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4.31 AVERAGE
4.31 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
OMG reading about a 2,000+ hike across the Pacific Coast sound so amazing but I injure myself at hotels so I am not sure I would survive lol. This sounds amazing and I took the train from Oakland to Portland so that kind of counts, maybe.
This was just the sweetest book! I love the idea of solitary people going out on those hikes for deep personal reasons and chance encounters on their soul search that will stay with them forever. Also they may even meet a person that finally gets them. What's more unique than a impossible hike, not many have that in common.
I just loved this journey the journey they both went on emotionally and physically. Another Favorite! Cause I Love - Love and Other Disasters!
🌈I will continue to say this forever. I will never understand how a family can disown their child because of who they loved or how they loved (Don't come at me with a poorly translated verse in a 1,200 page book, I've read a lot of it and pretty sure we are suppose to be focusing on the new section, js, wwjd not that; Matthew 7:1-3).
Love thrown away so carelessly like this is why I want to be a Free Hug Mom- I really need to sign up for that! Also, if you need someone to talk to I am here. If you disagree lets talk about it or you can unfollow that's fine. But I will never not support this community. This was written at the waterfalls.
Thank you readforeverpub for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.
This was just the sweetest book! I love the idea of solitary people going out on those hikes for deep personal reasons and chance encounters on their soul search that will stay with them forever. Also they may even meet a person that finally gets them. What's more unique than a impossible hike, not many have that in common.
I just loved this journey the journey they both went on emotionally and physically. Another Favorite! Cause I Love - Love and Other Disasters!
🌈I will continue to say this forever. I will never understand how a family can disown their child because of who they loved or how they loved (Don't come at me with a poorly translated verse in a 1,200 page book, I've read a lot of it and pretty sure we are suppose to be focusing on the new section, js, wwjd not that; Matthew 7:1-3).
Love thrown away so carelessly like this is why I want to be a Free Hug Mom- I really need to sign up for that! Also, if you need someone to talk to I am here. If you disagree lets talk about it or you can unfollow that's fine. But I will never not support this community. This was written at the waterfalls.
Thank you readforeverpub for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.
adventurous
emotional
funny
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
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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
5 / 5 ⭐️‘s
"Something Wild & Wonderful" By Anita Kelly
I loved everything about this book! It was an enchanting story that takes readers on an unforgettable journey of self-discovery, adventure, and love.
The author does an excellent job of immersing readers into the setting and painting a rich and vibrant picture of life on the PTC.
Alexei and Ben’s story is so sweet and I cheered for them the entire book. The ending 🥹
This is a beautifully written and uplifting story that I highly recommend!
The book is out TODAY, grab a copy: https://amzn.to/3L3yyj2
This ARC was provided by @Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
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
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
sad
tense
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
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
CW: familial estrangement due to queer identity; harsh homophobic language (used in Chapter 16); religion and strict religious upbringing (Christianity); mentions of Alzheimer’s/dementia care; brief references to past toxic romantic relationships.
How do your review a book that was literal perfection? I don’t throw that word around often, but Something Wild & Wonderful was perfect. This was a beautiful tale of two people finding themselves and finding love while on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). I didn’t expect to fall in love with this book so quickly, but the characters and their journey hooked me immediately and swept me away. I was an emotional mess at the end because I was just so happy for Alexei and Ben.
After being disowned by his family for being gay and at a bit of a crossroads in his life, Alexei Lebedev decided to tackle the 2,500-mile Pacific Crest Trail to challenge himself and discover who Alexei 2.0 is. He’s prepared for rattlesnakes, blisters, and months of solitude. But he isn’t ready for Ben Caravalho, the outgoing and charismatic hiker he keeps running into. Ben’s made his fair share of bad decisions when it comes to handsome men, but there is something about the gorgeous and quietly nerdy Alexei that he cannot walk away from. Alexei and Ben become trail buddies, hiking together, reading Tamora Pierce’s Alanna together at night, and slowly falling in love during the biggest adventure of their lives. But when the world outside the trail comes calling, they wonder if it is possible to hold on to something this wild and wonderful.
Ben and Alexei give this book so much life and personality. It’s a testament to Anita Kelly’s writing that both of them jump off the page as if they’re real people. Alexei is more quiet and reserved – he sees things in a different light than most people. Ben is outgoing and charismatic – he can easily pull people into his orbit and make them feel comfortable. And both are a little bit broken in their own way. They’re an unlikely match on paper, but together, they balance each other out and see the best in each other. I fell in love with them so quickly and wanted to protect them from any heartache or pain at all costs. But of course, they’re going to have to face some of that on their own.
The journey Alexei and Ben go on together, both physically and emotionally, is beautiful. The PCT changes both of them for the better. It’s not always an easy journey, but it’s one they both needed to tackle on their own terms to come out better in the end. There is a section towards the end that I truly loved, even if it was a bit emotional, as it played such a crucial role in Ben and Alexei’s journey. Those chapters are told in the epistolary format, and I found them to be some of the most powerful and emotional. In letters, both sent and unsent, Ben and Alexei can be open, honest, and raw about their emotions regarding the people in their lives. They were some of my favorite chapters for that reason.
The romance in this book is beautiful. Alexei and Ben seemed like they were meant to find each other on the trail. For Alexei, all he’s ever wanted is a relationship, but since coming out, he’s not had luck finding it and feels more alone after his parents disowned him. Ben’s got his own hangups with relationships as he feels he falls hard and fast for the wrong guy and blames himself for that. Both are not looking for a relationship, but they cannot deny the connection between them. I loved watching these two fall into love, navigating the awkwardness and beauty of it. There is an ease between them that is apparent from the start, and all I wanted was for them to get their happily ever after together. The romance gave me all the warm, gooey feelings inside, as it was such a beautiful depiction of queer love.
If this book wasn’t on your radar yet, please immediately add it to your TBR! Anita Kelly has such a way with words as their stories are truly magical and can make you feel all the emotions. Love & Other Disasters was one of my favorite books in 2022, and I feel Something Wild & Wonderful will be a top read of 2023 as it’s the type of story that sticks with you. This is a wonderful read, filled with humor, heart, and hope, and I cannot recommend it enough!
Thank you to Forever/Netgalley for the ARC. All thoughts, ideas, and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Religious bigotry
Minor: Toxic relationship, Dementia
2023 reads: 73/350
2023 tbr: 26/100
alexei and ben are both hoping to find something on the pacific crest trail. what they don’t expect is to find, and fall for, each other. but with their pasts and their presents, will they be able to hold on to one another?
i saw that anita kelly had a new book coming out and ran to get it! i loved love & other disasters and i couldn’t imagine not loving this just the same. though this was a lot different than their first book, kelly still lived up to my expectations with this one and i had a great time reading it. i know nothing about hiking super-long trails like the PCT, but i found myself intrigued in the men’s progress and what got them into hiking in the first place.
i highly recommend to any adult romance fan.
2023 tbr: 26/100
alexei and ben are both hoping to find something on the pacific crest trail. what they don’t expect is to find, and fall for, each other. but with their pasts and their presents, will they be able to hold on to one another?
i saw that anita kelly had a new book coming out and ran to get it! i loved love & other disasters and i couldn’t imagine not loving this just the same. though this was a lot different than their first book, kelly still lived up to my expectations with this one and i had a great time reading it. i know nothing about hiking super-long trails like the PCT, but i found myself intrigued in the men’s progress and what got them into hiking in the first place.
i highly recommend to any adult romance fan.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Okay, so I loved this. And also, I should have read it when I was feeling a tad less overly emotional. I really really loved the whole beginning. The setting and them bit by bit getting to know one another and the awkwardness and figuring out all these little quirks about one another. It was just perfection and I adored it. Unfortunately because I am an emotional wreck right now (and frankly, a majority of the time these days) I was full on dreading the inevitable parts where things were not constantly peachy keen between these two. Which really only goes to show how much I loved and cared about their characters. It was pretty damn painful to read some of the low moments. Ow. My heart.
It's even possible I might have had to skip ahead and reassure myself things were going to turn out fine even though obviously they were going to because this is a romance people, and Anita Kelly would never commit such a travesty upon their readers. I really did love the book as a whole, even the parts that hurt, because it felt so true to the characters and their journey.
And I absolutely adore books that have characters needing to work on their own shit for awhile before they can really be in a healthy relationship. Because finding the love of your life doesn't automatically fix the stuff you need to fix for yourself. Anyway, this was overflowing with feels and I absolutely loved it and I never ever want to hike but I did super enjoy the armchair travel aspect of it. It comes out on Tuesday, so buy it or get it from your library (or request that they buy it if they don't have it) because you're gonna wanna read this one. A really epic and beautiful romance.
*ARC provided by NetGalley
It's even possible I might have had to skip ahead and reassure myself things were going to turn out fine even though obviously they were going to because this is a romance people, and Anita Kelly would never commit such a travesty upon their readers. I really did love the book as a whole, even the parts that hurt, because it felt so true to the characters and their journey.
And I absolutely adore books that have characters needing to work on their own shit for awhile before they can really be in a healthy relationship. Because finding the love of your life doesn't automatically fix the stuff you need to fix for yourself. Anyway, this was overflowing with feels and I absolutely loved it and I never ever want to hike but I did super enjoy the armchair travel aspect of it. It comes out on Tuesday, so buy it or get it from your library (or request that they buy it if they don't have it) because you're gonna wanna read this one. A really epic and beautiful romance.
*ARC provided by NetGalley
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
medium-paced