Scan barcode
ktmomma's review against another edition
adventurous
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
*spoilers* The timing of this book felt very strange. The narrator didn’t feel unreliable enough to be reporting the time incorrectly. It seemed like 5 days had gone by and she called it weeks. I found that really distracting. Same for the amputation scene. It seemed wildly improbable. How was she dying from infection that quickly? For that matter how did she do that much damage to her foot in a fall? My own questions kept me from getting lost in the story.
ameserole's review against another edition
4.0
This was not a book to listen to while eating or drinking something delicious. Just saying.
Be Not Far From Me was a pretty good audiobook to listen to. I just wish I knew what I was walking into when I was making my breakfast this morning. Long story short, it had some disgusting scenes.. that made me want to throw up and not look at my food. That feeling passed rather quickly and then I was hungry again. Then a disgusting scene would sneak in and attack me and my stomach.
So, yeah I'm letting you know to not eat food. You're welcome!
Other than that, I loved this entire book. Ashley, my girl - I feel terrible for her. She went through hell and back.. and I think this whole adventure made her a better person. Heck, I'm so glad that she dumped that cheater ex of hers towards the end. I would've thrown my phone at the wall if she took him back.
Let's go back to her journey of surviving. Kind of cool that she already knew how to do so many things out in the wild. ME? I would've died 20 minutes out there on my own. Maybe? Yeah, most likely. Then there's the twists and turns throughout this book and I was just on the edge of my seat the entire freaking time.
Overall, this was ugh - so good. I ate it all up.
Be Not Far From Me was a pretty good audiobook to listen to. I just wish I knew what I was walking into when I was making my breakfast this morning. Long story short, it had some disgusting scenes.. that made me want to throw up and not look at my food. That feeling passed rather quickly and then I was hungry again. Then a disgusting scene would sneak in and attack me and my stomach.
So, yeah I'm letting you know to not eat food. You're welcome!
Other than that, I loved this entire book. Ashley, my girl - I feel terrible for her. She went through hell and back.. and I think this whole adventure made her a better person. Heck, I'm so glad that she dumped that cheater ex of hers towards the end. I would've thrown my phone at the wall if she took him back.
Let's go back to her journey of surviving. Kind of cool that she already knew how to do so many things out in the wild. ME? I would've died 20 minutes out there on my own. Maybe? Yeah, most likely. Then there's the twists and turns throughout this book and I was just on the edge of my seat the entire freaking time.
Overall, this was ugh - so good. I ate it all up.
arisombra's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
sarahmcstripes's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
omgreads's review against another edition
3.0
A bit too gut-wrenching/gory for me, but the FMC is so well written, I couldn’t DNF it.
mybookishbeing's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you to the publisher, HCC Frenzy, for sending me a copy to read and review.
I have this weird love of survival stories, no matter if they're in the form of a book or movie/tv show, and I was a little hesitant about this one since I haven't really meshed well with the other works by the author but Be Not Far From Me was one of the better survival stories as well as books from this author that I've read to date.
The book follows Ashley as she tries to survive on her own in the wilderness after she runs off from the camp she and her friends had set up when she witnesses her boyfriend cheating on her. I really loved this book after we start to pick up and get to the part where Ashley has to start surviving on her own. I enjoyed how the story was told through present moments and flashbacks as it allowed me, as the reader, to get to know the main character better since it was really only her on the page for the majority of the book. I think the pace of the story was really well done and it didn't feel too short even given its length. I enjoyed the wilderness aspect, and of course the survival, however some things felt like they just happened too coincidentally to be believable, especially the one scene towards the end. I did take half a star off due to it feeling kind of repetitive after a while; hobble, drink water, sleep. I get that its a survival story and theres only so much a person can do when survive but I felt like it needed maybe a few more believable twists to become a full five star read for me.
Overall, I really enjoyed Be Not Far From Me and thought it was a pretty solid survival story even with the minimal problems that I had with it. I definitely recommend picking it up if you enjoy survival stories as well as characters who are really strong willed.
I should mention some triggers that I think some people might have issues with. This book deals with drugs, teenage drinking, cheating, death; both human and animal, gore and some bodily harm (out of necessity for survival). I just wanted to put these out there so if any of those might trigger you, please proceed with caution.
I have this weird love of survival stories, no matter if they're in the form of a book or movie/tv show, and I was a little hesitant about this one since I haven't really meshed well with the other works by the author but Be Not Far From Me was one of the better survival stories as well as books from this author that I've read to date.
The book follows Ashley as she tries to survive on her own in the wilderness after she runs off from the camp she and her friends had set up when she witnesses her boyfriend cheating on her. I really loved this book after we start to pick up and get to the part where Ashley has to start surviving on her own. I enjoyed how the story was told through present moments and flashbacks as it allowed me, as the reader, to get to know the main character better since it was really only her on the page for the majority of the book. I think the pace of the story was really well done and it didn't feel too short even given its length. I enjoyed the wilderness aspect, and of course the survival, however some things felt like they just happened too coincidentally to be believable, especially the one scene towards the end. I did take half a star off due to it feeling kind of repetitive after a while; hobble, drink water, sleep. I get that its a survival story and theres only so much a person can do when survive but I felt like it needed maybe a few more believable twists to become a full five star read for me.
Overall, I really enjoyed Be Not Far From Me and thought it was a pretty solid survival story even with the minimal problems that I had with it. I definitely recommend picking it up if you enjoy survival stories as well as characters who are really strong willed.
I should mention some triggers that I think some people might have issues with. This book deals with drugs, teenage drinking, cheating, death; both human and animal, gore and some bodily harm (out of necessity for survival). I just wanted to put these out there so if any of those might trigger you, please proceed with caution.
gggina13's review against another edition
4.0
I really love a good survival story, especially in the wilderness. I don't know if it stems from enjoying Hatchet in 5th grade Language Arts (I'll never forget how the fish ate the pilot), or if it's something more primal in me, but anyway!!!!!11!! This is a good gritty survival story, well-written as McGinnis' books tend to be, with both realistic physical things happening to the protagonist and realistic mental things. This book is short but not sweet, easily readable in one sitting due to both its length and its grippingness (?) Some survival stories are fluffy enough that you know the protagonist will walk out the other side, but McGinnis keeps it really real in this one. I recommend picking it up, especially if you aren't faint of heart. (content warnings for hunting for survival, vivid descriptions of gore and pain, etc)
melg14's review against another edition
5.0
4.5-5 stars
Listened on Scribd
Mindy seems to be a hit or miss for everyone and that’s because she writes the most raw and complex stories with major dark twists or reality checks. This is my third book by her and the second I loved. Everything about this book was so realistic, from Ashley’s rough and tough personality to the emotions and pain she went through to surviving to the very end.
The narration by Brittany Pressley was really good too!
Listened on Scribd
Mindy seems to be a hit or miss for everyone and that’s because she writes the most raw and complex stories with major dark twists or reality checks. This is my third book by her and the second I loved. Everything about this book was so realistic, from Ashley’s rough and tough personality to the emotions and pain she went through to surviving to the very end.
The narration by Brittany Pressley was really good too!
kaitlynmcn04's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.5