Reviews - Something Wild & Wonderful

1.64k reviews for:

Something Wild & Wonderful

Anita Kelly

4.31 AVERAGE

rhayrhay's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Do they miss me?
He listened to Ben breathing. And then he fixed the question, made it closer to what his heart wanted to know. Does it count if the person they miss isn’t actually me?

It was a meaningful read to me, seeing Kelly explore another kind of intersectional romance combined with a very specific kind of queer pain. As is their style, the romance is intertwined with a personal journey. It makes for a read that is both grounded and fun as it pulls on your heartstrings. It's not as escapist, but it always leaves you hopeful. Kelly doesn't shy away from the ugly in the world, but also leans hard into the beauty that surrounds us.

jadatrack's review against another edition

4.25

challenging emotional funny inspiring 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: No

sarahbradburn's review against another edition

5.0

While I would never actually want to spend 5 months backpacking, there's something very soothing about imagining spending 5 months backpacking.

yumsy2's review against another edition

4.25

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted sad 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

annamariereads's review against another edition

5.0

May 2025: thoroughly enjoyed my annual reread of this gem of a book! STILL 5 STARS! STILL THE BEST!

May 2024: Still a 5 star read. Always will be. This book is my favorite book of all time. Lex and Ben are the best. If you haven't read this book, you MUST!

INFINITE STARS ♾️⭐

Update: I re-read this book in May 2023, only two-ish months after reading it for the first time and I can 100% confirm: this is my favorite book I've read in 2023. Actually, it might just be my favorite book of all time.

Somehow, Anita Kelly put my own thoughts on to paper. It's almost as if they have a spy inside my brain, that's how well I relate to Alexei's inner monologue.

"For so much of his life, Alexei had never let himself think, look, notice such things. So much had been squashed, hidden inside places he pretended weren’t there. Alexei had spent so much of his life holding himself back from wanting. And while he knew this particular wanting was temporary and useless, he felt good, in some small way, that he was letting himself feel it."

I WISH I COULD SCREAM AND YELL ABOUT THIS BOOK FOREVER AND EVER (in the best way possible). Listen, you don't UNDERSTAND!!!!! I am Alexei, Alexei is me, we are the same.

"Maybe if he wrote the one thing – not a bullet point, but the words that lived inside him every minute – he could finally sleep.
He lifted his pen once more.

Do they miss me?

Alexei stared at the words, barely visible.
No. Not quite right.
There was a reason he wanted to write this, finally, today.
Alexei chewed the cap of his pen. He listened to Ben breathing. And then he fixed the question, made it closer to what his heart wanted to know.

Does it count if the person they miss isn’t actually me?"

The sex scenes are done so well. It's obvious that Anita put so much care into writing these moments. The writing is so intimate and the passion LEAPS off of the page. The love that Alexei and Ben share is precious.

"What a wild thing, Alexei thought, as Ben sucked on his fingers, as his body titled in this strange position, to still be learning new things about your own body, nearly thirty years after you were born with it."

"'Ben,' he whispered. 'Ben, it feels good. You can let go.'"

Alexei loved being able to watch more this time, this way, couldn’t get enough of it, every detail of how Ben breathed, the muscles that strained in his neck.

...and the whole time, he thought:
only you
only you
only you--"

I thought while reading THE letters a second time around, I wouldn't cry as much. Spoiler alert: I cried even harder. Like, ugly crying, snot dripping from my nose, coughing while trying to catch my breath, type of crying.

"I’m so tired, Ben.
What if I die out here?
I don’t want to die out here.
I feel so far from God.

It’s made me realize how, even though we never really talked about my faith, you and me, how close I felt to it, while we were together. Like God had been hovering over me the whole time saying See? This is love. Like I love you. Do you understand?"

I just... I feel so many BIG FEELINGS when it comes to this story. Alexei and Ben are my comfort characters. This is my comfort book. I think about this book AT LEAST once a day. Anita Kelly, I am forever indebted to you for writing this masterpiece of literature. I feel as though I could write an entire thesis on this book. Maybe one day I will.