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4.31 AVERAGE
4.31 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.
When I pick up an Anita Kelly book I always know it’s going to be special. Happily, Something Wild & Wonderful lives up to that hype & it was one of my fave reads of February.
Largely set along the Pacific Crest Trail, this book is about two people connecting to each other as the miles pass & learning more & appreciating more about themselves. That self-appreciation offers some of my favorite moments in this book—we can do hard things, right?
With autism rep, epistolary elements, an adorable guitar performance, a consideration of what faith can mean to someone personally when members of that faith have exiled them, nature and therapy love, & strikingly beautiful final lines, this is a book to love.
5⭐️. Out now!
CWs: Parents exile Alexei from family. A bad sexual experience with someone who was “not so gentle. Not so kind.” Homophobic language.
When I pick up an Anita Kelly book I always know it’s going to be special. Happily, Something Wild & Wonderful lives up to that hype & it was one of my fave reads of February.
Largely set along the Pacific Crest Trail, this book is about two people connecting to each other as the miles pass & learning more & appreciating more about themselves. That self-appreciation offers some of my favorite moments in this book—we can do hard things, right?
With autism rep, epistolary elements, an adorable guitar performance, a consideration of what faith can mean to someone personally when members of that faith have exiled them, nature and therapy love, & strikingly beautiful final lines, this is a book to love.
5⭐️. Out now!
CWs: Parents exile Alexei from family. A bad sexual experience with someone who was “not so gentle. Not so kind.” Homophobic language.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
THIS. BOOK. Y'all. I am almost speechless (jk I'm never speechless). The romance god's have really blessed me recently because this is another absolutely incredible book in a string of amazing romance novels.
In SOMETHING WILD & WONDERFUL, Ben and Alexei meet while hiking the 2500 mile long Pacific Crest Trail. The backdrop of nature and hiking was something I have never read in a romance before and I adored every second of it. Ben and Alexei had me hooked immediately. They are sweet and thoughtful and funny and HOT. The way that the used nature and hiking to bond and heal from some pretty serious trauma in their past was so beautiful.
I honestly could write about this book for way too long so instead I will just say - YOU SHOULD READ THIS. It is March but I already know this is going to be one of my favorite books of the year.
CW: homophobia, religious bigotry. Alexei was recently disowned by his religious family after coming out. Take care of yourself, readers. <3 (StoryGraph is a wonderful resource for content warnings!)
In SOMETHING WILD & WONDERFUL, Ben and Alexei meet while hiking the 2500 mile long Pacific Crest Trail. The backdrop of nature and hiking was something I have never read in a romance before and I adored every second of it. Ben and Alexei had me hooked immediately. They are sweet and thoughtful and funny and HOT. The way that the used nature and hiking to bond and heal from some pretty serious trauma in their past was so beautiful.
I honestly could write about this book for way too long so instead I will just say - YOU SHOULD READ THIS. It is March but I already know this is going to be one of my favorite books of the year.
CW: homophobia, religious bigotry. Alexei was recently disowned by his religious family after coming out. Take care of yourself, readers. <3 (StoryGraph is a wonderful resource for content warnings!)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Sexual content, Grief, Religious bigotry
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Something Wild & Wonderful by Anita Kelly is such a soft novel that conveys so much, as our characters, Alexei, and Been, spend the time hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. Individually, the two embark on this journey to close one chapter of their life and start a new one.
Alexei is trying to reinvent himself. He's recently informed his parents that he's gay, and they've cut him off. He's not sure who he is without his family. He was also laid off from his job. So without any ties, he will use the hike to find out what he wants for Alexei 2.0. Then we have Ben, who spent most of his 20s not knowing what he wanted, and in bad relationship after bad relationship. He's finally figured that he wanted to be a nurse, and now that he's passed his exams is celebrating with hiking the trail.
I love how Kelly fills this novel with quiet moments, but doesn't sugarcoat life on the trail. Not only are there a lack of showers, but there are dangers that live among the beauty - for example the opening scene.
I enjoy Ben's experience for life, and Alexei's caution. How they are very much opposite personalities, but very right for each other. The forced close proximity of hiking together really gives the two a chance to get to know each other.
Though they are a hiking family of two, Kelly also takes the time to show us that they make friends along the way, sometimes they hike with these other friends, and in a way this expands their found family. Which helps to replace their missing family.
While this is not a coming of age novel, you do see how the characters grow into themselves, become more confident -either through the journey or in the decisions that led them to making the journey.
Anyways, these two precious beans must be saved from all dangers. Also there was a surprise epistolary section.
Content Notes: family estrangement, homophobic language, snakes (brief, but makes a wonderful meet cute)
I was provided a gifted copy by the published, Forever, but I also purchased my own copy of the book.
Alexei is trying to reinvent himself. He's recently informed his parents that he's gay, and they've cut him off. He's not sure who he is without his family. He was also laid off from his job. So without any ties, he will use the hike to find out what he wants for Alexei 2.0. Then we have Ben, who spent most of his 20s not knowing what he wanted, and in bad relationship after bad relationship. He's finally figured that he wanted to be a nurse, and now that he's passed his exams is celebrating with hiking the trail.
I love how Kelly fills this novel with quiet moments, but doesn't sugarcoat life on the trail. Not only are there a lack of showers, but there are dangers that live among the beauty - for example the opening scene.
I enjoy Ben's experience for life, and Alexei's caution. How they are very much opposite personalities, but very right for each other. The forced close proximity of hiking together really gives the two a chance to get to know each other.
Though they are a hiking family of two, Kelly also takes the time to show us that they make friends along the way, sometimes they hike with these other friends, and in a way this expands their found family. Which helps to replace their missing family.
While this is not a coming of age novel, you do see how the characters grow into themselves, become more confident -either through the journey or in the decisions that led them to making the journey.
Anyways, these two precious beans must be saved from all dangers. Also there was a surprise epistolary section.
Content Notes: family estrangement, homophobic language, snakes (brief, but makes a wonderful meet cute)
I was provided a gifted copy by the published, Forever, but I also purchased my own copy of the book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
emotional
I received an ARC and I’m leaving an honest review.
I admit I was a little taken back at the beginning because I wasn’t expecting the book to start with them meeting a few sentences into the first chapter but OH MY GOD... It was the perfect balance between hurt and comfort. I spend most of the book tearing up because they were just SO SWEET, and then I spend the entire last part bawling my eyes out because of the angst.
And Alexei was so relatable to me personally, which only made me cry harder.
I need a physical copy to highlight and annotate and re-read over and over again.
I admit I was a little taken back at the beginning because I wasn’t expecting the book to start with them meeting a few sentences into the first chapter but OH MY GOD... It was the perfect balance between hurt and comfort. I spend most of the book tearing up because they were just SO SWEET, and then I spend the entire last part bawling my eyes out because of the angst.
And Alexei was so relatable to me personally, which only made me cry harder.
I need a physical copy to highlight and annotate and re-read over and over again.