. She captures the reader's attention and never lets them go. There is something both beautiful and creepy in her writing and I found that this is the perfect book for this time of year for anyone to pick up and enjoy.
What I wasn't fond off...
Thought I liked the way the book ended. I found myself with a lot of frustrating questions.
One of them was Sterling's best friend Candy and for anyone who read the book and knows that she was deemed "Special" would know what I am referring to. Why was she the special one? How did it not affect her? And if she was special and it didn't affect her. Why couldn't she remember Phin then? Shouldn't she then be one of the few people in town with full memories of him?
The old woman Clary. Her family obviously goes a very long way back with the swamp history but we learn absolutely nothing about that. Every time Sterling has questions, the woman fend her off. In the end, we get nothing in return. We don't know how Clary is connected to the swamp, how the family knows so much, how are the bracelets made, how did they know how to make it? When did it all begin? The fact that this all looks like a stand-alone make this even more frustrating because so much I wanted to know.
What started this whole thing? I think I would have loved to hear a little more about the origins of the swamp, where it all began.
Sterling's parent's dislike of Heath so easily...
Overall this really was an amazing read. I loved the writing, the plot-line, the characters, and the creepy setting. This was just what I needed as far as October reads went and I wasn't at all disappointed but quiet satisfied.
Welcome to Sticks, Louisiana. A small town, with a swamp that has put a lot of fear into the residents surrounding it. When Sterling's older brother Phin runs away from home and into the town swamp and doesn't return, a girl named Lenora May climbs out of the swamp instead and alters the memories of the town folks. The only person that seems to remember Phin is Sterling herself and as she struggles to hold on to those memories, she needs to find a way to bring Phin back and learn the truth behind Lenora May.
What I like...
The story. I thought it was fun. The idea felt fresh and original about a small town with what seems to be a dark history surrounding a swamp where scary things loom and no one really wants to talk about. It was creepy, somewhat dark, and kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. Once I picked it up, I found myself so engrossed in the plot that I had a really difficult time putting the book down, finishing it in a day. I love books that capture my attention from start to the very finish.
The setting. It was dark and creepy and I like the way it read. Plus it was in a small town of Sticks, Louisiana - which I also found kind of appealing to the entire story line and the community of people within it and how that played in the book. But it had sort of Gothic appearance to it, and I couldn't pass that up.
The relationships. The bond between siblings in this book is very clear. Especially between Phin and Sterling. It's obvious how much they love each other and how that played in Sterling doing everything she can in saving her brother. That same bond and love was clear in Lenora May's case, but I cannot go too much into detail there in fear of exposing too much. But there is a lot of sibling relationships in play and strong friendships that kept Sterling going, as well as parental involvement and obviously a cute romantic relationship.
The romance. Heath and Sterling were two very easy characters to like in this book. I found them enjoyable and I liked their developing friendship turned into romance. Two people who needed each other most provided them both hope that they aren't as crazy as other people seemed to believe.
The ending. I like the way everything ended. No loose ends and no cliffhangers. I was a little nervous to see how it would end, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that I actually liked the way the story wrapped up - it was almost kind of comforting.
The writing. It's obviously Natalie Parker really knows how to write and it's clear in this book. It's smooth, flowing, and entirely engrossing. She captures the reader's attention and never lets them go. There is something both beautiful and creepy in her writing and I found that this is the perfect book for this time of year for anyone to pick up and enjoy.
What I wasn't fond off...
Thought I liked the way the book ended. I found myself with a lot of frustrating questions.
One of them was Sterling's best friend Candy and for anyone who read the book and knows that she was deemed "Special" would know what I am referring to. Why was she the special one? How did it not affect her? And if she was special and it didn't affect her. Why couldn't she remember Phin then? Shouldn't she then be one of the few people in town with full memories of him?
The old woman Clary. Her family obviously goes a very long way back with the swamp history but we learn absolutely nothing about that. Every time Sterling has questions, the woman fend her off. In the end, we get nothing in return. We don't know how Clary is connected to the swamp, how the family knows so much, how are the bracelets made, how did they know how to make it? When did it all begin? The fact that this all looks like a stand-alone make this even more frustrating because so much I wanted to know.
What started this whole thing? I think I would have loved to hear a little more about the origins of the swamp, where it all began.
Sterling's parent's dislike of Heath so easily...
Overall this really was an amazing read. I loved the writing, the plot-line, the characters, and the creepy setting. This was just what I needed as far as October reads went and I wasn't at all disappointed but quiet satisfied.
August 27, 2015
I really had high hopes for this.
The blurb I read had me fooled.
I guess these YA's I'm reading are just not up to par with me.
The blurb I read had me fooled.
I guess these YA's I'm reading are just not up to par with me.
November 14, 2014
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
For more reviews, Cover Snark and more, visit A Reader of Fictions.
Despite the beautiful cover, Beware the Wild wasn’t really on my radar. The names Sterling and Phin would have been enough to scare me off, but the addition of a southern setting sealed the deal. I may have grown up, ostensibly, in the south, but southern fiction doesn’t tend to work well for me. Because of two people, I decided to read this book now and I’m glad I did. Perhaps most importantly, Gillian (Writer of Wrongs) read and loved it. Then Meg (Cuddlebuggery) sent me her ARC, planning to read her egalley instead, since I had neither. Beware the Wild turned out to be a surprisingly eerie delight, one that differs from my usual reads and that made for a lovely change of pace.
Parker’s writing achieves both the gothic and southern atmosphere all without going over the top. There’s not much dialect at all. Just a light smattering of words to remind your brain to think in a southern accent. The heavy-handed way slows me down, but this allows me the freedom to hear it in my head and read at my usual speed. The writing isn’t what I would call ornate, but there’s an intricacy to it. I highlighted several lines that struck me with their deceptively simple beauty. The writing is exactly what it needs to be for the tale. Well, one quibble here: Heath says “jezuz,” which did throw me out of the book every single time. Other than that, I thought it was fantastic.
The other part of Beware the Wild that shined for me was the swamp. Obviously, the Wasting Shine literally shines, but that’s not what I mean.Parker imbues the swamp with so much local legend and menace even before the reader gets an eye into the swamp. Every time Sterling entered, my heart was pounding, nervous about what she might find. The swamp’s magic and darkness came alive very strongly.
Sterling’s brother disappears into the swamp and everyone forgets he ever existed, replaced by the girl who stumbles out of the swamp. Lenora May was unknown to everyone until that moment, but everyone but Sterling has no idea. The psychological implications of this make me shiver with fear and the delight of a well crafted story. Everyone, of course, thinks that Sterling is insane, rambling about some brother she never had. It’s a completely horrifying prospect to imagine that someone could be so easily replaced, and to think that the one person with true vision could be decried much like Cassandra in Troy.
The romance that develops between Heath and Sterling is cute. The speed of their courtship makes sense, since they have such good reasons to bond. Also, it made a big difference for me that the two had been into each other in the past and were just rekindling the romance that almost was back then. It comes on fast, but it didn’t come out of nowehere and they had really good reasons to trust one another.
Parts of the story were, I think, a bit simple and predictable, but the atmosphere and character development pulled me through those feeling satisfied overall. Oddly, in some places, I actually liked the simplicity. Throughout Beware the Wild, Sterling comes up with a bunch of ill thought out plans and they pretty much all fail. In this case, though, I didn’t come out of it feeling like she’s an idiot. She’s a teenager dealing with things beyond her ken and she does the best she can, which often isn’t that great. It really upped the realism and was especially refreshing after a novel where the heroine always magically knew what to do. However, two issues still bother me a bit:
In this case, the beautiful cover is not leading you into a gross swamp of bad prose. Follow the Wasting Shine and you won’t regret the magic you find inside. If you like Brenna Yovanoff, I definitely think you’ll enjoy Natalie C. Parker.
For more reviews, Cover Snark and more, visit A Reader of Fictions.
Despite the beautiful cover, Beware the Wild wasn’t really on my radar. The names Sterling and Phin would have been enough to scare me off, but the addition of a southern setting sealed the deal. I may have grown up, ostensibly, in the south, but southern fiction doesn’t tend to work well for me. Because of two people, I decided to read this book now and I’m glad I did. Perhaps most importantly, Gillian (Writer of Wrongs) read and loved it. Then Meg (Cuddlebuggery) sent me her ARC, planning to read her egalley instead, since I had neither. Beware the Wild turned out to be a surprisingly eerie delight, one that differs from my usual reads and that made for a lovely change of pace.
Parker’s writing achieves both the gothic and southern atmosphere all without going over the top. There’s not much dialect at all. Just a light smattering of words to remind your brain to think in a southern accent. The heavy-handed way slows me down, but this allows me the freedom to hear it in my head and read at my usual speed. The writing isn’t what I would call ornate, but there’s an intricacy to it. I highlighted several lines that struck me with their deceptively simple beauty. The writing is exactly what it needs to be for the tale. Well, one quibble here: Heath says “jezuz,” which did throw me out of the book every single time. Other than that, I thought it was fantastic.
The other part of Beware the Wild that shined for me was the swamp. Obviously, the Wasting Shine literally shines, but that’s not what I mean.Parker imbues the swamp with so much local legend and menace even before the reader gets an eye into the swamp. Every time Sterling entered, my heart was pounding, nervous about what she might find. The swamp’s magic and darkness came alive very strongly.
Sterling’s brother disappears into the swamp and everyone forgets he ever existed, replaced by the girl who stumbles out of the swamp. Lenora May was unknown to everyone until that moment, but everyone but Sterling has no idea. The psychological implications of this make me shiver with fear and the delight of a well crafted story. Everyone, of course, thinks that Sterling is insane, rambling about some brother she never had. It’s a completely horrifying prospect to imagine that someone could be so easily replaced, and to think that the one person with true vision could be decried much like Cassandra in Troy.
The romance that develops between Heath and Sterling is cute. The speed of their courtship makes sense, since they have such good reasons to bond. Also, it made a big difference for me that the two had been into each other in the past and were just rekindling the romance that almost was back then. It comes on fast, but it didn’t come out of nowehere and they had really good reasons to trust one another.
Parts of the story were, I think, a bit simple and predictable, but the atmosphere and character development pulled me through those feeling satisfied overall. Oddly, in some places, I actually liked the simplicity. Throughout Beware the Wild, Sterling comes up with a bunch of ill thought out plans and they pretty much all fail. In this case, though, I didn’t come out of it feeling like she’s an idiot. She’s a teenager dealing with things beyond her ken and she does the best she can, which often isn’t that great. It really upped the realism and was especially refreshing after a novel where the heroine always magically knew what to do. However, two issues still bother me a bit:
In this case, the beautiful cover is not leading you into a gross swamp of bad prose. Follow the Wasting Shine and you won’t regret the magic you find inside. If you like Brenna Yovanoff, I definitely think you’ll enjoy Natalie C. Parker.
March 21, 2019
Set in Louisiana in an ultra small-town (with the rather tongue-in-cheek name of ‘Sticks’), this YA urban fantasy presents with memorable characters and a deliciously eerie bayou ambiance.
Ever since they were children surviving the abuse of their alcoholic father, Sterling has always relied on her older brother, Phin. So when Phin announces he’s going off to college, Sterling rails against his “abandonment” the only way she knows how. Her passive but dangerous self-neglect incites a fight between them, and Phin takes off into the sinister swamp that everyone in town knows you should never enter. While waiting for her brother’s reemergence, Sterling instead witnesses a girl walk out of the swamp and straight into the life that Phin once held. The mysterious Lenora May replaces all traces of Phin in an instant—including everyone’s memories of him. Everyone, that is, except for Sterling. Determined to get her brother back, she is aided by her deeply skeptical best friend, and a troubled boy from her high school class who has good reason to believe her story…
What I Liked:
While the Southern gothic theme bears some resemblance to Beautiful Creatures, the prose is smoother, tighter, and all around more pleasant as an experience. Parker’s characterization of both people and settings paints a vividly immersive mental picture, effectively conveying the good, the bad, and the creepy—all with a cadence one could almost equate to a literary dance. Her voice is uncommon and promising. And the first-person present-tense telling (solely from Sterling’s POV) was the least obtrusive I’ve come across in recent memory.
This reader VERY much appreciated the book’s nuanced depiction of anorexia. Unlike with some YA where the characters essentially become their mental illness, it was shown as a persisting and comprehensive flaw—more a passive mode of control rather than an active fixation on weight or body image. Sterling’s abusive past with her alcoholic father and unhealthy co-dependency on her brother culminate into to the reverse of acting out: a willful negligence and disinterest. But her family and friends are anything but passive over the issue. Her support structure is refreshingly strong, caring, and observant—in spite of her unfortunate childhood background.
On a similar note, I rather enjoyed the parallels of the inter-reliant (yet detrimental) brother/sister relationships. The symmetry was rousing without feeling too intentional. In a way, Sterling is to Phin what Fisher is to May—destructively clingy. While dependency was once a matter of survival, it has become a stagnant thing that holds them back.
What Didn’t Work For Me:
Unfortunately there were a few hints of author intrusion, primarily early on. The general impression was a needlessly inserted political agenda, blatantly catering to an offensive stereotype. Case in point:
"Darold's never been invited to join them. He says it's because he's not yet ancient enough to need a rocker, but I'm convinced half of them will vote Democrat before they let a black man join their ranks."
The romantic angle was a little underwhelming. (Although, granted, the focus is far more on the plot than on romance.) There were times the pacing seemed to suffer from the distractions of attraction. At one point the MC puts her mission of retrieving her brother on hold so she can go on a date.
While the worldbuilding started out uniquely compelling, it steadily depleted in momentum and believability as the story progressed. The eventual solution found for freeing people from the symbiotic bonds of the mystical swamp was both sketchy and confusing. This reader would have preferred more clearly defined rules and boundaries of the magics at work—however much this fleshing out would have undoubtedly inflated the page count.
Overall, this was an entertaining low-fantasy read—bewitching in writing style and noteworthy in concept.
Favorite Quotes:
"There's always a little piece of truth stuck inside a good pretending."
"There's one surefire way to annoy a sibling and that's to stand around their friends while being young."
Ever since they were children surviving the abuse of their alcoholic father, Sterling has always relied on her older brother, Phin. So when Phin announces he’s going off to college, Sterling rails against his “abandonment” the only way she knows how. Her passive but dangerous self-neglect incites a fight between them, and Phin takes off into the sinister swamp that everyone in town knows you should never enter. While waiting for her brother’s reemergence, Sterling instead witnesses a girl walk out of the swamp and straight into the life that Phin once held. The mysterious Lenora May replaces all traces of Phin in an instant—including everyone’s memories of him. Everyone, that is, except for Sterling. Determined to get her brother back, she is aided by her deeply skeptical best friend, and a troubled boy from her high school class who has good reason to believe her story…
What I Liked:
While the Southern gothic theme bears some resemblance to Beautiful Creatures, the prose is smoother, tighter, and all around more pleasant as an experience. Parker’s characterization of both people and settings paints a vividly immersive mental picture, effectively conveying the good, the bad, and the creepy—all with a cadence one could almost equate to a literary dance. Her voice is uncommon and promising. And the first-person present-tense telling (solely from Sterling’s POV) was the least obtrusive I’ve come across in recent memory.
This reader VERY much appreciated the book’s nuanced depiction of anorexia. Unlike with some YA where the characters essentially become their mental illness, it was shown as a persisting and comprehensive flaw—more a passive mode of control rather than an active fixation on weight or body image. Sterling’s abusive past with her alcoholic father and unhealthy co-dependency on her brother culminate into to the reverse of acting out: a willful negligence and disinterest. But her family and friends are anything but passive over the issue. Her support structure is refreshingly strong, caring, and observant—in spite of her unfortunate childhood background.
On a similar note, I rather enjoyed the parallels of the inter-reliant (yet detrimental) brother/sister relationships. The symmetry was rousing without feeling too intentional. In a way, Sterling is to Phin what Fisher is to May—destructively clingy. While dependency was once a matter of survival, it has become a stagnant thing that holds them back.
What Didn’t Work For Me:
Unfortunately there were a few hints of author intrusion, primarily early on. The general impression was a needlessly inserted political agenda, blatantly catering to an offensive stereotype. Case in point:
"Darold's never been invited to join them. He says it's because he's not yet ancient enough to need a rocker, but I'm convinced half of them will vote Democrat before they let a black man join their ranks."
The romantic angle was a little underwhelming. (Although, granted, the focus is far more on the plot than on romance.) There were times the pacing seemed to suffer from the distractions of attraction. At one point the MC puts her mission of retrieving her brother on hold so she can go on a date.
While the worldbuilding started out uniquely compelling, it steadily depleted in momentum and believability as the story progressed. The eventual solution found for freeing people from the symbiotic bonds of the mystical swamp was both sketchy and confusing. This reader would have preferred more clearly defined rules and boundaries of the magics at work—however much this fleshing out would have undoubtedly inflated the page count.
Overall, this was an entertaining low-fantasy read—bewitching in writing style and noteworthy in concept.
Favorite Quotes:
"There's always a little piece of truth stuck inside a good pretending."
"There's one surefire way to annoy a sibling and that's to stand around their friends while being young."
July 10, 2014
~ Disclaimer ~
This is a review of an uncorrected Advanced Reader Copy
My first thought upon reading other reviews and the blurb was that it sounded similar to Chime by Franny Billingsley - although that one was set in 1800's England. Having loved that particular piece of work, I set myself up for something in the same vein.
But to cut straight to the chase: I came out of reading Beware the Wild feeling rather "meh" about it. By comparison to other YA titles out there, it is definitely one of the greater works, but - just as I can't praise a robber simply for at least not being a murderer - I unfortunately cannot give extra credit to Beware the Wild simply for not being insert-subjectively-horrible-YA-book-here.
I think my disappointment mostly has to do with (as usual), my expectations. This is why I try not to read so many reviews before reading a book ... not because I'm afraid it may sway my interpretation of it, but because it builds up an image in my head of how the book would be.
In the case of Beware the Wild, many reviews out there are praising it to the moon (average rating of 4.02 as of the time I am writing this review!) -- and all for valid reasons. The downside to this is that I started this book, holding it to a relatively high standard.
First
I was expecting more dark out of this fairy-tale. While the Southern charm worked reasonably well, and you get a nice feel of the small town, I was anticipating more dread to be imbued in the narrative.
As it panned out, the evoked imagery was simply not nearly as frightening enough. There was no sense of fear or danger that I gathered from our antagonist -- even the mysterious lady waltzing right out of the swamps sounded more intimidating in the blurb. Although the mystery aspect of the novel was quite sweet, there simply wasn't anything menacing about it all.
Second
Obvious red-herring alert?
While our protagonist was taken for a bit of a ride by our actual antagonist, there never was a single moment where I doubted who the true villain was. Fortunately, however, it did not take (too?) long for us to get on the right track and off this detour.
Since we're on the topic of plot progression, some things seemed a little convenient. To keep it as un-vague as possible without handing out spoilers: our MC's friend's role, for instance. I would have been fine with her hidden ability, had there been some sort of explanation for it.
Third
I'm generally happy with the overall set of characters in Beware the Wild; my small, teeny-tiny whinge though, is that there could have been more depth built towards our secondary characters. Candy, as an individual, was more of a caricature than an actual person. On the flip side, I liked her friendship with Sterling and thank these YA authors who give us more positive female-to-female relationships.
The romance was also something I enjoyed just right. Not too much focus on it, not too little. Keep in mind though, that I am largely a nay-romance type reader, so you might feel as if more romance should have been incorporated into this novel.
To conclude: should you read this book? Absolutely. Sure. Why not. Don't go into it expecting a shitting-your-pants-horrorific read, though.
If you liked this book, or if you want a more twisted version of it, I do recommend you to look into Chime -- although I must warn you of its jumpy little narrative.
you can also read more reviews at my blog.
This is a review of an uncorrected Advanced Reader Copy
My first thought upon reading other reviews and the blurb was that it sounded similar to Chime by Franny Billingsley - although that one was set in 1800's England. Having loved that particular piece of work, I set myself up for something in the same vein.
But to cut straight to the chase: I came out of reading Beware the Wild feeling rather "meh" about it. By comparison to other YA titles out there, it is definitely one of the greater works, but - just as I can't praise a robber simply for at least not being a murderer - I unfortunately cannot give extra credit to Beware the Wild simply for not being insert-subjectively-horrible-YA-book-here.
I think my disappointment mostly has to do with (as usual), my expectations. This is why I try not to read so many reviews before reading a book ... not because I'm afraid it may sway my interpretation of it, but because it builds up an image in my head of how the book would be.
In the case of Beware the Wild, many reviews out there are praising it to the moon (average rating of 4.02 as of the time I am writing this review!) -- and all for valid reasons. The downside to this is that I started this book, holding it to a relatively high standard.
First
I was expecting more dark out of this fairy-tale. While the Southern charm worked reasonably well, and you get a nice feel of the small town, I was anticipating more dread to be imbued in the narrative.
As it panned out, the evoked imagery was simply not nearly as frightening enough. There was no sense of fear or danger that I gathered from our antagonist -- even the mysterious lady waltzing right out of the swamps sounded more intimidating in the blurb. Although the mystery aspect of the novel was quite sweet, there simply wasn't anything menacing about it all.
Second
Obvious red-herring alert?
While our protagonist was taken for a bit of a ride by our actual antagonist, there never was a single moment where I doubted who the true villain was. Fortunately, however, it did not take (too?) long for us to get on the right track and off this detour.
Since we're on the topic of plot progression, some things seemed a little convenient. To keep it as un-vague as possible without handing out spoilers: our MC's friend's role, for instance. I would have been fine with her hidden ability, had there been some sort of explanation for it.
Third
I'm generally happy with the overall set of characters in Beware the Wild; my small, teeny-tiny whinge though, is that there could have been more depth built towards our secondary characters. Candy, as an individual, was more of a caricature than an actual person. On the flip side, I liked her friendship with Sterling and thank these YA authors who give us more positive female-to-female relationships.
The romance was also something I enjoyed just right. Not too much focus on it, not too little. Keep in mind though, that I am largely a nay-romance type reader, so you might feel as if more romance should have been incorporated into this novel.
To conclude: should you read this book? Absolutely. Sure. Why not. Don't go into it expecting a shitting-your-pants-horrorific read, though.
If you liked this book, or if you want a more twisted version of it, I do recommend you to look into Chime -- although I must warn you of its jumpy little narrative.
you can also read more reviews at my blog.
June 21, 2014
it's been far too long since a book sucked me right in and i sat down and devoured it in one sitting.
thank fuck for this book. i needed it. i needed it so badly. it gets five stars and a hug because of how badly I needed this book. (it's probably more of a 4/4.5-ish star, because I'm always hesitant to give out fivers for some reason, but fuck it, it gets 5 because it hit me when I needed it.)
it has all sorts of elements meant to entice me: southern setting, sibling relationships, fairy-tale feelings/atmosphere, realistic friendships (female at that) interesting, strong, well written female characters that don't feel unrealistic or have everything line up just so for them. and a romance that is sweet and doesn't cloud the actual story. young adult fantasy novels are so saturated with boy/girl romance it drives me up the wall, but I enjoyed this one. it's really not the forefront of this story. it's sweet.
this book feels like a ghost story you'd tell your friends over a campfire, or in your bedroom, trying to scare everyone with all the lights off.
it's about a girl, her brother, and a swamp.
it's about a girl finally finding the strength in herself to take care of herself.
it's about a girl finding
it's about small towns, and how adults just seem to decide to agree upon things as truths, never questioning them.
it's about the wild, and how it can eat you up if you let it.
goddamn, i thoroughly enjoyed this. the writing was simple yet beautiful in places and felt realistic for a sixteen year old girl. the characters all felt fleshed out enough (some more than others) but there were great moments between nearly all of them. i'll definitely be on the lookout for more from this author in the future, if this is what she can crank out as a first novel, i can't wait to see what she delivers for a second.
thank fuck for this book. i needed it. i needed it so badly. it gets five stars and a hug because of how badly I needed this book. (it's probably more of a 4/4.5-ish star, because I'm always hesitant to give out fivers for some reason, but fuck it, it gets 5 because it hit me when I needed it.)
it has all sorts of elements meant to entice me: southern setting, sibling relationships, fairy-tale feelings/atmosphere, realistic friendships (female at that) interesting, strong, well written female characters that don't feel unrealistic or have everything line up just so for them. and a romance that is sweet and doesn't cloud the actual story. young adult fantasy novels are so saturated with boy/girl romance it drives me up the wall, but I enjoyed this one. it's really not the forefront of this story. it's sweet.
this book feels like a ghost story you'd tell your friends over a campfire, or in your bedroom, trying to scare everyone with all the lights off.
it's about a girl, her brother, and a swamp.
it's about a girl finally finding the strength in herself to take care of herself.
it's about a girl finding
it's about small towns, and how adults just seem to decide to agree upon things as truths, never questioning them.
it's about the wild, and how it can eat you up if you let it.
goddamn, i thoroughly enjoyed this. the writing was simple yet beautiful in places and felt realistic for a sixteen year old girl. the characters all felt fleshed out enough (some more than others) but there were great moments between nearly all of them. i'll definitely be on the lookout for more from this author in the future, if this is what she can crank out as a first novel, i can't wait to see what she delivers for a second.
May 8, 2014
Dark, creepy, and engaging, Beware the Wild was a fantastic YA read. I really liked this delightfully dark book. It drew me in, while sending chills down my spine. I really enjoyed reading this wonderful book.
Without a doubt, my favorite part of the book is how the swamp was portrayed as its own character. Ominous and omnipotent, it hung over the characters as they tried to find a way to save Phin. It had a life and a character of its own that was subtly creepy and created a sense of foreboding. I absolutely loved how that was done.
Sterling was a lovely heroine. She was absolutely determined to bring back her brother and strong enough to brave the swamp to do so. She was clever, tough, and likable. I thought she was great.
Heath was also wonderful. He had gone through the same tragedy of losing someone to the swamp and having no one remember and, this time, he was determined not to give up. He was also sweet and a rather endearing character. I really liked him.
The romance was light, but very sweet. Sterling and Heath made a badass team and I though they were great together.
The plot was fast paced and, though it took me a chapter or two to get my bearings in the story, I was kept hooked most of the way through. The thrills of constant creepiness kept on totally engaged. I really enjoyed the story and the ending was perfect.
Beware the Wild was a fantastic YA read. I really liked this book. Dark, creepy, and delightfully atmospheric, this book was wonderful. YA readers, this is a book you won't want to miss.
*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Without a doubt, my favorite part of the book is how the swamp was portrayed as its own character. Ominous and omnipotent, it hung over the characters as they tried to find a way to save Phin. It had a life and a character of its own that was subtly creepy and created a sense of foreboding. I absolutely loved how that was done.
Sterling was a lovely heroine. She was absolutely determined to bring back her brother and strong enough to brave the swamp to do so. She was clever, tough, and likable. I thought she was great.
Heath was also wonderful. He had gone through the same tragedy of losing someone to the swamp and having no one remember and, this time, he was determined not to give up. He was also sweet and a rather endearing character. I really liked him.
The romance was light, but very sweet. Sterling and Heath made a badass team and I though they were great together.
The plot was fast paced and, though it took me a chapter or two to get my bearings in the story, I was kept hooked most of the way through. The thrills of constant creepiness kept on totally engaged. I really enjoyed the story and the ending was perfect.
Beware the Wild was a fantastic YA read. I really liked this book. Dark, creepy, and delightfully atmospheric, this book was wonderful. YA readers, this is a book you won't want to miss.
*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
June 1, 2016
This was an enjoyable little read that started out better than it ended.
I loved the atmospheric setting, and the mystery at the beginning pulled me right in. I just wish there had been more background given on why the town feared the swamp. Also why the lady who gave out the charms could remember people while everyone else couldn't. It's like the story just touched the surface of what could have been, if that makes sense.
There is also a touch of romance in here, but this is a young adult book that in my opinion tended to lean more towards the "young" then the adult. Although we get a I still think it wrapped up a little bit on the lackluster.
In anycase, it was a GOOD read, just not a GREAT read.
I loved the atmospheric setting, and the mystery at the beginning pulled me right in. I just wish there had been more background given on why the town feared the swamp. Also why the lady who gave out the charms could remember people while everyone else couldn't. It's like the story just touched the surface of what could have been, if that makes sense.
There is also a touch of romance in here, but this is a young adult book that in my opinion tended to lean more towards the "young" then the adult. Although we get a I still think it wrapped up a little bit on the lackluster.
In anycase, it was a GOOD read, just not a GREAT read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 486 reviews