Shout out to this book which made mye Top 10 Books of 2020 (so far) .
Now that you know this fabulous book made the list, check out the video to see the rest!
★★★★★
Because I was born with teeth and fingernails, and both of those were made for hanging on.
Ashley has always known how to survive – it was a necessity for the long winters with very little food – but that will be put to the test in a way even she could never imagine.
The world is not tame.
Ashley and a few friends were camping in the woods. It was fun…at first.
But then her boyfriend’s eyes began to stray.
…all the stuff he’s always said he likes me not doing seems to look pretty good on Natalie…
And when Ashley catches Natalie and her boyfriend hooking up, she runs full-out, nearly blackout drunk, into the woods.
And then, she falls. Down a ravine. Not a soul around to hear her screaming.
I give it three days, maybe more before connections are made and everyone realizes I’m still in the woods.
The next day she realizes that she’s well and completely on her own.
With only the clothes on her back and a severely injured food, Ashley must find a way out as soon as possible. Because every day in the woods is one day closer to death.
I’m moving.
But Lord do I wish there was someone to carry me.
Ahhh.
AHHHHH.
I cannot get over this one.
It had such a gritty Hatched/Into the Wild feel to it that I was glued to this book from page one.
The survival aspect was so well-done – though, keep in mind, I have never attempted anything even close to what Ashley has done – but it all seemed really well-researched and thought out.
Every page I read drew me further into the book.
I didn’t quite love Ashley at first – she had so much common sense and began as a bit too brash for me.
And then to just go running into the woods drunk? It was a bit…odd…but the excuse of her being alone in the forest aside, the rest of the book held very well.
Fair warning though, this book contained mostly inner narration and flashbacks to Ashley’s unique childhood.
The stories ranged from heartbreaking to heartwarming, with my favorite being…well….you’d have to read the book for it – but here’s a hint:
So that’s how I got a job guarding a meth lab…
The craziest part of the book was DEFINITELY the first opossum scene.
I’m not going to give away what happened but suffice to say, I physically CRINGED away from the book. Like, I could NOT stop that reaction. And I’m still not over it.
All in all, this book was stunningly addicting. I literally could NOT put it down and I cannot wait for it to be published!
With thanks to the author and Katherine Tegan Books for sending me a free copy in exchange for an honest review. All quotes come from an uncorrected proof and are subject to change upon publication.
Interested in this one from Mindy McGinnis? Buy it here: Amazon
Miranda Reads 