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4saradouglas's review against another edition
3.0
Fine enough story with some parts that will stick with me, but I didn't care for the writing.
magyklyxdelish's review against another edition
4.0
Definitely better than I was expecting. At first I wasn’t sure how I felt about Ashley, as she is definitely brash and seemingly “cold” at the beginning. However she grew on me and by the end I loved her. This was also a surprisingly quick read. Very fast paced once she gets lost.
ccoterie's review against another edition
3.0
My heart is broken as an avid possum lover.
The March Book Club Pick.
I don't gravitate toward this genre. At all. My preconceived notions tend to keep me away: if I've read one book about a strong, but ultimately boring, protagonist fighting to survive in the woods, then I've read them all. Ashely's inner monologue was surprisingly compelling. She follows the tough character mold, but not in a way that feels stereotypical. The glimpses we got into her relationships made me cheer her on. Her revelations had weight and felt realistic in this wild situation. The book didn't hold any punches and I'm happy about that.
[ WILL UPDATE AFTER MEETING ]
The March Book Club Pick.
I don't gravitate toward this genre. At all. My preconceived notions tend to keep me away: if I've read one book about a strong, but ultimately boring, protagonist fighting to survive in the woods, then I've read them all. Ashely's inner monologue was surprisingly compelling. She follows the tough character mold, but not in a way that feels stereotypical. The glimpses we got into her relationships made me cheer her on. Her revelations had weight and felt realistic in this wild situation. The book didn't hold any punches and I'm happy about that.
[ WILL UPDATE AFTER MEETING ]
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Drug use, and Animal death
gessy26's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
thenextgenlibrarian's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
fast-paced
3.5
A gritty YA survival story.
🪵
Ashley and her friends go camping in the Smokies. When Ashley spots her boyfriend cheating on her, she drunkenly runs out into the woods and has a horrible fall. When she wakes up she realizes she’s lost. Relying on her hiking experience gets her farther than most people, but Ash can only go so far in the middle of nowhere with no supplies. She has to figure out how to survive, despite the life-threatening infection spreading up her leg.
🥾
I knew this would be a gory tale of survival knowing Mindy’s MO and I was right! It was also engrossing, adventurous, sad and definitely an entertaining read. The audiobook narrator was great as well!
CW: gore, blood, loss of limb, vomit, cheating, dehydration, hospitalization, starvation, animal death
🪵
Ashley and her friends go camping in the Smokies. When Ashley spots her boyfriend cheating on her, she drunkenly runs out into the woods and has a horrible fall. When she wakes up she realizes she’s lost. Relying on her hiking experience gets her farther than most people, but Ash can only go so far in the middle of nowhere with no supplies. She has to figure out how to survive, despite the life-threatening infection spreading up her leg.
🥾
I knew this would be a gory tale of survival knowing Mindy’s MO and I was right! It was also engrossing, adventurous, sad and definitely an entertaining read. The audiobook narrator was great as well!
CW: gore, blood, loss of limb, vomit, cheating, dehydration, hospitalization, starvation, animal death
sydjean_4's review against another edition
4.0
This was a lot more graphic then I anticipated. It is a total survival story. I enjoyed reading it I just wish I didn’t read it right before I went to bed because happy dreams did not came from this book.
books4susie's review against another edition
5.0
This book captured my attention the first time I read the synopsis. Ashley Hawkins and her friends hike to a camping/party spot in the Great Smoky Mountains. After a night of drinking, Ashley wakes up to go to the bathroom and finds that her boyfriend just slept with his ex-girlfriend. Upset, she runs off into the woods with only the clothes on her back and no shoes. An experienced hiker, Ashley falls into a ravine and seriously injures herself. Lost and alone, Ashley tries over a span of fifteen days to find her way out. A gut-wrenching read for sure.
kathlgpa's review against another edition
3.0
My boyfriend normally HATES action movies. While I would not say I love them by any means I can say I find some enjoyable depending upon the general dialogue and portrayal of women. I love the MCU, he hates it. But the biggest reason he will immediately start dissecting ANY movie, most namely action, is for how inaccurate they are. "There is no way they could have survived that crash!" "People cannot speak at normal volumes on an aircraft carrier!" etc. Me? I can suspend some belief in the name of entertainment. This doesn't extend to the Fast and Furious franchise, I did say SOME and ENTERTAINMENT.
The reason for this long ramble on this book review may no be clear but it is relevant I promise. Because it also extends to books. I expect some crazy coincidences in books. Did the protagonist and love interest just happen to meet up again at the same small dinner party thrown by friend of a friend in a romance? Fine with me. Oh the spy just happened to overhear the bad guy's evil plans by being in the exact right place at the right time? Cool.
But this book guys...
I mean I love Mindy McGinnis, I really do. Her writing is AMAZING. Her characters are pretty badass. But this book!!
The first few inaccuracies about Tennessee, a place I lived for 6 years, I tried to let slide because they were small.But then when she is SO DRUNK AND UPSET she cannot remember how far she ran barefoot blindly at night and yet apparently used her ninja skills to leave no blade of grass unturned or trail of any kind to see in the morning? I am having a hard time not dropping this book right now.
I did finish this book and it was entertaining, but I did have to roll my eyes sometimes. I will keep reading McGinnis but won't ever come back to this one.
The reason for this long ramble on this book review may no be clear but it is relevant I promise. Because it also extends to books. I expect some crazy coincidences in books. Did the protagonist and love interest just happen to meet up again at the same small dinner party thrown by friend of a friend in a romance? Fine with me. Oh the spy just happened to overhear the bad guy's evil plans by being in the exact right place at the right time? Cool.
But this book guys...
I mean I love Mindy McGinnis, I really do. Her writing is AMAZING. Her characters are pretty badass. But this book!!
The first few inaccuracies about Tennessee, a place I lived for 6 years, I tried to let slide because they were small.
Spoiler
A blizzard where it is so cold that if you were outside for 2 minutes you were too frozen to move? Okay I get you are trying to build the backstory of this girl and show she has all this tough survivalist stuff down. I shall let it slide.I did finish this book and it was entertaining, but I did have to roll my eyes sometimes. I will keep reading McGinnis but won't ever come back to this one.
rakoerose's review against another edition
4.0
What a visceral, gruesome experience. And I say “experience” because that’s absolutely what this book is. I’d never imagined trying to survive the woods in this detail, and now it feels like I went through it with Ashley.
Apparently even when I’m a drunk crazy woman I don’t leave a trail.
Big, big cw for this book for gore, descriptions of pain, drugs, etc. because it’s not for the faint of heart. You’re dragged along with Ashley on this intense ride of survival, for better and (mostly) for worse. So many small details were divulged in this that really fleshed out the intricate developments that happen in this situation.
I really enjoyed this book’s style; it almost felt like I was reading Ashley’s memoir of what happened. Weaving her past into the pressing present of the forest. Harboring quiet, individualized revelations and realizations in the echoing quiet of the trees.
The ending was both a relief and a heartache, because going through something like this would change anyone. I know I’ll be keeping Ash’s journey in my mind for a good, long while.
Apparently even when I’m a drunk crazy woman I don’t leave a trail.
Big, big cw for this book for gore, descriptions of pain, drugs, etc. because it’s not for the faint of heart. You’re dragged along with Ashley on this intense ride of survival, for better and (mostly) for worse. So many small details were divulged in this that really fleshed out the intricate developments that happen in this situation.
I really enjoyed this book’s style; it almost felt like I was reading Ashley’s memoir of what happened. Weaving her past into the pressing present of the forest. Harboring quiet, individualized revelations and realizations in the echoing quiet of the trees.
The ending was both a relief and a heartache, because going through something like this would change anyone. I know I’ll be keeping Ash’s journey in my mind for a good, long while.